Bury Me A Lion

We arranged to have the interview over the phone in the afternoon. The night before, I pitched the idea of using Google Hangout, just to give a face-to-face style interview with Sam Einhorn and Jarett Gilbert of the New York City rock group, Bury Me a Lion. After a couple confusing attempts through Google Hangout and technical difficulties getting Sam in the chat, I put Sam on speaker on my cellphone while Jarett and I used Google Hangout, a moment I like to call “technology for the win.”

On screen, I was surprised to see Jarett wearing a dress shirt with his hair swept to the side. After seeing a couple of his performances with the band online, this didn’t look like the amped up, frontman Jarett I was supposed to be interviewing. If anything, it looked as though I was about to interview him for a job.

I was preparing my recorder when Sam mentioned something about work, and I began to realize I was interviewing them from their day jobs. I think I started praying in my head something like, “God, please don’t let this be the interview that fires them.” As I started asking the guys about the band today, I began to understand how much these guys loved their music, and music in general.

“We have kind of followed the same formula since we started,” Jarett explained while talking about the band’s evolution of their sound today. “We started writing “One Arm For Another” in our very first practice together when Sam was looking for musicians to play with, and I was looking for musicians to play with, and we decided to meet at a studio and started working on that song.”

Jarett and Sam are the main songwriters of the band, with Sam often composing the music that Jarett then complements through the lyrics and melodies he writes, both being emotionally in tune with how the song should be conveyed. It was refreshing to find how symbiotic their songwriting relationship is – even though both hold their own special parts when composing a song, they are able to contribute feedback to each other’s work in order to make it the absolute best for the band.

“From day one, I could kind of perceive Jarett’s vocals in the middle of my music,” Sam said, describing his perspective on writing with Jarett for the first time. “It just… some things in life you can’t explain, and that just kind of made sense since day one.”

Since that first practice, Bury Me a Lion has evolved into something completely their own, and within such a short time. Sam and Jarett have their own formula for songwriting and are always looking to break the barriers with the structure, which has varied progressively since their debut EP to their current LP, Year of the Lion.

What I find most unique about this band is their lack of history together before starting their music career. Most artists today usually follow a kind of relationship formula when forming a band: they meet, get to know each other, become friends, stay friends for awhile, and only after some history do things start getting serious. For these guys, they came with full intentions to start a project and I think that’s what has made them so successful. This shared bond of music and knowing that they create that together makes them such a close group – especially Sam and Jarett, who share the ability to write songs.

Jarett elaborated, “We’ll sit in his room, my room, or whatever and just piece the song together. In one sitting we could write a song and I’ll know it’s good and that Sam approves. Sam gets this smirk on his face, and you can usually see it before we are even done playing it through the first time. I’ll just know and then Sam will stop and his face will be all bright red and be like, “That’s a good one.””

“Yeah, that’s the indicator that the song is done,” Sam laughed, “ Just a little smirk and it means the song is done. I really can’t control it.”

Their music has given them the opportunity to play popular NYC festivals like Catalpa and CBGB, and opening for acts like Fun., The Black Keys, and TV on the Radio. If you take a look at their bio, you’ll notice an eclectic group of guys comprise the band. The family of Yuri, the bass player, is originally from Russia, Jarett has been around the world with his father’s military career, and Sam himself is New York born and bred. With this, I couldn’t help but ask what made New York their home for music.

“Well, it wasn’t in terms of wanting to settle here,” said Sam, referring to New York. “I built the band through Craigslist ads and everybody who I auditioned for the band initially was living in New York at the time and everyone who I have auditioned since has been living in New York.”

Though as different as they are, and all happening to be in the same city at the right time, Jarett says it is best at what the band truly bonds over. “What really links us all together is music. It’s something that we love and so, that is really how we like to spend our time together.”

As the interview progressed, I got more - Mind Equals Blown

We all know COM posts great hip hop, but lately we've been receiving other submissions beyond the hip hop realm. I'm proud to present a group that approached us that is outside our norm, but that I am happy to post on because of their talent and potential within their own genre.

This is their debut album, "Year of the Lion". The band is composed of four musicians that met off Craigslist. While I can't necessarily dissect the whole album piece by piece as I can with a hip hop album, I can recommend where to start. "Be Your Own Bomb" is their hit single and a strong start to the album. My personal favorite was "Metabolism" though. This whole album is free here, so get it and get your own opinion.
- college-of-music

ear of the Lion - Bury Me a Lion



STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND DOWNLOAD THIS PROJECT RIGHT NOW. Thank us later. I was put on this group by another music site, and having heard good reviews about them I decided to take a gamble. Struck gold. These guys are a relatively new alternative group who actually met via Craigslist, and Year of the Lion is their second full-length album. To kind of give you a little comparison, I think they sound a lot like The Strokes with a little Kings of Leon influence. They have a hot start right off the bat with their lead single "Be Your Own Bomb". One listen to that song and you're going to want to listen to the rest of their project, guaranteed. Bury Me a Lion could EASILY be played on the radio right now, and I hope that this happens sooner than later. They seem like solid guys too, and reached out to us via Twitter (go give them a follow!) to see how they could help us with this process so that should make them even more appealing! Below is a link to their site where you can donate any amount to their efforts, so throw them at least a couple bucks people. BE SURE to check out Year of the Lion, and tell them your friends over at Music 2 Your Ears sent you! Enjoy!



TOP TRACKS

- Be Your Own Bomb
- Blurred
- Satellite
- One Arm for Another
- Metabolism - Music 2 Your Ears

ear of the Lion - Bury Me a Lion



STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND DOWNLOAD THIS PROJECT RIGHT NOW. Thank us later. I was put on this group by another music site, and having heard good reviews about them I decided to take a gamble. Struck gold. These guys are a relatively new alternative group who actually met via Craigslist, and Year of the Lion is their second full-length album. To kind of give you a little comparison, I think they sound a lot like The Strokes with a little Kings of Leon influence. They have a hot start right off the bat with their lead single "Be Your Own Bomb". One listen to that song and you're going to want to listen to the rest of their project, guaranteed. Bury Me a Lion could EASILY be played on the radio right now, and I hope that this happens sooner than later. They seem like solid guys too, and reached out to us via Twitter (go give them a follow!) to see how they could help us with this process so that should make them even more appealing! Below is a link to their site where you can donate any amount to their efforts, so throw them at least a couple bucks people. BE SURE to check out Year of the Lion, and tell them your friends over at Music 2 Your Ears sent you! Enjoy!



TOP TRACKS

- Be Your Own Bomb
- Blurred
- Satellite
- One Arm for Another
- Metabolism - Music 2 Your Ears

In some of the past reviews I have done, I have tried to describe the sound of a band’s music through some other artist. “They have their voice,” “the guitarist plays like this,” “they move like that,” etc. It is not done AT ALL to demean a band for their uniqueness and their own creative outlook, but when trying to describe a new song to someone, it is normal to reference what people know best. I am happy to say that in a long line of reviewing, this week I had the pleasure of reviewing a band’s work that is a sound all their own.

Bury Me A Lion, a New York City-based rock group comprised of Jarett Gilbert (Vocals), Sam Einhorn (Guitars), Mike Ostuni (Drums), and Yuri Soussov (Bass), released their debut LP, Year of the Lion, back in April 2012. This LP is honestly one of the best collections of music I have heard in a while from a band, and I am ecstatic to be sharing their music with you.

My favorite track off this LP happens to be track one, “Be Your Own Bomb.” I was immediately intrigued by the guitar work coming into the track, already tapping my foot and bobbing my head along to the drum beat. What fascinates me even more about the track is the layers of rhythm that coincide perfectly with one another, each instrument bringing its own flair to the track which allows for such a inimitable blend of sound. My favorite part of the song is when the handclaps come in along with the band’s background vocals accompanying Gilbert’s voice. I’m a sucker for handclaps done right in a song.

Each band member holds their own in the songs, but Gilbert’s vocals are truly the powerhouse of Bury Me A Lion. He carries the melodies so powerfully in each track, emitting such raw emotion through every lyric he tastes. What is also nice is that none of the lyrics are lost in the music. It’s pretty rare to be able to write out lyrics to a song you just heard, but that is just the case with every song in Year of the Lion.

If “Be Your Own Bomb” doesn’t get your blood pumping to Bury Me A Lion, take a listen to “Metabolism.” I found myself singing along…okay, well screaming the lyrics… “I want to scream and know that I won’t make sound.” Personally I’m partial to the song’s original production, but not so much of the remix. The remix has some great parts, but it takes away such critical parts in the original song – like the harmonious bass line, of which I’m a fan.

I’m not really crazy about the production of the LP, as it does sound a little empty in some parts of the songs. When the chorus or bridge of the track comes in, they are dynamically the peaks of the songs, but don’t really convey as such. I would really like to hear the bass enhanced throughout the tracks, in the drums and bass guitar, in order to better serve the intensity the songs are trying to convey.

Lyrically, I couldn’t imagine the LP being any better in that department. There is an equal balance of great one-liners, as well as profound writing concepts. Einhorn and Gilbert share primary songwriting duties in the band, and their team dynamic is really carried in the music. Gilbert’s melodies and lyrics mend perfectly with Einhorn’s guitar progressions, allowing for there to be no negative musical collision displayed in the tracks.

Overall, I am very pleased about the entirety of Year of the Lion and highly suggest checking the rest of the songs out. Tracks I also enjoyed were “Dinosaur” and “The Road,” a slower acoustic piece that displays the band’s musicianship.

Be sure to check out all the songs on the album here: http://burymealion.bandcamp.com

If you like it as much as I do, remember, sharing is caring.
- See more at: http://mindequalsblown.net/2013/07/08/bury-me-a-lion-year-of-the-lion/#sthash.yaUV8qnX.dpuf - Mind Equals Blown

In some of the past reviews I have done, I have tried to describe the sound of a band’s music through some other artist. “They have their voice,” “the guitarist plays like this,” “they move like that,” etc. It is not done AT ALL to demean a band for their uniqueness and their own creative outlook, but when trying to describe a new song to someone, it is normal to reference what people know best. I am happy to say that in a long line of reviewing, this week I had the pleasure of reviewing a band’s work that is a sound all their own.

Bury Me A Lion, a New York City-based rock group comprised of Jarett Gilbert (Vocals), Sam Einhorn (Guitars), Mike Ostuni (Drums), and Yuri Soussov (Bass), released their debut LP, Year of the Lion, back in April 2012. This LP is honestly one of the best collections of music I have heard in a while from a band, and I am ecstatic to be sharing their music with you.

My favorite track off this LP happens to be track one, “Be Your Own Bomb.” I was immediately intrigued by the guitar work coming into the track, already tapping my foot and bobbing my head along to the drum beat. What fascinates me even more about the track is the layers of rhythm that coincide perfectly with one another, each instrument bringing its own flair to the track which allows for such a inimitable blend of sound. My favorite part of the song is when the handclaps come in along with the band’s background vocals accompanying Gilbert’s voice. I’m a sucker for handclaps done right in a song.

Each band member holds their own in the songs, but Gilbert’s vocals are truly the powerhouse of Bury Me A Lion. He carries the melodies so powerfully in each track, emitting such raw emotion through every lyric he tastes. What is also nice is that none of the lyrics are lost in the music. It’s pretty rare to be able to write out lyrics to a song you just heard, but that is just the case with every song in Year of the Lion.

If “Be Your Own Bomb” doesn’t get your blood pumping to Bury Me A Lion, take a listen to “Metabolism.” I found myself singing along…okay, well screaming the lyrics… “I want to scream and know that I won’t make sound.” Personally I’m partial to the song’s original production, but not so much of the remix. The remix has some great parts, but it takes away such critical parts in the original song – like the harmonious bass line, of which I’m a fan.

I’m not really crazy about the production of the LP, as it does sound a little empty in some parts of the songs. When the chorus or bridge of the track comes in, they are dynamically the peaks of the songs, but don’t really convey as such. I would really like to hear the bass enhanced throughout the tracks, in the drums and bass guitar, in order to better serve the intensity the songs are trying to convey.

Lyrically, I couldn’t imagine the LP being any better in that department. There is an equal balance of great one-liners, as well as profound writing concepts. Einhorn and Gilbert share primary songwriting duties in the band, and their team dynamic is really carried in the music. Gilbert’s melodies and lyrics mend perfectly with Einhorn’s guitar progressions, allowing for there to be no negative musical collision displayed in the tracks.

Overall, I am very pleased about the entirety of Year of the Lion and highly suggest checking the rest of the songs out. Tracks I also enjoyed were “Dinosaur” and “The Road,” a slower acoustic piece that displays the band’s musicianship.

Be sure to check out all the songs on the album here: http://burymealion.bandcamp.com

If you like it as much as I do, remember, sharing is caring.
- See more at: http://mindequalsblown.net/2013/07/08/bury-me-a-lion-year-of-the-lion/#sthash.yaUV8qnX.dpuf - Mind Equals Blown

DISCOSALT: With influences ranging from Patsy Cline to Depeche Mode do you ever find it difficult to express the both sides of the spectrum of music they encompass?

BURY ME A LION: As a band, our goal has always been to create a sound that’s uniquely Bury Me A Lion. The fact that we have such diverse influences, ranging from seminal rock acts in the vein of The Strokes and Smiths, all the way to Hank Williams Sr. and Greek Laika, has helped us approach our writing with a very well rounded outlook. Certain pieces of our influences affect the writing process, but we never feel any pressure to directly emulate one sound or another. Many bands try and directly emulate a certain sound or look that’s proven to be successful. We’re trying to break that mold and approach each element and moment of our songwriting without being clouded by sonic goals. - Discosalt

DISCOSALT: With influences ranging from Patsy Cline to Depeche Mode do you ever find it difficult to express the both sides of the spectrum of music they encompass?

BURY ME A LION: As a band, our goal has always been to create a sound that’s uniquely Bury Me A Lion. The fact that we have such diverse influences, ranging from seminal rock acts in the vein of The Strokes and Smiths, all the way to Hank Williams Sr. and Greek Laika, has helped us approach our writing with a very well rounded outlook. Certain pieces of our influences affect the writing process, but we never feel any pressure to directly emulate one sound or another. Many bands try and directly emulate a certain sound or look that’s proven to be successful. We’re trying to break that mold and approach each element and moment of our songwriting without being clouded by sonic goals. - Discosalt

In our short run working with major music festivals we’ve had the opportunity to speak with a number of bands who’ve appeared as opening/early afternoon performers. Yes, we’ve tried to speak with the headliners, but it’s always been no dice for us. And to some this might be seen as a sub-par consolation prize. Sure you get into the festival, but to only interview the lesser knowns — where’s the fun in that? (It’s actually a lot of fun.)

Well for us, these “lesser knowns” have gone onto bigger and much better things in their careers after we’ve spoken with them. For example, back in June 2011 Outasight was just an up-and-coming artist on Warner Bros. Records, today his song “Tonight is The Night” has become a major pop sensation; being used for X-Factor and The Oscars as well as massive radio airplay. When we spoke with Walk the Moon, in advance of this year’s Governor’s Ball, they were still an unknown, now they’re receiving major league press and airtime on alternative radio across the country.

With this weekend’s debuting Catalpa NYC Music Festival we had the chance to speak with the local New York band, Bury Me a Lion who’ll be kicking things off this Sunday, July 29 at 1pm on Catalpa’s Main Stage. And after listening to their self-titled record, one could easily surmise that this band could be experiencing the same fate as Outasight and Walk the Moon. They have a ready made for radio sound that has a certain immediacy and danceability to it — imagine if The Strokes got together with Franz Ferdinand. This is a band whose days as the opener for a festival are numbered — these guys have a special quality to them that could really take them places. - Pop-Break

In our short run working with major music festivals we’ve had the opportunity to speak with a number of bands who’ve appeared as opening/early afternoon performers. Yes, we’ve tried to speak with the headliners, but it’s always been no dice for us. And to some this might be seen as a sub-par consolation prize. Sure you get into the festival, but to only interview the lesser knowns — where’s the fun in that? (It’s actually a lot of fun.)

Well for us, these “lesser knowns” have gone onto bigger and much better things in their careers after we’ve spoken with them. For example, back in June 2011 Outasight was just an up-and-coming artist on Warner Bros. Records, today his song “Tonight is The Night” has become a major pop sensation; being used for X-Factor and The Oscars as well as massive radio airplay. When we spoke with Walk the Moon, in advance of this year’s Governor’s Ball, they were still an unknown, now they’re receiving major league press and airtime on alternative radio across the country.

With this weekend’s debuting Catalpa NYC Music Festival we had the chance to speak with the local New York band, Bury Me a Lion who’ll be kicking things off this Sunday, July 29 at 1pm on Catalpa’s Main Stage. And after listening to their self-titled record, one could easily surmise that this band could be experiencing the same fate as Outasight and Walk the Moon. They have a ready made for radio sound that has a certain immediacy and danceability to it — imagine if The Strokes got together with Franz Ferdinand. This is a band whose days as the opener for a festival are numbered — these guys have a special quality to them that could really take them places. - Pop-Break

"They're simply really, really good." - DAVE FM DJ Mara Davis.

"They're simply really, really good." - DAVE FM DJ Mara Davis.

Sam, Luca, and Jarett, thanks for speaking with us today about your band Bury Me A Lion.

Q1: When did you guys first begin playing music?

LUCA: I remember playing music for the first time around ten years old – drums, guitar. At 14, I joined my first band. After that, I never stopped – I dreamed of being a rockstar! So, I moved from Italy to the United States to pursue the dream. With these guys (Sam, Jarett), we’re working to share our music with audiences all over the world.

JARETT: I remember my love affair with music started running down the batteries – and cassette tape – in my mom’s Walkman listening to the Beatles’ “Revolver” and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. Even then, I didn’t even think about the idea of being a musician until I heard Hootie & The Blowfish’s album, “Cracked Rear View”. In high school, I started playing bass guitar so I could jam with my friends. (I still remember playing Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law” and Godsmack’s “Moon Baby” until it drove my parents crazy.) But I started to realize I wanted more than just to play bass – I wanted to be a songwriter and a performer. From high school through college, I was performing in musicals and plays and improv groups, writing my own music on acoustic guitar, and recording with my friends. The freedom and relief of writing and performing has always driven me.

SAM: My sister took guitar lessons from a tutor as she was graduating high school. My parents passed these lessons on to me – even after some serious protesting on my part! Although I initially had reservations, something just clicked when I played that first chord. I have literally played every day since. To call it an obsession is a real understatement. I have slight obsessive compulsive disorder, so I don’t even have a choice whether to play or not. But my obsession has made me the guitarist I am today.





Q2: At what point did you decide it was a path you guys wanted to take as musicians?

SAM: In late summer 2008, the three of us experienced a drive to create something with other musicians. I had so much stock material written that needed to be expanded to band form. Luca is from Italy. I’m from Manhattan. Jarett was raised in Augusta, Georgia, then lived in Switzerland. A decade ago, we would’ve never connected. But the internet – that powerful “imagined community”! – brought us together. I put out an ad on Craigslist and Jarett and Luca responded. Luca and I played separately and I was amazed by how talented a drummer he was. I knew I wanted to play with Jarett when I saw his MySpace (remember MySpace?) page cover of Grizzly Bear’s “Knife”. Jarett and I played together, and wrote what became our first song, “One Arm For Another”, in about 2 practices. Luca returned in October 2008 from a trip to Italy, we jammed to “One Arm For Another” and we just felt it. There was a click and it felt natural. With every practice and new music, we were seeing an end goal that became more and more possible!





Q3: Where did the name Bury Me A Lion originate?

JARETT: As you know, choosing a band name is very difficult. (Ok, maybe not for everyone, but at least for us!) If you can think of a band name, it’s already taken. Just like they say about sex – if you can think of it, someone’s out there doing it…no matter how weird! Sam and my first inkling once we had written “One Arm” (sic) and “Constellations” was to just choose a band name to “brand” ourselves on MySpace and Facebook. Sam suggested “The Is Ok.” Horrible name. We both knew that – yet tried so hard to convince ourselves it was “cool.” (The Strokes really set off a brushfire of “The” names.) Using that as stopgap, we thought on symbolism we could get behind – courage, pride, strength. So, we chose the name, “Lion, Lion.” (Indie music’s other popular type of band names: “animal names!”) As we prepared to record our eponymous first EP, we did due diligence and found an emo band with a similar name – so we had to change - Creative Solutions Music Promotions

Sam, Luca, and Jarett, thanks for speaking with us today about your band Bury Me A Lion.

Q1: When did you guys first begin playing music?

LUCA: I remember playing music for the first time around ten years old – drums, guitar. At 14, I joined my first band. After that, I never stopped – I dreamed of being a rockstar! So, I moved from Italy to the United States to pursue the dream. With these guys (Sam, Jarett), we’re working to share our music with audiences all over the world.

JARETT: I remember my love affair with music started running down the batteries – and cassette tape – in my mom’s Walkman listening to the Beatles’ “Revolver” and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. Even then, I didn’t even think about the idea of being a musician until I heard Hootie & The Blowfish’s album, “Cracked Rear View”. In high school, I started playing bass guitar so I could jam with my friends. (I still remember playing Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law” and Godsmack’s “Moon Baby” until it drove my parents crazy.) But I started to realize I wanted more than just to play bass – I wanted to be a songwriter and a performer. From high school through college, I was performing in musicals and plays and improv groups, writing my own music on acoustic guitar, and recording with my friends. The freedom and relief of writing and performing has always driven me.

SAM: My sister took guitar lessons from a tutor as she was graduating high school. My parents passed these lessons on to me – even after some serious protesting on my part! Although I initially had reservations, something just clicked when I played that first chord. I have literally played every day since. To call it an obsession is a real understatement. I have slight obsessive compulsive disorder, so I don’t even have a choice whether to play or not. But my obsession has made me the guitarist I am today.





Q2: At what point did you decide it was a path you guys wanted to take as musicians?

SAM: In late summer 2008, the three of us experienced a drive to create something with other musicians. I had so much stock material written that needed to be expanded to band form. Luca is from Italy. I’m from Manhattan. Jarett was raised in Augusta, Georgia, then lived in Switzerland. A decade ago, we would’ve never connected. But the internet – that powerful “imagined community”! – brought us together. I put out an ad on Craigslist and Jarett and Luca responded. Luca and I played separately and I was amazed by how talented a drummer he was. I knew I wanted to play with Jarett when I saw his MySpace (remember MySpace?) page cover of Grizzly Bear’s “Knife”. Jarett and I played together, and wrote what became our first song, “One Arm For Another”, in about 2 practices. Luca returned in October 2008 from a trip to Italy, we jammed to “One Arm For Another” and we just felt it. There was a click and it felt natural. With every practice and new music, we were seeing an end goal that became more and more possible!





Q3: Where did the name Bury Me A Lion originate?

JARETT: As you know, choosing a band name is very difficult. (Ok, maybe not for everyone, but at least for us!) If you can think of a band name, it’s already taken. Just like they say about sex – if you can think of it, someone’s out there doing it…no matter how weird! Sam and my first inkling once we had written “One Arm” (sic) and “Constellations” was to just choose a band name to “brand” ourselves on MySpace and Facebook. Sam suggested “The Is Ok.” Horrible name. We both knew that – yet tried so hard to convince ourselves it was “cool.” (The Strokes really set off a brushfire of “The” names.) Using that as stopgap, we thought on symbolism we could get behind – courage, pride, strength. So, we chose the name, “Lion, Lion.” (Indie music’s other popular type of band names: “animal names!”) As we prepared to record our eponymous first EP, we did due diligence and found an emo band with a similar name – so we had to change - Creative Solutions Music Promotions

We talked sandwiches with NYC-based indie rock band Bury Me A Lion. Jarret (vocals), Sam (guitar), Luca (drums) spit some wisdom at us about food on the road and the best spots in NYC to get that bread on meat on bread. Listen up!

What has been your most memorable sandwich to date?

Jarett: Triple Coronary Bypass Burger – 2 half-pound sirloin patties stacked inside three grilled cheese sandwiches, topped with 2 fried eggs, 8 slices of American cheese, 10 slices of bacon and plenty of mayo on the side. Ate it before a gig in Atlanta…and didn’t throw it up.
Sam: A few friends and I traveled into the outskirts of Boston in search of a mythical hidden sandwich shop. The shop was famed to have GIANT i.e. 2-3 foot long subs for a ridiculously low price. After a long search we discovered it–and I housed an entire 2 foot long sub stuffed to the brim with every type of meat under the rainbow.

What is one condiment/topping that is good on (almost) every sandwich?

Jarett: HOT PEPPERS.
Sam: HUMMUS.

If your music was a sandwich, what would be the ingredients (including bread)?

Jarett: Easy – succulent, hot roasted pork, with just-short-of-ripe avocado, fried eggplant, garlic-sauteed broccoli rabe, extra baby swiss, and hot peppers on a soft-crusted hero. The flavor is intense and varied, it takes you all over the place, but it still manages to work well together. And in the end, you’re full, but still look forward to the next one…

What is your favorite sandwich to make/buy?

Luca: Salami and Gruyere with mustard on raisin- pumpernickel bread. It’s a delicious and easy sandwich that reminds me of tough days.

Jarett: Favorite sandwich to buy is Defonte’s of Brooklyn’s Firehouse Special

Sam: I’m a sucker for the Turkey Bacon Avocado sandwich from Quiznos, drenched in honey-mustard sauce. And of course, I take full advantage of the pepper bar.

Do you have a secret to stellar sandwich composition?

Jarett: No mayo, no mustard. Just oil and balsamic vinegar. Oh yeah, and add avocado.

Sam: Less is more. Don’t drench your sandwich with toppings and sauces. Find the right combination and amount for just a few ingredients.

Any good sandwich stories from the road?

Sam and Luca: Pulled pork sandwiches slathered in BBQ sauce at Buz and Neds in Richmond, VA. There is no second place. Those sandwiches were heaven.

How have sandwiches been an inspiration to your music?

Jarett: When writing our music at Sam’s parents’ house, I always ate a turkey and swiss (had to cut it off the quarter-wheel wedge) on multigrain bread. Dijon mustard completes this delight.

Sam: I slaved over those sandwiches for Jarett.

You guys are from NY, so what do you think is NYC’s best sandwich spot?

Jarett: Yes, we are from NYC. And my favorite sandwich spots are On The Corner Deli (23rd & 4th in Brooklyn), Bierkraft (Union St & 5th Ave in Brooklyn) and Defonte’s of Brooklyn (21st & 3rd Ave in Manhattan)
Luca: The classic. Pastrami on Rye with yellow mustard from Katz’ deli.
Sam: Hole in the wall bar on the Upper East side called Vero makes the best paninis…ever. I always have at least one Prosciutto and Mozzarella panini with balsamic sauce. - Muskwich

We talked sandwiches with NYC-based indie rock band Bury Me A Lion. Jarret (vocals), Sam (guitar), Luca (drums) spit some wisdom at us about food on the road and the best spots in NYC to get that bread on meat on bread. Listen up!

What has been your most memorable sandwich to date?

Jarett: Triple Coronary Bypass Burger – 2 half-pound sirloin patties stacked inside three grilled cheese sandwiches, topped with 2 fried eggs, 8 slices of American cheese, 10 slices of bacon and plenty of mayo on the side. Ate it before a gig in Atlanta…and didn’t throw it up.
Sam: A few friends and I traveled into the outskirts of Boston in search of a mythical hidden sandwich shop. The shop was famed to have GIANT i.e. 2-3 foot long subs for a ridiculously low price. After a long search we discovered it–and I housed an entire 2 foot long sub stuffed to the brim with every type of meat under the rainbow.

What is one condiment/topping that is good on (almost) every sandwich?

Jarett: HOT PEPPERS.
Sam: HUMMUS.

If your music was a sandwich, what would be the ingredients (including bread)?

Jarett: Easy – succulent, hot roasted pork, with just-short-of-ripe avocado, fried eggplant, garlic-sauteed broccoli rabe, extra baby swiss, and hot peppers on a soft-crusted hero. The flavor is intense and varied, it takes you all over the place, but it still manages to work well together. And in the end, you’re full, but still look forward to the next one…

What is your favorite sandwich to make/buy?

Luca: Salami and Gruyere with mustard on raisin- pumpernickel bread. It’s a delicious and easy sandwich that reminds me of tough days.

Jarett: Favorite sandwich to buy is Defonte’s of Brooklyn’s Firehouse Special

Sam: I’m a sucker for the Turkey Bacon Avocado sandwich from Quiznos, drenched in honey-mustard sauce. And of course, I take full advantage of the pepper bar.

Do you have a secret to stellar sandwich composition?

Jarett: No mayo, no mustard. Just oil and balsamic vinegar. Oh yeah, and add avocado.

Sam: Less is more. Don’t drench your sandwich with toppings and sauces. Find the right combination and amount for just a few ingredients.

Any good sandwich stories from the road?

Sam and Luca: Pulled pork sandwiches slathered in BBQ sauce at Buz and Neds in Richmond, VA. There is no second place. Those sandwiches were heaven.

How have sandwiches been an inspiration to your music?

Jarett: When writing our music at Sam’s parents’ house, I always ate a turkey and swiss (had to cut it off the quarter-wheel wedge) on multigrain bread. Dijon mustard completes this delight.

Sam: I slaved over those sandwiches for Jarett.

You guys are from NY, so what do you think is NYC’s best sandwich spot?

Jarett: Yes, we are from NYC. And my favorite sandwich spots are On The Corner Deli (23rd & 4th in Brooklyn), Bierkraft (Union St & 5th Ave in Brooklyn) and Defonte’s of Brooklyn (21st & 3rd Ave in Manhattan)
Luca: The classic. Pastrami on Rye with yellow mustard from Katz’ deli.
Sam: Hole in the wall bar on the Upper East side called Vero makes the best paninis…ever. I always have at least one Prosciutto and Mozzarella panini with balsamic sauce. - Muskwich