In a van, called Vangelina Jolie, speeding down the freeway to Detroit is an all-female four-piece, probably listening to The Kinks. They’re called Parsnip and they’re going against traffic. To them, the deep-fried parsnip trumps the widely preferred roasted parsnip. Controversial yes, but it’s a world-view I think we can all really get behind at the moment.
I think we named the band Parsnip because it sounded good at the time.
Roasted, boiled, even deep-fried, the parsnip, in an overall sense, is an unsung culinary hero which only gets its true comeuppance on a Christmas dinner plate. It’s fun, it’s different, but it’s not arrogant like a spud, it’s grateful and relishes its moment. A bit like the band too really.
Although they profess, “I think we named the band Parsnip because it sounded good at the time?” the root veg is actually a great metaphor. The band are different, they sound different, great in fact, unique and fun. But other than the ground obviously, where did that uniqueness come from?: “More than anything, friendship has shaped how we sound. We’re all into pretty different things and it all kinda ends up in the ‘Parsnip sound’ somehow. I guess we all love the Kinks though. ”
You can hear the Davies brothers on their debut offering When The Trees Bear Fruit that’s for sure. The album cover actually bears a tale in its self – if you’ll pardon the pun. The bassist, Paris Rebel Richens not only has a rock and roll name but a clean-cut eye for perspective. But their records cover went under a couple of renditions: “Originally it was just going to be an outside scene of fruit pickers and people climbing and playing amongst a field, but then the perspective was altered to reference one of the album’s tracks ‘My Window’.” This vision clearly translated to their sound, a playful and distinct mix that you can’t help but enjoy. The process behind it must have been a fairly complex recipe as it’s got a layered and impeccably produced end result.
Deep-fried parsnip > roasted parsnip.
For Parsnip, their creative process starts at home, where the band make demo’s, growing and growing their ideas before passing them on to their friends: “[we] share them amongst the gang and see what works best in our guitar-bass-keys-drums setup. From there we allow some freedom to adapt or change depending on what each member can bring to the table.” Whatever they do it really works we have to say. Ces’t magnifique: delicious!
While the band are quite playful and witty themselves, the record actually tackles some heavy themes of loneliness. Music is more than just fun for them, it provides a way to “acknowledge internal sorrow or pain against a more joyful backdrop – and in that way, let go.” Although they clarify, “It’s not really a deliberate decision, probably more of a subconscious choice or just an expression that felt right when the song was being pieced together.”
More than anything, friendship has shaped how we sound.
Back in Vangelina, speeding away in cruise control, the band are on the cusp of a 20 show US tour, a long time to spend in a small-but-sturdy vessel. Sooner than they think they’ll be set for a well-earnt rest, worn out from being on the road. I’m sure they’ll make some insane memories and melt a few faces on the but there’s one thing that matters to them more than anything: “the freedom to create with friends. ”
Listen to Parsnip on Spotify and Apple.
