Harlem Shakes Interview

In case you haven't been paying attention, people around here have been loving the new Harlem Shakes album, Technicolor Health. Lead singer, Lexy Benaim, took a minute to answer a couple quick questions via email before their upcoming show with Passion Pit at the Wonder Ballroom on Sunday, May 24th.

QuickCrit: How is the tour going?

Lexy Benaim: Tour is going great so far. Chicago in particular was amazing; we played to a packed house on a Monday at midnight.

QC: Which song is the most fun to perform live? Which song gets the biggest cheers?

LB: Hmmm...for me the most fun is probably "Radio Orlando", because I get to play keyboard at the end. Our closer "Old Flames" usually does, but is that because it's at the end of the show? Probably.

QC: Can we expect to hear anything off the Burning Birthdays? Say "Red Right Hands"?

LB: You probably won't hear RRH on this tour. More likely "Carpetbaggers" or potentially even "Sickos".

QC: Why did it take so long to finally release an album?

LB: We had what you might call "bidness ishoez;" problems with labels and managers now all expunged. So we worked, did assorted jobs, toured a bit, and when we had the chance, poured out some new jams.

QC: What inspires your songwriting? "Strictly Game" seems to have a tempered optimism that comes from hitting bottom.

LB: I'd say that's an accurate reading. People seem to think when I sing "This will be a better year" that I'm absolutely sure of that. I think of it as a sort of willful optimism from a pessimistic mind. Also, people just mishear lyrics. Like when I say "if life gives you lemons/ then thus god bade--" I don't actually say the old lemonade line! I subvert it, dammit.

QC: What's your process for writing?

LB: I usually bring in an initial form and then we all add the layers. It depends. With the best songs everything comes at once. But that's rare.

QC: It looks like you'll be touring with Passion Pit into July. What's next after that?

LB: Hard to say, but at this point, probably a whole lot of Europe.