An Interview With The LA-Based Pop Duo, ONLY BRICKS On New Music and More!

Get to know the LA based pop duo Only Bricks!

They are back with a new upbeat and empowering single titled, “Alright!” The track, which recently premiered on CelebMix, features more of the bright Summer hooks we’ve come to expect from the duo since 2018’s debut “Foundation” EP. Celebmix called the track “perfect for the Summer,” and a “female empowerment anthem.” “Alright!” is the follow-up to 2018’s acclaimed “Foundation” EP, as well as the “Ordinary,” and “Standing Still,” singles. The EP release saw the band win Best Pop Band in the LA Music Critic Awards for First Half of 2018.

Anne DiGiovanni, singer and songwriter in the group, had this to say: “Women are under pressure on so many levels, from relationships to proving ourselves at work to state legislatures and courts deciding what we’re allowed to do with our own bodies. It’s a lot, and this song is just some encouragement to look to our inner-strength, and it will be ok.”

Fans can listen to “Alright!” Here:

Soundcloud, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Connect With Only Bricks Here:

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and their official site.

Learn more about Only Bricks in the following All Access interview with them here-

Thanks for your time! What is on tap for the rest of your day for you both?

We’re rehearsing for a cover gig we’re playing this week and may try to write a song later, and then normal Sunday stuff like finishing laundry, making dinner, walking our dog.

Now that we are more than halfway through the year, how would you say that 2019 is treating this duo so far? 

It’s been really great – we’ve devoted more time to songwriting than ever and just put out our latest single, “Alright!”. We’re getting back to playing live shows, with our first of the year at Genghis Cohen last month.   What are some goals that you have for this year and how close are you to reaching them? Did you already?  Our main goal is to collaborate more, and we’re starting to do that but want to branch out even more with other writers and producers.  We want to make sure we play live every three or four months, and as a result, we’re planning shows in San Francisco, New York, and DC in addition to our next one in LA.  We’re also each trying to learn to play the other’s main instrument (Anne’s learning guitar and Joseph’s learning piano), which is more of a long-term goal.

Has anything surprised you about this musical journey so far? How did you come up with your name?  

Only Bricks comes from a line in a song by The Vamps called “I’d Risk It All,” which was our first dance at our wedding.  The song talks about taking risks to be with the person you love, and we also apply it to taking risks by putting our music out in the world – there’s only bricks to break our fall, what’s the worst that could happen if we go for it?  It’s been both harder and easier than we expected to be creative partners as a married couple.  It’s easy because there’s never any coordination necessary to get together in our studio and write, we’re both on the same page about spending our free time on this duo; but it’s hard to agree on the writing process and the specifics of a particular songs we’re writing, and there’s no going home separately to cool off – our non-music time is also spent with each other, so that can be intense sometimes.

How do you think your hometown has influenced the sound and how you both carry yourselves in this band?  

Our aesthetic is beachy and bright just like Santa Monica, and that carries into our music too.  We know it’s not popular to have big melodies and uplifting lyrics in your music right now, but it’s what we love and who we are, so we’re not going to compromise that to try to chase trends.

Why would you say that you two work so well together? Where is one of you weak where the other is strong and vice-versa? Why does this duo work?  

Joseph is more of a dreamer and Anne wants to get things done, so we push each other in different ways.  The duo works much the same way our marriage works – we have common goals, we want to achieve them together, and it takes commitment, but we have fun doing it.

Let’s talk about your latest track “Alright!” What was the inspiration for this song? How did it come together? How would you say that it prepares listeners for more music from you? 

We started this song with the main hook coming to Anne out of the blue, and then we sat down and decided we wanted to write it as a message of empowerment to women, since it’s this time in history when we’re all acknowledging that it’s hard to be female, and there have been some obstacles for those who identify as feminine or female.  From there, we were inspired by a couple of different stories – the first verse is about a friend’s tough break-up and the second verse was originally inspired by some #metoo stories but was rewritten to be more generally about being overwhelmed at work and trying to advance your career as a woman.  We brought in our producer, Cameron Stymeist, and he challenged us to keep rewriting and make the song even better, with a revamped bridge. Alright! is a good indication of what’s coming from us, but you never know what else we’ll come up with.

How do you think this duo has changed over the years and since your 2018 “Foundation” EP was released?  

We’re still very much at the beginning of our run as Only Bricks, but we’re always trying to improve as songwriters and performers, and listeners will hear some of that evolution in the 2019 singles (including “Alright!”), as compared to our debut EP.  We think we’re moving toward a more modern sound while staying true to who we are (melody-first, anthemic bubblegum pop writers).

When do you plan on putting out more new music and a full collection of new songs?  

We’re finishing production on a new song right now, so we hope to release that as a single very soon.  We probably won’t do another EP or album any time soon – it’s ideal to keep singles coming on a more regular cadence in the streaming era.

Where do you think you are both happiest- in the studio recording new music, on stage performing or elsewhere? 

The high we both get on stage is unlike anything else, so that’s the happiest place.

What has been a favorite show of yours to date? What do you think makes an ideal performance for this band? Where are you excited to play at next?  

Our last show in LA was the best in terms of our own energy and the crowd’s energy.  We had a really good turn-out at Genghis Cohen, and the air conditioning was broken, putting just a bit more tension in the air as we played and jumped around the stage.  We’re excited to play Thee Parkside in San Francisco on September 14 next – neither of us have played in SF but we love the Bay area and think it’s going to be a fun night.

How do you think being musicians and in this band gives you all the most joy in life today?  

Playing music, writing music – both of those activities are meditative in the sense that they place you in the present moment and you get into a flow where time and space don’t matter.  This moment is really all we have, so spending our time making and sharing music makes us appreciate that.  It’s a thing that can connect people and transcend our everyday struggles and annoyances.

We are currently living through a very trying and politically charged time right now so I am curious to know how your own music is reflecting this time period? If you don’t think it is, why is that? 

Apart from “Alright!,” we’ve tended to write a lot from personal experience, and we’re admittedly very privileged, so our songs don’t tend to reflect politics and social justice issues.  They’re more internal, exploring relationships and heartbreaks we’ve had.  That being said, the state of our country and the world stresses us out and depresses us, so we try to write uplifting music to counteract the feeling that the apocalypse is coming.

Who would you love to work with in the future? Who are some of your favorite artists right now? What do you think would be a dream collaboration for this duo?  

We just saw Fitz and the Tantrums at the Forum, which was a fire show.  We also love Small Pools, FRANKIE, The Mowglis, Marianas Trench, and Sigrid, to name a few.  Our dream song placement would probably involve Josh Ramsay of Marianas Trench and Captain Cuts producing a song cut by Shawn Mendes and Taylor Swift.

Where would you love to hear your music being played? A TV show, a movie, in your favorite store, etc…?  

Yankee Stadium!

What do you hope is the message of your music? What do you hope people continue to take away from your songs?  

We want people to feel positive and good when they hear our songs, whether it’s from explicitly empowering lyrics or just the vibe and the melody.  Life’s too short to listen to music that makes you depressed!

Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers about your music?  

Check us out, we hope you feel lighter after listening to our songs – and if you don’t hate them, please follow us on social media and Spotify!