Birds and Arrows blends music and art in its work (Tucson Weekly)

Andrea and Pete Connolly of the folk-influenced band Birds and Arrows have a strong visual element to their work.

For their latest album, “Electric Bones,” they took it a step further, creating a corresponding concept music video. Taking centerstage is their beloved 1973 El Camino for the moody duet between Andrea and fellow artist Brian Lopez on “Saviors of This Town.”

The car, a gift from Pete to Andrea for her birthday a few years ago, inspired the album name “Electric Bones.”

“It looks like it’s never left the desert,” Andrea said.

“It’s like a road warrior that you would see in ‘Mad Max’ movies. Over COVID, I had time to learn to work on it… I was really able to dive into working on cars, which I’ve always wanted to do.

“It feels like electricity and bones keeping it on the road. We love to hike in the desert and spend a ton of time in the desert. We take it out to Saguaro West. We will go on a hike and sit in the back of it after a hike, have a beer and look at the stars. It’s our vehicle that transforms us out of our everyday life into our own little world.”

The car just may make an appearance at Hotel Congress for Birds and Arrows’ Arizona Arts Live-produced show on Friday, Aug. 19.

“Electric Bones” has a ’70s classic folk-rock sound reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac. For the album, the couple tried to bring thoughtfully written songs, moody soundscapes and dynamic harmonies.

“We both have this love of that time. The late ’70s and early ’80s is magical for both of us,” Andrea said.

Pandemic pause

The two started working on their sixth studio album right before COVID-19. They had written and recorded about half of “Electric Bones” but paused work during the height of the pandemic. They resumed in 2021.

Andrea said although half of the songs were written before and half during the pandemic, the album is cohesive.

“I feel like the early stuff that was written had a little bit of an apocalyptic vibe to it before COVID even happened,” Andrea said.

“There’s a song that was written pre-COVID that was very anti-capitalistic and frustrated with that aspect as artists and musicians and having to think about it on a capitalistic side. So, there were lots of little things that were in it that came to a head during the pandemic even more.”

Pete said although the album doesn’t directly address COVID-19, the music speaks of the experience of living through a pandemic and the feelings of uncertainty that came along with it.

They recorded the album at Dust and Stone Recording Studio with a four-piece, which featured Andrea on vocals, rhythm guitar and synth soundscapes; Pete, on drums and vocals; Ben Nisbet, on lead guitar and Gabriel Sullivan, on bass.

Sullivan, who owns Dust and Stone, also served as producer with Frank Bair as engineer. Sullivan also produced and recorded their first Arizona album “Arbitrary Magic.”

Although the couple tends to tour as a duo, they like to record with other musicians.

“It’s nice to know what other people feel or think, get their vibes on the record and their presence because it really makes the record go to places, we couldn’t make it go on its own,” Andrea said.

Along with Lopez, the album boasts also has guest artists such as Saul Millan of Los Esplifs, Daniel Martin Diaz of Trees Speak, Chris Pierce of Katie Haverly and the Aviary and Marta DeLeon of Weekend Lovers.

The duo has also been part of compilation projects featuring Wilco, Big Star, Whiskeytown and Yo La Tengo.