Q&A: Chris Hrasky of Explosions in the Sky discusses upcoming Coachella concert

Explosions in the Sky is a Texas-based instrumental rock band made up of guitarists Mark Smith, Michael James and Munaf Rayani, and drummer Chris Hrasky. The band first gained national attention in 2004 when it wrote the soundtrack for the film “Friday Night Lights.” Since then, its music has been heavily featured in the spin-off television show of the same name, as well as a number of other shows and films. The band is currently promoting its new album “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care” and will perform both Fridays at Coachella. Those who weren’t lucky enough to get tickets can still catch them performing at The Glass House in Pomona on April 18. Hrasky spoke with the Daily Bruin’s Anneta Konstantinides about the band’s new album, the members’ inspirations and creative process and what they’re most excited about for Coachella.

Daily Bruin: How would you describe your musical style?

Chris Hrasky: Instrumental rock, and that it’s kind of sad. Sad, loud instrumental rock. It’s pretty emotional music I guess, a lot of melancholy parts and darker tones and minor keys and that sort of stuff. The four of us generally tend to be attracted to more melancholy music; it’s not really party music. It’s sad time music.

DB: “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care” is your first album since 2007. How would you say your musical style has evolved in the last 5 years?

CH: The previous records were recorded live, just us set up in a room, and this one we sort of built it piece by piece. There’s a lot more going on sonically, with multiple drum tracks. We weren’t concerned of duplicating it live ““ we had more time in the studio so it allowed us to mess around with stuff more. It’s more dynamic and layered and maybe a little subtler as well; it doesn’t hammer you over the head as much as our previous record.

DB: This will also be your first year back at Coachella since 2007. What are you most excited about for your return?

CH: I’m excited to see Radiohead and watch other bands. The show should be fun ““ we’re playing later in the day than we did in 2007, so it should be more crazy and interesting.

DB: Your live shows are noted for being highly emotive. What are you thinking about when you’re performing?

CH: I guess just because, sometimes I’m even just thinking about what I’m having for dinner, but we definitely try to have a show where us four just try to get lost in the music, and hopefully the audience will if they see us getting lost ourselves. Nothing’s worse than seeing a band play that looks bored. It angers me for a couple of reasons: first of all, you get to be in a rock band, and that’s such a lucky thing to be able to do. And also, people are paying money for this, and just going through the motions is hard to see. Hopefully, if we’re involved in the music, the audience will be too.

DB: How do you use your music to connect with fans, even with the absence of vocals?

CH: That’s what we’re always trying to do and it’s definitely not easy for us. The challenge is being able to make music in the rock world or pop world without a singer and being able to engage someone in a similar way. We throw away a lot of the stuff we come up with. It’s just trial and error; that’s the goal. How we get there, we just have to respond to it and if it sort of moves us in a way, then we assume it’ll move someone else.

DB: Where does the inspiration for your songs come from? Is it based on personal experience?

CH: We try to have the music reflect a lot of different emotions. We try to write songs that everyone’s experienced: a soundtrack to a persons’ life. You know we’re not writing songs about being in prison. I wouldn’t say there’s any particular events we’re writing about. We’re not particularly depressed or sad people; we just want the music to have a wide range of emotions just like a person’s life does.

DB: What can fans and new listeners expect from your shows at The Glass House and at Coachella?

CH: It’s something that they can kind of lose themselves in for awhile. We hope it’s not some band just playing in the background.

Email Konstantinides at [email protected].