Trevor Shelley de Brauw (Pelican)
photo via Bandcamp
What are your top five albums that were released in 2023? (In order 1-5)
- FACS - Still Life in Decay
- Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit
- billy woods & Kenny Segal - Maps
- Big|Brave - nature morte
- The Necks - Travel
What band did you discover in 2023 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? How so?
An album played a ton this year was A Murmur, Boundless to the East by the Canadian group you doo right. It’s just from last year, but I’d missed it until a few months ago. It’s a really satisfying convergence of different aesthetics I really enjoy while not really being analogous to anything else. It’s very energizing and soothing music and I found it quite useful.
How will you remember 2023 (in terms of music)?
I feel like this year just blew by and I was way more invested in a small handful of records than my usual consumption mode of taking in as much of everything as I can all the time, so I’m sure I missed a lot.
A couple notables that stick out: Taylor Swift assuming absolute and complete control of the music industry with three hit albums, a record-breaking self-distributed concert movie, and even an old song of hers randomly topping the charts four years after its release. I am determined to stay on her good side.
And -- as someone who’s followed Julien Baker since her debut album -- what an unpredictable thrill to see her ascend to the echelon of bona fide arena rock star.
What can we look forward to from you in 2024?
Pelican are deep into writing a new record. With turnaround times on albums being what they are I don’t know if that’ll be a 2024 thing, but we’re definitely looking forward to recording new music and playing some shows that highlight all the writing we’ve been doing.
What records are you looking forward to most in 2024?
We just did five shows with Uniform and they were opening their sets with a new song that is an absolute crusher. I CANNOT wait until they drop a recording of it.
With physical media sales seemingly less popular than ever, what are some the best ways that fans can help to support the musicians when they go to a live show?
The obvious one is buying merch. Profit margins are much higher on shirts than records, so bear that in mind. It’s also really helpful to bands and promoters when folks buy tickets in advance.
Trevor Shelley de Brauw – social media links
- Instagram: @trevordebrauw
