https://soundcloud.com/user-855620092/music-around-fort-worth-podcast-elephant-trunk-parade
Luke Warren is a TCU senior who makes up half of the band, Elephant Trunk Parade.
The film major hails from California and his Californian roots can be heard in the band’s sound. Because they are inspired by bands like Beach House, their mellow tones reflect the cool nights of Southern California.
His bandmate, Brenden Ramirez, goes to Willamette University in Oregon. The two band members have known each other for years and decided to start recording music together after their first year in college. They released their first album in August 2015 after their sophomore year.
Ramirez said that the miles between the band members force the band to focus when they’re together.
“It makes us have to really pick and choose what areas to focus on whenever we come home,” said Ramirez. “In the past, it’s been on songwriting and recording, but lately we’ve started to shift our focus towards playing together and preparing for shows. Especially since we’re coming towards the end of our second recording project.”
Warren added that the distance adds to the creativity in their writing.
“You’re trying to write and talk and do things in different states,” he said. “And then it’s like when we’re back in town, it’s just this epic, non-stop writing fest. There’s definitely a sense of urgency when we’re back home, but I think that adds to some of the creativity at times like you only have a set amount of time to record.”
Creativity runs strong in the band; their first album, “More Light,” was recorded on a single laptop in a bedroom. “It was a huge learning curve,” Warren said.
Warren also had some advice for newer musicians who are trying to get their start.
“If you can find somebody that you click with… that’s huge,” he said. “We were playing and playing and playing a long time before Elephant Trunk Parade and when that came around it was like this really organic writing and music kind of partnership, so I’ll mostly do the lyrics and he will mostly do the music.”
The band is currently finishing its second album, which they hope to release this summer. You can find one of Warren’s new songs at 9:15.