After more than a decade away from the spotlight, Richmond’s beloved indie pop band Hot Lava is flowing back to the Richmond Music scene with a refreshed lineup and a new album titled Queen of Fools on the way. Front woman Allison Apperson leads the charge with the emotionally layered single “What Not to Wear,” a track that marks both a personal reckoning and a creative reawakening.
Todd Raviotta: After reading Andrew’s great piece in Style Weekly, I have to thank all of the collaborators and friends who encouraged you to record these songs beyond demos. The “It can feel like…” section of lines on “What Not to Wear” makes me feel like I need to cry.
Allison Apperson: To be honest, this song makes me cry nearly every time I listen to it—and absolutely did when we recorded it. I know this wasn’t a question, but the way it’s written is kind of like a committee urging someone to do something: take action, change this, change that. I wrote it a decade ago and thought it was more surface level—you know, actually about clothing. As we got closer to recording it, it dawned on me it’s much deeper. Clothing was a metaphor. Now I realize it was like future me talking to younger me, telling me it’s okay to be yourself. It can feel scary, but life can be greater on the other side of comfort.
T-Rav: What is your favorite lyric or phrase in “What Not to Wear”?
Allison: The lyrics came out so fast. This is one of those songs that “wrote itself” as they say. I didn’t think much, it was kind of rapid-fire. No worrying about what rhymed or sounded clever. I like it all for that reason, but the phrase…
“all we ask for is progress and that you part ways with everything in your closet, regardless if it feels like home it’s the wrong fit”
…has stuck with me. The song is all about giving in to being uncomfortable and that line does it in such a playful but honest way.
T-Rav: “What Not to Wear” sounds like classic Hot Lava but even more shaped and full! What is your studio sound vibe for this song now that you are an “Adult Contemporary” recording artist?
Allison: Well, I’ll tell you what—I wanted to take an even more classic Hot Lava approach and fill it up with handclaps, a Cardigans-like guitar solo in the back half, more vocals, you know the drill. Matt Deans, my collaborator on the album, really pushed to keep this one sparse and vulnerable. He was right in doing that, too.
I’ve been lucky to collect talented people over the years. The crew on “What Not to Wear” was sparse. I’m on vocals and guitar. Matt, who’s been a longtime member of the band and the other half of this album, is on the Rhodes, upright piano, and clarinet. Giustino Riccio of Bio Ritmo is on drums and percussion, and Russell Lacy played the bass. I wrote this song years ago when Matt and I were playing in a band with Giustino called the Garbers. It felt like a perfect closer for this new Hot Lava record.
T-Rav: Where was this song recorded and mixed?
Allison: We recorded the album over about a year-and-a-half at the Virginia Moonwalker in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Russell recorded, mixed, produced and played all over this album. He really understood the assignment. He was also one of those folks who encouraged me to finally put these songs on tape. I really can’t put into words what an amazing force of a human he is. If we do this again, it’d be with no one else.
Russell suggested we record “What Not to Wear” live in the studio. Most of the other songs weren’t tracked that way. It was great. We added some harmonies, Matt played that fucking clarinet and we threw in some percussion after the fact, but the live take gave it this a nice feel. We all pushed each other on this one.
T-Rav: I remember the “C’MON SPRING MIX” cd you made in 2011. It was classic vocalists and pop multi piece harmony groups, who are you vintage pop and rock influences?
Allison: On this record, I was kind of on a mission—albeit a loose one. I was like, “I want the drums to sound like the Strokes, the harmonies to sound like Debbie Harry (Blondie), the keyboards to sound like Grandaddy.” I knew it wouldn’t sound like that at all because it’s us, but we had a few guiding lights. I’m guilty of listening to a lot of the same music over the years. The influences range from girl groups to the Breeders to Metric to my friends’ bands. We were really aiming to evolve the sound in the studio while keeping it true to the Hot Lava of years ago. We wanted to keep the playfulness alive.
T-Rav: Who has been getting you creative energies flowing now in this era in Richmond or beyond?
Allison: My friends are so inspirational. Richmond has such an amazing music scene and community. The fact that I’m talking to folks like you about this record, this many years later, really speaks to that. Being a fan of bands like The Milkstains and then talking them into being in Hot Lava has been so cool. Watching my friends from other bands form Serquet and play amazing music has been such a treat. Moving back here and seeing everyone still creating was really an inspiration. It pushed me to get back into music. Richmond is a special place.
T-Rav: Is there a direct or indirect thematic connection on the track list of “Thursday Shirt” to “What Not to Wear”?
It’s funny—I’ve asked myself this question recently. They were both written around the same time many years ago, so I think this is a “yes.” To tell you the truth, I’m not sure what a “Thursday Shirt” truly is. I think it’s a metaphor for a way of life: being comfortable in the moment, just hazily gliding through your days, not being bothered by much. It’s really an innocent song. It’s about wearing the same shirt every day and being content in a safe routine. I think it symbolizes the stage in life right before you reach a “what not to wear” point—when you realize there’s magic in breaking the mold.
T-Rav: When is the album dropping and do you have some shows this summer where we can check out the Hot Lava?
Allison: The album drops online May 30. That night, we’re having an album “coronation” at Gallery 5 with our buddies Camo Face and Sweet Touch. We’re going to take orders for the record at the show and will be pressing it on vinyl—that’ll be available after the show in a few months. We’re also playing a show with our buddies Piranha Rama and Pinkish (out of Charlottesville) at the Camel on July 19.
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