Bodies of Water are not only one of L.A.'s rising stars, they were handpicked by the formidable Secretly Canadian label to join its roster of exceptional indie talent. The quartet will have its sophomore album, A Certain Feeling, issued on July 22 through the not-so-secret imprint.

The follow-up album to last year's Ears Will Pop and Eyes Will Blink soars with intricate melodies and four-part harmonies, and the band's triumphant music could double as show tunes for a Broadway musical. We caught up with principal writer David Metcalf as he outlines his favorite musicians, places to visit in the city and how to break-up a mosh pit.


PFS: At what point in your life did you decide that you wanted to be in a band, and not just a fan? Was it a particular show, event, person?

Metcalf: When I was in high school I was real interested in Cream, The Yardbirds, The Animals, Jimi Hendrix -- that sort of thing. Those bands pointed me towards in Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Robert Johnson, etc. It was at this time (around fifteen years-old) that I decided I would like to play this kind of music with other people.


PFS: What was your experience like the first time you played live?

It was really fun. My high school band played in our school gym at a concert that some kids at the school set up. There were a lot of people and a mosh pit started, this was strictly forbidden by the school authorities, and they moved to pull the plug. So, I asked two of my "burliest" friends to break up the pit (which they were able to do) and the show continued.


PFS: Who writes the music/lyrics in the band? Describe the songwriting process?

Metcalf: I do. Sometimes the song is written from start to finish before I teach it to everyone. At other times I have several sections finished, and we figure out together how many times things should repeat, and how one section ought to lead into another.


PFS: What do you think are the biggest drawbacks, and rewards, of self-releasing music in an age where there are little boundaries and so many bands to keep track of?

Metcalf: The biggest drawback to it is that you depend so much more on dumb luck for people to come across your music. The rewards are that you have the final word in how it is presented and you get a bigger share of the money from its sale.


PFS: Name three of your favorite hometown places that a traveling music fan should visit (record store, restaurant, bar, etc.).

Metcalf:
1. The burrito truck located at the northeast corner of York Blvd. and Ave 53 in the Softspra self-car wash lot -- this is the best vegetarian burrito in L.A.

2. Pickup basketball games on Saturday mornings at South Pasadena high school -- the outdoor courts next to the gym.

3. The Academy 6 Movie Theatre. It is cheap and they show 'art movies' and stuff.


PFS: You get to create a "dream band" with four additional musicians. Who would they be?

Metcalf: Louis Armstrong, J.S. Bach, Fred Schneider and Jim White.


PFS: If you could change any aspect of the Music Industry what would you do?

Metcalf: I don't like artist bios and press releases and things like that. It would be fun to ditch those and let everybody write a single haiku to represent themselves. Nobody gets to use more than 17 syllables. It would save a lot of time.


PFS: What's the best piece of advice you could give to a band starting out?

To relax? I don't know. We played together for a while before we started doing it in earnest. That was a fun era. Stay in tune? We used to not really tune-up and it caused some problems for us. It's that "calibrate" button on
the tuner. If it is accidentally pressed you are done for.


PFS: Outside of music what do value the most?

Metcalf: I don't know! I do know that I don't value music most. I value physical health, friends & family, having tons of money and looking really good.


PFS: What artists are you listening to at the moment?

Metcalf: As I type I'm listening to Karl Blau's "In Return of Ghost Country."