A Chat with Litvar (22.08.26)
Bringing the “I’m from a small town but don’t mess with me” attitude to the world of indie rock, Litvar battles the status quo with their inspiring music. We speak with guitarist/vocalist Rex Thurston and drummer Joe Lemieux about Litvar’s new album Being Here, memorable shows, future plans and much more.
OSR: We spoke with Litvar a few years ago discussing your album, Eloquently Aimless. Since then, what have you been up to?
Thurstan: Yes, we remember! We got stumped by some obstacles in our lives after our second album. But once we started to pick up the pieces, I started writing on just a guitar. I’d take the songs to open mics to see how people reacted to them; eventually I came to Joe with the beginnings of Being Here.
Lemieux: Over the past few years since we dropped Eloquently Aimless, we’ve been falling back in love with home recording. We did our first album at home, so it was awesome to go back to that DIY feel when putting together Being Here.
OSR: You recently released your album, Being Here. What can you tell us about the album? Is there a particular theme?
Thurstan: It is largely to do with losing my father before our second album. Some of it is about trying to make room for loss in your life. Some of it is about making the most of a bad situation. But the whole record focuses on living intentionally in the face of great impasses.
OSR: Being Here was recorded and produced at home, so what do you think are the pros and cons of taking this approach instead of working in a studio?
Thurstan: Working in a studio can be refreshing, as it can be helpful to have a fresh pair of ears engineering your work. However, if you already have a particular vision, in my opinion, it is best to chase that on your own. The band and I were able to really craft exactly what we wanted by recording the album exclusively at my place.
Lemieux: As Rex said, we really knew the sound that we wanted from this album from the beginning, and it was important for us to do it ourselves. It took tons of different sessions going back and forth between Rex’s place and mine, but I think it was so worth it in the end. It’s definitely the most proud I’ve felt of a Litvar project.
OSR: How do you feel your sound has changed since Eloquently Aimless, and is Being Here a reflection of where you are as musicians and people?
Thurstan: Our sound has matured greatly, in my opinion. I feel like we sound less anxious. Being Here really shows how far our musicianship has come.
Lemieux: I think Being Here is by far the best reflection of what we can do as musicians. The record isn’t about showing off musically; we were focused on serving the song first and foremost. It made the whole process of making the record really fun, and it already has me excited to get working on our next batch of songs.
OSR: The album’s title, “being here”, carries a strong sense of grounding, presence and resilience. After writing, producing and releasing the album, what does the phrase “being here” mean to you?
Thurstan: It was just something that stuck in the beginning. A film that was a family favorite growing up was Being There. I originally had that as the working title, but was convinced to make it sound more present. Very glad I changed it, as there is a Wilco album named Being There as well.
OSR: What do you hope people take from Being Here, and what does the album mean to you?
Thurstan: I love to hear that people connected with this album, because it was a little scary to release it. I was convinced that it was the right thing to do, but I asked for a lot of advice from family and friends about how I should talk about the record, because something about the vulnerability of it always left me tongue-tied. During the making, it was my musical journal to keep an eye on my mental health as I saw myself hit rock bottom. I feel a lifetime of fondness for it.
Lemieux: This album is by far our most personal, and it came out of a time when we were really struggling. I hope people take away that in your darkest days, creating art with friends can be an amazing way to help your mental state.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Thurstan: It is real life magic. All art is to me.
Lemieux: I don’t know what I’d do without music. I’ve been playing the drums as long as I can remember, and meeting Rex and being able to have the outlet to create in this band has given my life meaning that I would be lost without.
OSR: Which do you find more challenging: writing the melody or the lyrics?
Thurstan: Honestly, it feels very natural to come up with a melody. Lyrics appear in my head randomly throughout the day; I never really sit down with a pen and think about what to say. All of Being Here’s lyrics came to me as fast as pouring a pint glass of water.
OSR: Live performances are transforming experiences, so what is your most memorable gig to date and why that one?
Thurstan: Our most recent show was our release event for the record, and we sold it out. It was the best show to date; I’m really, really lucky to have this incredible band. They are the most talented musicians I’ve ever met, and they are my best friends. It is a joy to share the stage with them. Everyone was very excited, and it was a lovely show with a great crowd.
Lemieux: One of my favorite gigs we ever played was a house show in Fort Wayne, Indiana, about five years ago. It was the first tour we ever went on, and we set up a show with some of our fans from Indiana in their front yard. It was such an amazing experience and is what made me want to tour as much as we possibly can.
OSR: What can we expect from Litvar in the future?
Thurstan: We’re already crafting the next project, and we’re always going to change and strive for something that feels different and refreshing.
Lemieux: Lots more music. All we do is hang out and make songs together, and I can’t wait to keep putting more of our material into the world.
Many thanks to Rex Thurstan and Joe Lemieux for speaking with us. Find out more about Litvar on their official website, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
