Brower: "I'm Always Coming up With Hairbrained Schemes To Release Things Unconventionally"

After cooking up Flour—his long-awaited second LP that slow-baked over several years in makeshift Brooklyn practice spaces—Nat Brower is already back in the kitchen. His latest single, "Train" b/w "Can't Get Enough," a rollicking, riffy, and ramshackle affair that hits in all the right places, offers a sneak peek into a new chapter: a collaborative session with his live group (featuring members of Josephine Network, Dirty Fences, and Heavy Nothings) and the wildly unpredictable singles ‘25 project. It's a fresh spin for Brower, who spent years perfecting Flour, that continues his heady, home-cooked feast of glammy bubblegum melodicism and playful, foot-stompin' pop rock 'n' roll. And while the new single still packs the sugar-rush riffs and gloriously over-the-top pop hooks, there's a raw edge creeping in with a hunger for spontaneity. We caught up with Brower between shows (currently on tour with the Paris-based girl group Alvilda) to talk about the new single, the anything-goes philosophy behind the new singles project, and what’s next on the plate. Dig in!

Hot Sounds: What are some fun, super statistics of Nat Brower?

Nat Brower: Hair: Bro

Eyes: Bro

Height: 5'5"

Guitar: 2006 Epiphone Wilshire remake

HS: What's the story behind your new two-song single "Train" b/w "Can’t Get Enough" and what made you want to pair these two together? 

NB: So these tracks come out of a recording session with the whole band, which comprised of Hershguy, Josephine, and Josh (AKA "the Dr." AKA  "Dr. Heavy Nothing") Hahn. There’s much more from this session to come! Half of the tunes we tracked are my songs, and half are Josh’s—whose project goes by the name, Heavy Nothings. If you don’t know about that project, go ahead and look that up now. 

HS: Are these two songs leading to the follow-up album to last year’s LP Flour? If so, what does the planned follow-up look or sound like? 

NB: We’re planning to release an EP of the songs from these sessions. Josh’s songs will be its own EP. Somewhere down the line we wanna combine EPs and release like a compilation LP. Or something!! I’m always coming up with hairbrained schemes to release things unconventionally. Like my singles ‘25 project, for instance: attempting to write, record and release 25 new singles throughout the year 2025, and putting them out on Patreon. So far there are 7. 

HS: You’ve described this new 25 singles project as an experiment with no fixed rules, blending lo-fi tracks and high-production songs, solos and collaborations, even letting your fans help shape it. What do you hope to learn or discover through this unpredictable, flexible approach, and how has it been over the past few months trying it?

NB: Yeah—it was a weird idea! What WAS I thinking… that I could just bust out two tracks per month while working pretty much full time and being in four bands?? (Will he pull this off???? Everyone’s wondering). I came up with the idea Jan 8, 2025, in a moment of sheer panic, wondering what to do. Through the process, I’ve realized that it’s REALLY hard for me not to obsess over tracks, which was the whole point of the exercise—to try to let go and work quicker and just be comfortable with something more loose, more raw. I think I’m slowly getting there. We’ll see by the end of this. I think that, coming out of Flour—which I labored over for years—I craved the opposite music-making experience. I want quickness! I guess it’s important to realize that creative endeavors—which most of us aren’t set up to do easily—move slow (particularly if you live in New York City). 

HS: How do you think this singles project might redefine the way music is shared or experienced in an era dominated by big business streaming platforms?

NB: I’m not sure this will redefine anything, but if it draws attention away from Big Streaming to another platform, even a little, that’s good. I really hope more artists abandon Spotify, and eventually it crumbles and falls. Patreon isn’t the best for music, it’s not built for that. Maybe one day there will be an indie streaming platform that’s not owned by a corrupt war-monger, where all the good music moves to, and people will ditch Spotify for that. Yes. These two songs are on Spotify. I want them to be heard by the masses. So fuck you, Spotify! But once there’s more movement behind smaller-scale artists ditching it (and it’s starting to happen), I’m outta there! 

HS: How has it been taking the Flour out on the road with your live group over the last year? What are your thoughts looking back on that record coming up on a year soon since it’s been out? 

NB: It’s been awesome! Crazy it’s been out almost a year. We’ve played some amazing shows and people seem to like the record. 

HS: Aside from the singles project, what are some future plans for you and your other group Nancy? 

NB: We are currently on tour with Paris legends Alvilda across the East Coast and Midwest. Other projects in the works: a new Nancy record and a new Hershguy record. 

HS: Lastly, any advice or last words you'd like to share with our readers?

NB: Always check the expiration date. 

Check out Brower's singles '25 project here and listen to the new single below.

"Train" b/w "Can’t Get Enough" credits:

Guitar/vox: Nat Brower

Lead guitar: Josephine 

Bass: Josh Hahn

Drums: Hershguy

Recorded at Relic Room NYC

Mixed/mastered by Josh Hahn 

Art by Nat Brower