Guster: 2019

It would be easy for the members of Guster, more than 25 successful years into their career, to simply keep doing what the band has always done: deliver catchy pop songs.

But Guster has never been a band to repeat itself, which is part of what makes the group so beloved by fans. It's also what sets them apart. While they do still write catchy pop songs, each successive album sees Guster continuing to push boundaries, and trying new things.

Now on their eighth and possibly most adventurous album to date, Look Alive, an FUV New Dig, the band worked with producer Leo Abrahams (on the recommendation of Regina Spektor), who encouraged the use of what he called “cold sounds”—a departure from Guster’s usually warm, organic tones.

On the band’s return visit to Studio A, frontman Ryan Miller discusses the evolution of Look Alive and why using “cold sounds” felt so right for this new collection. The band also treated us to three songs from the new album, including a beautifully spare version of "Hard Times."

[recorded: 1/18/19; Engineer: Chris Russo; Producer: Alisa Ali]