“This future sucks.”
In an interview that began with a Zoom technical issue, the initial topics discussed by Portland-based band Sit Pretty weren’t related to their music, but rather software problems, annoying Discord updates, and the rising number of ads in subscription services.
In a way, it was an apt introduction to the fourpiece’s latest crop of songs, which discuss the frustrations of the modern world (“Millennial Love Song”) as well as introducing a post-apocalyptic future inspired by the “Fallout” games (the band’s latest single, “Atomic Beachfront Property”).
With a new EP on the way, Sit Pretty noted that there wasn’t an intentional conceptual project in the works despite the similarities between their latest singles. “It’s a recurring theme,” admitted drummer Brett Smith.
“I mean, look around at the outside, like everything!” added lead singer and guitarist Delaney Smith.
“I Dissociate with You/Fallout” – two singles released by the group in 2024, also contain a similar end-of-the-world feel with mourning, shoegaze-y guitars and cover art featuring a gloomy pink haze.
“I think there’s always been a post-apocalyptic vibe,” said guitarist Bennett Mohler of the band’s music. “I think Brett once called it dysto-pop – you know, the world is ending vibe is just kind of there.”
The band first released music in 2019, but the “world is ending vibe” felt more real in the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, with the band releasing its second album, titled “Self/Care,” complete with Delaney Smith on the cover wearing a mask and a track named “New Normal.”
“The second record was Covid-influenced,” said Mohler. “I think the only reason that second record exists so soon after the first is we couldn’t play shows, we couldn’t do anything, but we still liked each other. So, you know, let’s make music. That was our pod, and it was fun. It kept me sane for how long that took to record.”
“I like keeping that kind of modern (reference) that anchors the band, because a lot of bands, they will try to do a post-punk or a new wave or a throwback rock ’n’ roll thing, and it’s kind of like they’re trying to pretend they’re in this other era,” said Brett Smith. “But I like having songs that are still kind of directly referencing the current mood. It kind of places us in this modern era.”
Sit Pretty has weathered the changes in time well. The band first released music in 2019, with a lineup of Brett Smith, Delaney Smith, Mohler, and then-instrumentalist Chris Faulconer. “It was a different sound – we were playing, like, old songs that I had,” said Brett Smith.
The first album, titled “On Wednesdays and Sundays,” has a distinctly more electronic sound to it, with Mohler citing Portishead as an influence.
The current version of Sit Pretty, with bassist David Alvarado, began in 2022. “This iteration [has been] strong and super active since then,” said Mohler.
The band’s latest work is some of their best yet, with tracks like “Millennial Love Song” and “Atomic Beachfront Property” sounding like a cross between Blondie and Interpol. The songs are also a showcase of the band’s collaborative approach to their creative process.
“Love Song” was years in the making, starting out as a synth-pop idea that Delaney Smith labelled as “cringe anime.” Eventually, she and Mohler reworked the song, keeping the original lyrics but tossing out the chords and melody.
“We brought it to the band, and that was also a pretty quick turnaround because I think the melody informed a gothy mood,” said Mohler. “David and Brett brought together kind of a Clash bass-line, and very boomy, Joy Division drums. … And it came together pretty quick.”
“Beachfront Property” had a similar evolution, starting off as “cringey reggae” before Alvarado mentioned the word “radioactive.” Then, the song took off. Now, it’s a melodic indie-rocker that would fit right into the end credits of 2020’s “Love and Monsters,” warning of when “giant crabs come out for feeding time.”
“It’d be rare when it’s more than a couple sessions before we have a song fleshed out,” said Alvarado. “If something really sticks, it’s like one practice, and then the structures develop.”
All four members of the group had previous band experience before Sit Pretty. Veterans of the Oregon music scene, they shared their insights for up-and-coming bands, as well as lessons they’ve learned over the years. Some were simple: “Bring lots of socks on tour. Bring so many pairs of socks. You can’t bring too many pairs of socks if you’re gonna go on tour,” said Mohler. He also emphasized that, although obvious, practicing is a necessity for bands that play live.
Sit Pretty mentioned many “cringe, horrible moments” in the early stages of fine-tuning their sound: off-beat drum machines and in-ear monitor fiascos, including a time when Smith said she “was in my own key” for part of a live performance.
“It’s good to try and work out all those kinks,” said Mohler. “So again, practice a lot. Make sure everyone can hear themselves. Make sure you have this so that no matter what venue you play at, if it’s like, really good sound, or it’s a s—y bar … it’s protected. We know all the ins and outs. … I think we have a really good product that’s just pretty bulletproof.”
Other tips included splitting royalties equally among members (“We haven’t seen a lot of it, but if we did make money, then we’d all not be fighting,” said Delaney Smith), as well as evenly distributing tasks.
“Being in a band is like being married to three other people,” added Smith. “So communication is very important.” The band often votes to make decisions, although they noted they’ve never needed a tiebreaker despite an even four members.
She explained the different roles in Sit Pretty: She takes care of the social media. Mohler and Alvarado take care of booking, and Brett Smith handles the posters and artwork.
Brett Smith offered some more advice: “For younger bands, don’t fret so much about the money. Have humility when it comes to getting paid.”
“Because you’re not going to get paid!” interjected Mohler and Delaney Smith, laughing.
Sit Pretty has lasted for over half a decade, but all four members still hold jobs outside of the group. For most bands in the scene, it’s a labor of love.
“If you need to get paid a thousand dollars to enjoy it, maybe it’s not your thing,” joked Brett Smith. Mohler added another piece of advice: don’t have kids.
“I don’t see where there would be time!” said Delaney Smith. “I feel like the band is our child.”
Despite the financial and time-related struggles of the music industry, Sit Pretty’s touring radius stretches across much of the West Coast, with the band often playing shows between Seattle and the Bay Area, although they’re planning on reaching Los Angeles in August.
Sit Pretty still has plenty of connections in Oregon, having played at Corvallis’ Old World Deli on Jan. 31. Brett Smith grew up in Lebanon, Oregon and went to college at Oregon State. He remembered taking one day of a voice-acting class at LBCC, saying it was “really cool.” However, he dropped it after being told he’d need to spend two to three thousand dollars to record a demo at a professional studio to make it in the industry.
“OK, I’m not doing this,” he recalled. “I can’t be a voice actor.”
Mohler started his music career in Eugene as a student at Lane Community College. His memory of LBCC? Competing against The Commuter in collegiate journalism competitions as a member of LCC’s The Torch. “I saw Linn-Benton, the group, across the auditorium, and it was like, ‘f— you guys!’ The Torch!” he laughed.
Sit Pretty’s next show in the state will be on March 19 at the High Water Mark in Portland. And at an unspecified date in May the band will have a release show for their upcoming EP, which will include five tracks: three new recordings as well as “Atomic Beachfront Property” and “Millenial Love Song.”
“We’re trying to plan a show to have a little bit of a celebration,” said Alvarado.
Per Mohler, the show will be worth checking out because the band follows his advice and practices.
He mentioned a compliment the band received: “I remember she came up to us saying, ‘Wow, I love the records, but I didn’t think you guys would be able to pull off that sound live. And you totally do,’” he recalled. “It’s not just studio trickery – we can do this live. That was one of the best compliments I got – appreciating the work that went into the recordings, because it’s very atmospheric, and it’s done live, and it’s done well.”
You can listen to Sit Pretty here: Bandcamp; Spotify.
This article originally appeared in the March 2025 edition of The Commuter.
