Madder Rose’s return is a welcome surprise, carrying none of the predictable nostalgia glaze.

Known for their distinct blend of dreamy melancholy and hypnotic guitar textures, the band has re-emerged with the same quiet power that defined their ‘90s underground presence. Across their six albums, from the hazy cinematic wash of their debut ‘Bring It Down’ to last year’s ‘No One Gets Hurt Ever,’ the common thread is a commitment to evolving on their own terms. They are simply making the music that comes to them, a process guitarist Billy Coté calls “happy accidents,” resulting in a sound that remains as unique as it was 30 years ago. This unvarnished approach feels like a continuation of a story that was never truly finished, and those lucky enough will be able to catch them at this year’s Dromfest.

“Happy accidents define a lot of great music.”

So stoked to finally get to chat with you guys. It’s awesome to see you back making waves. Let’s get into it, shall we?

Your debut, ‘Bring It Down,’ hit us like a beautiful, hazy dream back in ’93. It had this almost cinematic vibe. Looking back, what was the biggest “oh wow, we’re doing this” moment during the creation of that album? Was it recording “Beautiful John” or maybe “Swim” finally clicking into place?

Billy Coté: When I initially wrote ‘Swim’ and ‘Baby Gets High,’ I knew I was onto something interesting, and I knew I had to find the right vocalist. My buddy Ron Ward of Speedball Baby introduced Mary and me, and maybe that’s when it clicked. She took some convincing, though. We recorded demos at NY Hed, Matt Verta-Ray’s studio, and we had offers to do a couple of 7-inch singles right away. The recording of the album itself was problematic at times. It sounded different from what we were after. Hearing it all these years later, I can get into it. It’s a pretty weird listen, but it somehow holds together.

Mary and I have a kid, and he told me he listened while walking around Brooklyn one day, and that he dug it! Also, a girl I met said she listened to it so much that her boyfriend threw the CD off his boat. Certainly, there can be no better review than that.

‘Panic On’ followed pretty quickly, and it felt like you opened up the sound a bit, maybe a little more pop-savvy in spots, but still with that signature Madder Rose melancholy. Were you consciously trying to expand your sonic palette, or did it just naturally evolve that way in the studio?

Billy Coté: We came off the road after many months of touring, so we were pretty tight as a band, and that surely contributed to how this LP came out. We also had a pretty good budget, so we were able to work at a nicer studio that had a lot of toys (Hammond B3, pump organ, etc.). Bassist Matt Verta-Ray brought in a violin that he could sort of play, so that’s a drone on one track.

I think we took advantage of having studio time blocked off, so we could make a concerted effort at recording, unlike the first album, which was done piecemeal over many months. This is our best one, if you ask me.

Then came ‘Tragic Magic’ in ’97, which felt like a real departure with its electronic flourishes and trip-hop influences. What was sparking that shift in sound? Was it a case of wanting to experiment, or were you just soaking up different sounds around NYC at the time?

Billy Coté: We definitely wanted to experiment, but the experiment went wrong! During the Panic On tour, we were, at times, opening for bigger bands, and we ended up playing more aggressive sets to try to engage with audiences who may not have heard of us. In my mind we were becoming too much of a rock band.

I had been listening to Tricky and the like, as well as a lot of dub, which greatly informs trip-hop. I thought, oh, we could do this too! It didn’t really turn out as well as I had hoped. People who liked us for our first two albums did not like it at all. That was a bummer. But I can assure you, our intentions were excellent.

‘Hello June Fool’ in ’99 brought back some of that guitar-driven thing, but still with a fresh twist. It felt like a band finding its footing again after some experimentation. Was there a sense of “coming home” to a certain sound with that record, or was it just another chapter in your story?

Billy Coté: I think we got back to being who we are. Mary and I were both writing guitar songs again, and that is the band’s strength. We recorded at a studio called Electric Wilburland, just outside of Ithaca. It’s located in a former church with high ceilings, and we caught a good vibe there. We were pretty happy with it, or at least I was. It was our first full record for Cooking Vinyl in the UK, and we had a long relationship with them.

After ‘Hello June Fool,’ there was a pretty long pause before ‘To Be Beautiful’ dropped in 2019. What was it like stepping back into the Madder Rose studio after all those years? Did it feel like riding a bike, or were there new dynamics you had to navigate as a band?

Billy Coté: We all came back to it with our various levels of interest, but it was generally a positive experience. Johnny Kick, our drummer, made it clear that it should be more guitar-based, which influenced the LP we made after this. But considering everyone is busy with grown-up lives, it came out pretty good. The interesting thing was, it still sounded like us.

And now, ‘No One Gets Hurt Ever’ from last year! It feels incredibly vital and immediate. What was the driving force behind getting back into the studio so relatively quickly after ‘To Be Beautiful’? Was there a particular itch you needed to scratch?

Billy Coté: I wanted to make more of a guitar record (as Johnny had suggested). I had a good writing spell, so why not? None of us are getting any younger!

Mary, your vocals have always been such a captivating focal point, that blend of vulnerability and quiet power. How do you approach your vocal performances now compared to the early days? Has your relationship with your own voice changed over the years?

Mary Lorson: First, thanks for this, such an intelligent question. And thank you for saying you hear “vulnerability and quiet power,” because that’s definitely how I feel in general in life, frustratingly. I am working to occupy more of the middle ground between falling apart and taking over.

I haven’t been singing as much these past few years, but on the occasions when I get back into it I can feel the process in new ways, which is fun to explore. Getting older in general is pretty interesting. Some things change, some stay the same. I still love harmonizing as a backup singer.

With my solo stuff I felt like I was able to challenge my voice in new ways, but also took lots of liberty with melodies, and I’ve been bringing that sensibility to our Madder Rose gigs lately, which is pretty interesting for me.

One of my favorite musical loves these days is the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, whose director finds pieces and arrangements that really grab me. I guess in general I’m working on challenging old patterns, trying to find new options in the same little old instrument.

Billy, your guitar work is so distinctive, instantly recognizable. From those swirling textures to those perfectly placed riffs, it’s always got this understated brilliance. Who were you listening to and drawing inspiration from when you were first forging that sound?

Billy Coté: All kinds of stuff. Velvet Underground of course, like the insane solo from ‘I Heard Her Call My Name’! Also, their approach on prettier songs was instructive. My Bloody Valentine and the massive reverb/distortion sound they made certainly left an impression. Ira from Yo La Tengo is masterful at many approaches to guitar, so he was an influence as well.

Madder Rose has always had this cool, almost understated presence, never quite chasing the mainstream but always earning deep respect from those in the know. What’s been the most rewarding part of navigating the music world on your own terms for all these years?

Billy Coté: Well, it’s not like we wanted to have an understated presence, it’s just how it worked out! The fact that there has been enough interest to make six records (we’re working on number seven) is extremely rewarding.

If you had to pick one song from each of the five albums we’ve discussed (‘Bring It Down,’ ‘Panic On,’ ‘Tragic Magic,’ ‘Hello June Fool,’ ‘No One Gets Hurt Ever’) that you feel best encapsulates that album’s essence, what would they be and why? (No pressure, but we will judge your taste!)

Chris Giammalvo:

‘While Away’ (from ‘Bring It Down’) – dreamy feedback guitar, melodic.

‘When You Smile’ (from ‘Panic On’) – bendy guitar, signature Coté, strong chorus, sleepy vibes turned bombastic.

‘My Star’ (from ‘Tragic Magic’) – riffy guitar, vocals that float on top

‘Hotel’ (from ‘Hello June Fool’) – murder ballad, quiet/loud bits.

‘My Love For You is Out of Control’ (from ‘No One Gets Hurt Ever’) – arpeggio guitar bit, thumpy groove, breathy vocal.

Billy Coté:

‘While Away’ (from ‘Bring It Down’) – great vocal, lots of good guitar sounds. It’s amazing we were able to play it that slow. It was never that slow again. It’s on the list for Dromfest.

‘Car Song’ (from ‘Panic On’) – our best song, from the playing to the singing to the arrangement. Recorded live, then Mary redid the vocal. I added one extra guitar behind the solo. That’s what we sounded like on that day. I wrote it after we opened for Yo La Tengo in Ohio somewhere. I was clearly inspired.

‘Peter and Victor’ (from ‘Tragic Magic’) – I’m not too fond of this album (it’s my own fault), but this was a nice, weird little moment.

“Feels Like Summer” (from Hello June Fool) – this song actually sounds like summer feels, if you ask me. Great rhythm section stuff. An excellent drug song.

“I Lost the War” (from To Be Beautiful) – I love how this came out. Coulda been on the first album. I wrote it after I ran into Matt Verta-Ray on Orchard Street. We hadn’t seen each other in a while, but we got back in contact. He’ll be playing slide guitar at Dromfest.

“If I Drift Away” (from ‘No One Gets Hurt Ever’) – tucked away on side 2, I love the melody and how it sounds on the record.

What’s one unsung Madder Rose track that you think deserves a lot more love and attention from fans, old and new? Give us the deep cut!

Chris Giammalvo: ‘No Avail’ (from ‘The Love You Save’ EP) – bendy guitar bits, lazy groove, catchy chorus.

Billy Coté: ‘Roses’ (from ‘To Be Beautiful’) – Mary orchestrated 16 vocal tracks, the drums are scattered. It’s just a strange and lovely track, not a typical song at all (Mary wrote this one).

Mary Lorson: ‘Not Perfect’ and ‘Peter and Victor’ (from ‘Tragic Magic’)

The indie scene has changed so much since the 90s. What’s something about the current independent music-scape that genuinely excites you, and what’s something that makes you scratch your head a bit?

Billy Coté: I like that technology is such that someone with very little musical knowledge can make an interesting track. Happy accidents define a lot of great music.

The flip side of that is that there is a glut of “just okay” music pouring forth!

Okay, so totally random, but if you guys ever found yourselves passing through my little town and had a whole day to just chill, spin records, and chat about music, what are some albums, obscure or classic, that you’d definitely have to put on the turntable for a proper listening session?

Billy Coté: Probably the first three Spiritualized records. Continuing on from Spacemen 3, they are like the gold standard in moody drug music. Also Bert Jansch, The Rare Conundrum. He’s known as a virtuoso guitarist, but his songwriting was stellar as well. Nico, ‘Desertshore,’ perhaps. A Jackson 5 compilation too. As you may know, we released an EP that had a cover of ‘The Love You Save’ on it. This is my favorite song in the universe (their version, not ours, though ours is pretty good).

You guys are hitting up Dromfest 2025 – seriously, so hyped for that! What can fans, especially those who might not have seen you play live in a while, expect from your set at The Avalon Lounge? Any surprises brewing?

We’re going to play stuff from across all our LPs, concentrating on our “popular” songs, but also some more obscure numbers. Could be a cover of a Speedball Baby song, we’ll have to see!

Dromfest has this really cool vibe, bringing together a lot of bands with a shared history in the independent circuit. What does it mean to you to be part of an event like this, playing alongside so many other acts who helped shape the sound of the ’90s and beyond? Is there anyone else on the bill you’re particularly keen to catch?

Well, certainly Yo La Tengo. Haven’t seen them in a decade or more. Thalia Zedek and Chris Brokaw (formerly of Come) are both playing in different configurations, and that will be worth catching as well. Looking forward to the whole thing, really.

Klemen Breznikar

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