Q&A: Ok Cowgirl’s ‘Cruise The Town’ and Upcoming LP ‘Rhinestone Cowgirl’
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY LUCY BULLINGTON ☆
“IT’S A TYPE B ANTHEM”—that is how Leah Lavigne, the lead singer and songwriter of Ok Cowgirl, describes their upcoming single “Cruise The Town,” dropping today, July 14th. The Brooklyn-based band consists of Lavigne, Jacob Sabinsky, John Miller, Ryan Work and Matt Birkenholz. For their highly anticipated LP, Rhinestone Cowgirl, arriving August 21st, they are trading standard rock conventions for a sound that combines vivid sonic images of the West with a gritty New York indie bar scene.
Ok Cowgirl abandoned tracking instruments one by one, opting to record most of the record playing together in a big circle. Lavigne credits this setup, alongside producer Alex Farrar, with developing a sound that feels "raw yet polished," explaining that "making eye contact and feeding off of each other’s energy imbued these recordings with a certain sense of ease and comfort." Unlike their past discography that leans more pop and rock, Lavigne swapped her electric guitar and keys for a new acoustic guitar. This shift caused her to tap into more folk and country roots. Ultimately, the project stems from a foundational friendship, showcasing a group of people who simply "love being in the same room with each other, making music and shooting the shit over a beer."
Luna had the chance to sit down with Lavigne to talk about “Cruise The Town,” the making of Rhinestone Cowgirl, the New York bar scene and much more. Read the full interview below.
LUNA: You describe the atmosphere of the LP as "dim yellow lights hanging above scuffed green pool table felt." Is there a specific place that feels the most like Rhinestone Cowgirl to you, perhaps a particular bar or neighborhood in New York?
LAVIGNE: Ah that’s tough! So many bars have served as that backdrop for me over the years. I guess if I had to choose one that maintains this atmosphere in a way I love to this day, it would be The Palace in Greenpoint.
LUNA: How do you maintain the identity of a band "reminiscent of a past before streaming" while navigating today's content-heavy music industry?
LAVIGNE: I guess we just don’t really factor in algorithms and content-making while making the music itself. We also keep ourselves grounded in real world community. We’re lucky to live in New York City where there is a large community of people and spaces for us to live our music-centered lifestyle and connect with others. We still use social media and such as a tool but we aren’t overly reliant on it; if smartphones disappeared overnight, we’d still continue being a band that makes and shares music without having to do much recalibration. Everyone in Ok Cowgirl is at the tail end of the millennial generation so we remember and got our start in a time of mix CDs and house shows. The people we looked up to and who inspired us to pursue music did things this way, so it feels pretty natural to carry that torch while integrating today’s new tools and technologies.
LUNA: How did working with producer Alex Farrar shape the sound of the LP, and how did that collaboration first come about?
LAVIGNE: This is the second LP that we’ve made with Alex Farrar. My bandmate John Miller produced our first couple singles and EP, and when he joined the band as an official member in 2021 we decided we wanted to try working with a new producer. I kept looking up the credits to all my favorite records at the time: Wednesday, Indigo De Souza, Snail Mail and Angel Olsen. Alex’s name kept showing up, so I decided to send him a cold email with some demos; the rest is history. Alex has helped us develop a sound that feels raw yet polished, one where the dry vocals cut through and showcase my lyrics, but the guitars have room to get heavy and unruly at times. We love working with Alex because he has great ideas, but is also such a great listener and encouraging collaborator.
LUNA: The LP has been described as "Drinking Music." How did you translate that specific dive-bar energy into the record's sonic landscape?
LAVIGNE: We recorded most of this record playing together in a big circle. This was very different from our previous recordings where we recorded most instruments one at a time, layer after layer. I think making eye contact and feeding off of each other’s energy imbued these recordings with a certain sense of ease and comfort. Everyone in this band has been friends for a long time. We’re in this band because we love being in the same room with each other, making music, and shooting the shit over a beer. This record showcases just that. There were more than a few Budweisers involved in the making of this record.
LUNA: What's the story behind "Cruise The Town?" Is it directed towards a single person? What inspired the simile, "Like an airport bartender?" I love it.
LAVIGNE: “Cruise The Town” is more of a meditation on the idea of control than a message directed at anyone. It’s a type B anthem. The line “serve ‘em and then let ‘em go, like an airport bartender” was inspired by an experience I had when I was flying solo and killing time at an airport bar. I had a really lovely bartender and was enjoying observing his interactions with other customers. He was very present and entered every interaction with openness in a way that transformed this usually transactional experience into something much more pleasant. I remember thinking, “Why is this guy being so generous with his energy? Most of us will never see him again.” But you could tell he was enjoying himself, being in the moment with his actions and interactions. I just really admired his attitude.
LUNA: Your earlier work felt very tied to the New York indie scene, but Rhinestone Cowgirl has an expansive, Southern grit. How did you conceptually approach this shift in sound?
LAVIGNE: I bought a new acoustic guitar a few years ago and wrote this entire record on it. I wrote all of our previous songs on electric guitar or the keys. I think writing on the acoustic tapped into more of my country/folk influences, while our previous work had a more straightforward pop or rock direction. When I brought the songs to the group it felt very natural to lean into an alt-country sound reminiscent of Lucinda Williams or Sheryl Crow. Our lead guitarist, Jake, grew up on classic rock and country. He shapes so much of our sound with his slide guitar parts and general sound. He really helped lead the charge and the arrangements came together rather effortlessly.
LUNA: What media (books, movies, etc.) were you consuming while recording the songs?
LAVIGNE: I’m pretty sure I was binge-watching Sex and the City which really helped me ward off this feeling that “I was behind” as I approached turning 30.
LUNA: Your album drops on August 21st, followed by a show at Baby’s All Right the next night. If a fan wants to buy the band a round to celebrate the release, what is the official Ok Cowgirl drink order?
LAVIGNE: Budweisers for the four boys and a whiskey ginger for me :)
