There’s this tiny, tender moment in the newest episode of Don’t Bother Wearing Seatbelts that just got me. We were chatting with the endlessly delightful The High Water Marks, and Hilarie was talking about her Norwegian, joking that she’s not exactly fluent. And then, in the softest, most loving voice, her partner in life and rock and roll, Per Ole Bratset, quietly says, “No, you’re fluent.”
It was simple. Sweet. And to me, it summed up everything I love about this band.
Their music—jangly, fuzzy, joy-soaked indie pop—feels like sunlight on your shoulders. There’s no pretense, just a deep love of creating together. The fact that this band started as a transatlantic tape exchange between Hilarie Bratset and Per Ole Bratset? That’s pure magic. And over 20 years later, they’re still making music that somehow gets better with every album. Maybe the secret ingredient is love, that long, slow-burn kind of love that seeps into the songs.
We talked about their brilliant new record Consult the Oracle and wandered through conversations about Scandinavian folklore, tarot, 90s indie rock, Norwegian metal, and of course, the almighty Pavement. Hilarie and I even bonded over our dueling NFL allegiances. SKOL!
Huge thanks to Rudy Fischmann and Mathew Bell for steering this VIkings ship and for letting me tag along for this one. It was an honor to sit in and celebrate two artists I admire so much, not just for their music but for the life they’ve built around it.
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By Patrick Tape Fleming