Stillwater, Oklahoma-based indie rock outfit Other Lives will be releasing their sophomore effort, Tamer Animals, on May 17 on tbd Records. Unlike their self-titled debut—a studio-bound effort that was produced by Beck’s longtime drummer, Joey Waronker—Tamer Animals was tracked in the privacy of the band’s own space in Stillwater. Waronker eventually mixed the entire affair and sanded down its edges, but it took Other Lives 14 months to get to that point. Formed in 2004, has been heard on shows ranging from Ugly Betty to Grey’s Anatomy. Recently, Bestnewbands.com caught up with frontman Jesse Tabish to talk about the album’s formation, who the band was looking forward to seeing at SXSW and what it was like working with Waronker.

Daniel Kohn: How did the new album come to fruition?

Jesse Tabish: In 2009 on the road a lot of scratch ideas were written on midi keyboard. I felt like that musically things had to take a different direction. We had to take a hiatus from playing live to re-approach song writing, which has taken the good part of two years to produce, write, and record on our own.

DK: What made you decide to sign with TBD as opposed to any other label? Have they been helpful in the process of making the album?

JT: It was a no brainer. TBD is a very tight circle of people that we respect and trust.

 

DK: How was SXSW? Would you deem it as a success?

JT: I think so, it was very hectic, but in the end we felt that we did exactly what we set out to do.

 

DK: Outside of performing, who were you most excited to see at SXSW?

JT: Colourmusic

 

DK: What was it like working with Joey Waronker? Did he instill any of the lessons he’s learned from his legendary father and the artists he’s worked with in the past onto you all?

JT: This is our second album working with Joey. On Tamer Animals, he came in at a pivotal point of the recording when we were in need of an outside perspective. He was able to shed light on things musically that we could have easily overlooked. Not to mention the amazing job that he did mixing the record.

 

DK: What was the recording and writing process like?

JT: It’s an everyday process when we are home. It’s a very ordinary process…no black magic…just hard work.

 

DK: What’s in store for the band for the rest of 2011?

JT: We plan to tour and promote Tamer Animals into the unforeseen future.

 

The record will be available at all major retailers and the band will be touring in support of the release.