Saudade Sisters
Denton, TX by Seattle, WA duo Jena Pyle (from Sundae Crush, Layer Cake) along with Claire Morales are Saudade Sisters who are readying their long distance love EP for release in late May and we present the grand premiere for “Where You Are”. A creative bond of love & shared visions/passions that was struck up before Jena’s move to Seattle, the two caught ears with a cover of Patsy Cline’s “Strange” that would set their synergy in motion with signs of sweet, songs soon to arrive. With echoes of Candace(fka Is/Is)/Web of Sunsets and all the grand southwest by northwest troubadours in-between—Sauadade Sisters exchange maudlin textures & tones that instills a sense of solace & home—wherever you might be.
“Where You Are” showcases the beautiful harmonies made by both Claire & Jena that illuminate the spaces & places of distance that exist between the two artists. With slow galloping rhythmic chords, Saudade Sisters sing out lullabies for one another that sounds like an army of guardian angels dressed up in gaucho attire slowly & softly riding back and forth between Denton & Seattle. Saudade Sisters have created the perfect song for all forlorn, sad & isolated souls seeking the company & care of a close one who feels even closer to the heart than family. Morales & Pyle have honed their harmonies & melodies to blend brilliantly together that create a force & phenomenon of nature that sounds even greater than the two of them. For all who are missing someone special who is far, far, away—Claire & Jena have written a song for both you. Don’t miss our roundtable interview with the duo immediately after the debut for “Where You Are”.
Describe how Jena’s move to Seattle set the inception for the long distance love EP.
Jena: We did a cover together for fun and wanted to do original songs together, but I was moving in a few months. I think it ended up being perfect though, moving brought up a lot of sad girl feelings and depression that I channeled.
Claire: The EP was kind of a pen pal thing. It was a good way to stay in touch and have something to work on and feel connected I think there is a feeling of longing for a true connection in the EP and maybe part of that comes from writing it apart from each other.
Tell us about the correspondences & back & forth contributing process that created the EP.
Jena: It was a lot of sending voice memos back and forth of ideas we were working on.
Claire: Yeah, it was mostly us sending ideas. One time we decided we would write a song in an hour. We were both drinking tea in Seattle and Denton and writing at the same time. It was pretty fun and we ended up using both of the songs we wrote (the first half of Wrong Ones and Blue Light).
“Where You Are” is a very moving piece. How did thoughts of location & environment & the intrinsic human connective bond & more inspire this song?
Jena: Actually, this is the first song I ever wrote on acoustic. I wrote this song before I left Dallas on a friend’s dreamy balcony while they were in NYC. I was daydreaming a lot about being somewhere else with someone else, especially since I was moving soon. I thought I might move to NYC for a bit, but it didn’t fit. This was the first original song Claire and I worked on together that helped us form this EP. When I hear it, I think of playing it on Claire’s front porch at night getting bitten by mosquitos.
Claire: Ughh yes the mosquitos! We were sitting on this little bench in front of my house because my AC was out and it was so hot inside. And we barely fit on the bench together and we were just playing the song again and again, working on harmonies and solos and stuff. I think that comes through in the song, somehow. I like that we harmonize so much on this song because it’s that feeling of being alone together and commiserating. Which is such an appealing thing, because if you have to be alone, you might as well do it together.
What have you all been really excited about lately?
Jena: Spring flowers, releasing new music—this EP and Sundae Crush’s EP, playing the Sundae Crush / Baywitch double release show at Vera, Twin Peaks, making really great breakfasts with my partner.
Claire: Getting my album finished, releasing Wrong Ones, playing SXSW, watching Twin Peaks, ice cream weather, neighborhood cats, sleeping.
Best constructive ways for voices to be heard in these scary times?
Jena: Speak up even when it’s hard. I know people like to block people they don’t like out of their lives, but nothing will move forward unless you attempt to understand each other. Also, spend your energy wisely.
Claire: Make art. Art is special because it’s something no one can take away from you and it’s yours. Everyone has something to say, and sometimes it’s hard to find the words in everyday conversation or to truly be heard, even when you are speaking clearly to another person. But in art, you can create the perfect scenario and build the world that you’d like to have. The world where you can say that thing you want to say and be the person you want to be. And art can inspire others too and be quite powerful.
Spring & summer squad goals?
Jena: More #summerofselfies, pick tons of flowers, tour, go outside with friends a lot, soak up the sun and tell everyone on the internet.
Claire: Go pick peaches at Fredricksburg again, tour, camp, cook stuff outside, swim more, walk on stilts more.
