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Donora will brighten Thrival Music Festival
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
Donora could sing the words to a gothic horror novel and it would still come out sounding like a frolic in the park on a sunny afternoon.
With bouncy melodies and the upper-range vocals of Casey Hanner, the Pittsburgh rock trio is like a sonic prescription for Seasonal Affective Disorder.
There is a child-like quality that makes it so carefree. Or maybe it’s the other way around.
Even on the rare song where the band strays from the pleasure zone of blue skies and amusement parks, it comes out sounding like an electro-pop chant that delivers the opposite message.
The trio — Casey (vocals, guitars), her brother Jake Hanner (drums, synth samples) and Jake Churton (bass) — will be one of the regional acts at the Thrival musical festival in Pittsburgh this weekend.
Donora will fit in nicely at the fourth annual Thrival, which has an electro-pop slant this year. Headliners include the Chainsmokers and Chvrches, as well as Thievery Corporation, Metric, Ty Dolla $ign and Lettuce.
Pacing Donora’s galloping beat are recorded electronic loops, which makes for a tight sound.
In a phone interview, Casey Hanner, explained how it works — and why it isn’t as musically unforgiving as it might seem.
“They’re not full tracks,” she said. “Just four-count or eight-count loops. The drummer retriggers them for every measure, which gives us a little wiggle room. Plus, we’ve been doing it for so long we got used to it.”
Every now and then, the act forgoes the samples, which Casey calls liberating. “We try to work out a song live before we record it, and a lot can change from the writing to the recording,” she said.
The Hanners come from a musical family; their father, Dave Hanner, has had a standout career as a performer (Corbin/Hanner Band), songwriter and producer. And being siblings is — not surprisingly — another positive when it comes to creating together.
“We understand each other, the same silent communication,” said Casey, who was driving home from a recording session with her brother while talking.
“Most commonly, my brother and I will work in his studio together. He’ll come up with a drum loop, then we both come up with ideas. Sometimes he’ll send me a track at 4 a.m., and I’ll come up with lyrics. And sometimes it works the other way around. Bass is a huge part of our sound too, and [Churton] comes up with the hooky parts.”
Donora released its fourth album, “Ha Ha Heart,” in December 2014. The band is taking its time working on its next effort, and hopes to have it ready by next summer. It will continue in the same positive vein.
“We’ve been busy,” said Casey. “My brother has three kids and I am pregnant.”
After Thrival, the band will take the rest of the year off from performing. Casey is due around the end of the year.