Four Strangers Make a Record

“Sing With Me,” the second track on “The Fix,” was actually inspired by fellow Lafayette-based trio Sweet Cecilia.

“When we put on a Melting Pot Show, we ask 3 other bands to play with us. Each band takes one of the other bands’ songs and interprets them. We played Sweet Cecilia’s beautiful song ‘Heaven,’ but we put our own spin to it,” says Sour Sedans frontman Ryan Cazares.

The interpretation, which can be seen below, was performed at Melting Pot Show #2 at Blue Moon Saloon in 2014.

Link: https://youtu.be/eDGcHT4BA9I

Oh My Beauty, the first track on Sour Sedans’ latest record “The Fix,” is a “heavy ballad” about the pressure on musicians to provide visuals to accompany their live performances.

“There seems to be a fine line between visuals aiding the music’s message and distracting from the music’s message,” says lead vocalist/lyricist Ryan Cazares.

The song features a guest appearance from Joshua Lazo, a talented saxophone player who tours with Terrence Simien.

One of the highlights of the song is an instrumental call-and-response-breakdown.

Tomorrow, September 2, 2014, marks day 2 of recording our brand new album.

Our first album, "Taste It," was released in 2012. I thought it was as good of an album as four people who had just met via a craigslist ad could possibly make.

But now, with new drummer Thylar Cahanin, and with all of the other members having played music together for 3 years now, I feel as if the band is really hitting its stride and finding its identity. We are staying true to our Louisiana roots but adding a modern, heavy twist to them. We are taking modern rock music and adding old school instrumentals to them. I feel like our new album, when eventually completed, will be a breath of fresh air to everyone currently living heavily on dull, watered-down pop songs.

I can't wait for everyone to hear!

Back to work...

Here is a reference to songs we’ve played live thus far. We’ll be adding A LOT to both lists below in 2014!!!

Originals: Runaway Down in the Swamp 10 & 2 Hard to Get Set a Fire Set the Trap Humble Anxious She’s Got My Love Misfortune Existence The Me & You Blues The End Defy Time You Thought You Knew Me She is My Fire

Buy "The Me & You Blues": http://bit.ly/SouriTunes

I lived in Dallas for a year for optometry rotations. At that time, I had been playing guitar for nearly 11 years, and I had never had a guitar lesson. I decided to seek a few lessons.

I found an amazing instructor. I do not remember his name... but I remember he liked to talk and talk and talk. Most of our lessons were him talking... and talking... and talking.

But I did pick up a few things from his superb guitar playing.

He had me study Led Zeppelin's "Since I've Been Loving You." That song has some of the greatest guitar licks ever.

I decided to write a simple minor chord progression somewhat similar to the song. I used the progression to practice some guitar improvisation and solos. I ended up liking it so much I decided to make it into a whole song.

The lyrics revolve around the idea that no matter how hard you may feel you have it, someone is having is much harder than you.

Factoid: The song is known for its solos and the high vocal notes. At the end of the song, I sing a high F#. When recording the demo for this song, my dog howled during the note! I started laughing and ended up having to do 3 or 4 takes of the note because of the howling and/or laughing!

-Ryan

In case you missed it earlier, our album was reviewed by Offbeat Magazine. We think it's a great review considering the 4 of us didn't know each other before our first rehearsal. We are honored to be featured in the magazine!

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"Hard to Get" started out with a sick bass lick that Flint came up with. I felt like maybe he channeled his inner-Flea, and out came this funky groove. Eric layered some rhythm over top of the bass line, and I came up with some lead. The song was completed over just two rehearsals. It was done just in time for our first studio session... literally days before it.

The lyrics touch on the myth that being in a band will land you women easily. That's stupid. If you want a fling... maybe. If you want to "get to [her] heart," a man with a song is "only a man with only a song."

-Ryan

Buy on iTunes: http://bit.ly/SouriTunes

Hard to Get

Music: Zerangue Lyrics: Cazares

At one of our first practices ever, Eric showed us this great bluesy tune he wrote. I loved it. I recorded it and brought it home. The lyrics came quickly-- I had just moved home from Texas. I remembered wanting to leave Louisiana so badly after college.

But not long after I moved, I knew I was going to come right back. I missed the people, the food, and even the Cajun music that I had grown tired of. I had really taken home for granted.

You don't love home until you leave. And that's what this song is about.

We play this song at just about every show, and we usually extend it for a jam session at the end.

-Ryan

Buy on iTunes: http://bit.ly/SouriTunes

10 & 2

We have a beautiful music scene in Lafayette, Louisiana. There are so many talented local bands. I'm telling you, the citizens here are spoiled.

Spoiled, but not eclectic.

There seems to be some type of gene in the southerners here that tells its host, "You are not allowed to like any type of music besides Cajun music."

Don't get me wrong--Cajun music is awesome. I honestly love Lost Bayou Ramblers, Chubby Carrier, Wayne Toups, Feufollet... just to name a few. I will be the first person there and the last person to leave when these people play a concert.

But why must a band play this type of music to be successful in Lafayette? It really makes little sense.

Here's an example Facebook post we received in response to a recent local public performance:

It is this attitude and oppression that "Down in the Swamp" was written about. It's a song of sarcasm, satire, and frustration.

It also seems to be our signature song! It looks to be our most popular on iTunes, Soundcloud, etc. See us live and you'll definitely hear us play this song.

-Ryan

Buy on iTunes: http://bit.ly/SouriTunes

Down in the Swamp

"I was born on the same day As a legend whose 'Legend' is always on play As a Babe who has more hits than MJ And a Rose goin' home where the girls are pretty"

So goes the beginning of the second verse of "Humble." Transcribed: It means I share the same February 6th birthday as Bob Marley, Babe Ruth, and Axl Rose :-)

The music for "Humble" came to my head one day. It was very simple, but hard to get out of my head. I laid it down, and it took me months to come up with a lyrical concept. It sounded very hip-hopish, so I decided to write the lyrics and melody in the style of hip hop: very narcissistic/egotistic and sung in a rap-meets-singing kind of style.

Those who know me know that I am a pretty humble and quiet guy, but that can change when I step onto the stage. And that's how the lyrics were born.

This song seems to be one of, if not the most popular song, on the album. Have a listen and enjoy the lyrics.

-Ryan

Humble

Buy on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/set-the-trap/id575948451?i=575948462

"Set the Trap" is a song that came together very, very quickly. I was out to meet a girl I had been hanging out for several weeks. Upon arriving, she introduced me to her boyfriend. I found an excuse to leave early.

Heartbroken, I just started singing the lyrics, "She sets the trap/ And I keep falling in." As soon as I arrived at my apartment, I penned the lyrics and wrote the song. It literally came together in a day.

Lots of people compare this song to Alice in Chains, and lots of people think this is the best song on our album "Taste It."

-Ryan

Set the Trap

For the next 13 weeks, each week we are going to highlight a song off of our new record "Taste It." You'll have a chance to listen to the song, read the lyrics, and check out insight into what the song is about and what made the song come to be.

This week, we'll start with the "curve ball" of the album-- "She's Got My Love."

Flint wrote an amazing acoustic song, but never found the words to match it. He even thought the song might not fit the band.

He played the song for me. I made him play it again so I could record it.

I went home and immediately wrote lyrics to it. And a year later, the song is on Sour Sedans’ debut record. Flint did all of the instrumentation except for the guitar solo (which I did on a 12-string guitar); he played acoustic guitar, piano, and even added a string arrangement to the song.

The lyrics are about feeling worthless after someone you care about deceives you/cheats on you.

-Ryan

She’s Got My Love Music: Flint Zerangue Lyrics: Ryan Cazares

She was a poor, poor soul When I first took her in Hoping to find life’s riches But nothing has changed since then

My love is worth nothing And she’s got my love She’s got my love

She dreamed of finding gold When I first took her in Instead, she got a fool And nothing has changed since then

My love is worth nothing And she’s got my love She’s got my love