The Garden’s “Haha” Is Just the Right Side of Weird

Photo by Myles Pettengill

We’ve been fans of twin brothers / Burger Records fam / sometime Saint Laurent models, The Garden since they emerged way back in 2013. Since then they’ve released a debut LP—The Life and Times of a Paperclip—and return this coming October with their follow-up, Haha (out via Epitaph/Burger Records on 10.9). Premiering below is the album’s title track an instantly appealing garage-pop cut with a slinky, descending bassline and a sing-speak segment reminiscent of Art Brut at their best. It seems they’ve sloughed off the scuzzier elements of their earlier work and their songwriting is all the better for it. “Hip swing, hip swing, means nothing if you don’t have thighs,” sing the Wyatt and Fletcher Shears, and we’re compelled to agree.

Take a listen, plus we have a quick chat with the brothers below.

Noisey: First record?
Fletcher Shears: Going Places Wyatt Shears: The Crew First idol?
Fletcher:

Wyatt: Steve Yzerman. I grew up around hockey, and my favorite team growing up was the Detroit Red Wings. Steve was the captain, so I always fancied him the most.

First band/solo project ?
Wyatt: S2C. It was your average run of the mill « punk » band. It was a bit before we started reading outside the lines music-wise. Then I started Enjoy around 2011 I believe. I wanted to hear myself sing and I wanted to see if I liked the way it sounded on recording.

Fletcher: S2C was definitely your basic punk band, but everyone starts somewhere. I started Puzzle in 2012. I needed something else to express myself. I was extremely pent up and going through a lot of emotional struggles I had never faced. I was looking for a different way of playing music, something where I could express myself more with words and hooks, and melodies. I guess I just needed to do it.

First show?
Fletcher: A backyard show with an empty pool. I think D.I. was playing.

First stage diving ?
Fletcher: Ceremony 2010? I really don’t know…

Wyatt: I think the same…

Continues below.

First fight?
Fletcher: While playing Hockey in high school during what I think might have been a relatively important game. Against two guys. As far as I remember, the fight was never finished, due to my whole team and the other two players teams skating up in a big mass ready to fight with us. But I think I did fine.

Wyatt: Either hockey or a random show I went to in highs school.

First flirt?
Fletcher: Ray Romano, first!

Wyatt: Ray Romano.

First hangover ?
Fletcher: Never got a hangover. I just never really got a around to drugs and alcohol. It was always around me, but I was just naturally focused on other things.

Wyatt: Never. Not into drugs, alcohol, and what comes with it.

First runaway?
Fletcher: Never ran.

Wyatt: Never really did that.

First book ?
Fletcher: First book I actually picked out myself: Scary Stories to tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz.

Wyatt: Same one, the first I ever remember getting into.

First fave movie?
Fletcher: Slapshot.

Wyatt: Slapshot or Strange Brew.

First job?
Fletcher: Worked as an intern for a video editing company in 2009.

Wyatt: Worked as a baker at a cupcakery.

Last diploma?
Both: High school.

First expensive clothing?
Fletcher: Still don’t have any.

Wyatt: I don’t think I own any.

Fave piece of clothing?
Fletcher: Mmm… My bomber jacket I had thorough high school. Wish I would have kept.

Wyatt: I often found myself picking up “Hang Ten” mock neck sweaters.

First fashion show?
Both: Saint Laurent, in Paris, January 2013.

First fave magazine ?
Fletcher: I liked reading through the gossip magazines at the supermarket when I was younger. They are ridiculous and hilarious of course, but it’s interesting to see what they “writers” try and pull off.

Wyatt: Well, I don’t read up on magazines too much, but I did read zoo books when I was younger.

First time someone bashed The Garden?
Fletcher: To be honest, I really have no idea. It happens, and it always will. It’s like so many other routine like occurrences in life. For a moment it’s not too fun, but then you move on and it’s easily forgotten.

Wyatt: I don’t remember the first time anyone insulted us. That’s just part of making music, it’s comin’ at you either way. There is no avoiding it.

Last time you got upset ?
Fletcher: Stepped on a knife and opened up my back yesterday.

Wyatt: When grasshoppers get too close. Can’t stand it.