The male/female rock duo formula is a time tested tradition. Whether it owes to the simplicity of the setup, the contrasting timbres and harmonies possible, or some sort of subliminal sexual tension is anyone's guess. But from Richard & Linda Thompson to Quasi to the White Stripes to Sonny & Cher, and even, um, Roxette, there's no denying its appeal. The Aquarium popped up in D.C. a full half decade ago, quietly building a following on what started out as the relatively ambient sound of Jason Hutto's electric piano and Laura Harris' drums. Playing at lot of instrumental and somewhat atmospheric material, the music was the perfect complement to the films that were the band's constant onstage accompaniment.

After four years of playing, the band finally found their way into Inner Ear Studios two summers ago to record their self-titled debut album for Dischord records, with the Dismemberment Plan's Jason Caddell behind the boards. The result is easily the catchiest record in the entire Dischord catalog, instantly memorable melodies supported by Hutto's bouncy piano and Hutto's propulsive drumming. Hutto and Harris (the latter of which you may also recognize as the drummer in Benjy Ferree's band, or from her other job working at the Black Cat) may not be as readily recognizable as yesterday's Three Stars band, but what they do share share with Georgie James is a prodigious talent for getting a tune stuck in your head.

Photo by David Holloway.

Visit The Aquarium online at: aquariummusic.com or on MySpace at http://myspace.com/aquariummusic

See them next: The Aquarium don't have any upcoming shows scheduled at the moment, so keep your eye out for listings.

Buy their album at: Crooked Beat, Olssons, Amazon, Insound, or anywhere that carries Dischord artists.

Questions for Laura Harris of The Aquarium:

How did the two of you end up together? Give us a brief history of the birth of The Aquarium.

I went to see Jason's old band, The Motorcycle Wars at Galaxy Hut a long time ago. I guess that was about the year 2000. They had a girl drummer so i figured it was a sure thing!

Over four years passed between getting together and releasing first record. Was this by design to take things slowly?

No, that was pretty unintentional. To be honest I don't think we ever really knew what was going to come of playing. It was so good for me to have just one other person to play around with. It gave me a lot of leeway as far as learning how to play. I could play pretty much whatever I wanted. That is what kept me in the band without ever really wanting to tour/put out records. I cant speak for Jason, though. His motivations may have been different. I started playing with some other people later on down the road and it was a different animal. I was playing with people that were into putting something out and really working for that. That concept was a little daunting to me. Recording an album still seemed like some huge two plus week long production that turned people against their band mates and dissected the songs until there was no organic feeling to them anymore. Then you have to go play them every night till you hate them and that seems to happen just right around the time that everyone wants to hear them. I did not want that to happen to any of the songs I played so I avoided putting them down. After playing with other people, though, I realized that you could make the recording experience whatever you wanted. We did the record in a few days with our friend Jason.

Becoming known over the course of such a long time primarily for live shows, tell us how you approached recording, in terms of trying to recreate that live sound or doing something different.

I guess one of the things that is consistent between live shows and recordings is a sense of urgency. This probably happens because I have so little patience and such a limited understanding of the recording process. I don't appreciate it the way people who do understand it do. I appreciate the energy of a live performance. I don't look at recording as a chance to play a song the way you wish you could on the first go playing live. This is not to say that I think recording is a bad thing because there are plenty of great songs on record or disc or whatever that do something good to me, and I can feel like that as many times as I want to play the song. Sometimes having those feelings so accessible kills them, though. Especially for someone with no self control. I will listen to those things until I feel nothing from them anymore, then I have to leave them alone for a while.

Jason has talked in earlier interviews about some thoughts of adding more people, perhaps a bass, to the lineup. Is that a real possibility, something that's being actively considered? How do you think that might affect how you operate?

Who knows, I mean, if a song really needed a live bass player, then why not? I just would be afraid that the new member and Jason would get really close and make fun of me behind my back and shut me out.

Related to that, do you think it makes it easier or more difficult to have only two people in a band as opposed to more?

Like I said earlier, two people was great for me. I play in another band with 5 people and that has its clear advantages too. I guess it depends on who you are playing with.

Do you still show films during all your shows? Tell us about the reasoning behind accompanying your shows with visuals.

We still show the films sometimes. We went to Chicago and Pittsburg and Cleveland, and in all 3 we showed the films. I feel like people who come to see us live in the D.C. area have seen the films so many times all ready. The songs are becoming less ambient, also.

Considering the band's penchant for instrumentals and tying your performances to visuals, have you considered trying to do any film scoring?

I would do a film score. No free rides, though.

Now that the Dischord has been around as long as it has, most people in new bands that sign on are probably young enough that they can't remember a time when it wasn't around…what were your earliest exposures to the label?

That label has had a great run. I guess in junior high my friend Chris listened to a lot of Fugazi, but I didnt bite until later. I really love Lungfish. I had some Minor Threat on a mixtape in high school, but honestly I was pretty uninformed. All the people that work at Dischord work there for a reason. It's really healthy for anyone. That translates when we talk to them about ideas. We are supported, and that is a freeing thing. There is also no beating around the bush.

If you'd told your younger self, who was just getting into those bands that someday you'd be on the same label, what do you think the reaction might have been?

That is a good question. I was not into people older than me telling me stuff about me back then, so I dont know.

What do you think the unique aspects of being in a band in D.C. are these days?

Practice spaces are sparse and expensive, but people generally find a place if they want it badly enough. You have to really want it. There are also no real small venues or spaces for shows. Other U.S. cities tend to have at least a few hole in the wall places for shows where bands dont have to deal with club politics.

When on the road, does being from D.C. elicit particular responses or questions from people in other towns?

We have not really been on the road for more than 4 days, but I have traveled with other bands. The computer/internet age has opened the doors to every underground music scene in every town. It kind of makes underground music seem a little bit ADD. You get more of a, "Yeah, D.C., thats great...but have you heard of this awesome band out of Denver? They only play butcher shops and half of their band members are laptops." The upside is that there is something for everyone, the downside is that everyone knows something more interesting/punk/original/whatever. We just try to play what we like to hear and be pretty energetic. People will keep caring about good music.

What are your thoughts on the presence, or lack thereof, of a cohesive music community in D.C. now?

I work in a music venue and I feel kind of disconnected with any DC music scene other than the people I work with and a few friends. I feel a connection with people that I play with anywhere I guess because music is so accessable now. I love the band Shortstack. They are a great band of people who play their instruments really well and put a lot of hard work into it. It really pays off because when you see a band like that play, whether or not it is they type of music you like or not, you can't really argue with that talent. It is craftsmanship that you can really appreciate. It is the same reason why people spend 20 bucks on a picture frame from Target, or hundreds from a woodworker or artisan. I think that Eyes of the Killer Robot are a great band too. They write simple, surfy songs, but the tones they get really get my blood pumping and they always give you something fun to look at. And its a family affair. And the drums are minimal and tasteful. I love my friend Ben Green's music also. His band is called Seas. That is one guy that knows what he is doing.

What is the writing process like for The Aquarium? At what point does a song reveal itself to be one that's going to have lyrics vs. an instrumental?

Sometimes I will play a beat and we will yell at each other about melody for hours, other times its just easy. Sometimes there will be some visual we can take from. We both write lyrics. As far as whether or not a song is an instrumental or has lyrics..I guess that is something we decide early on, or if we just cannot make lyrics work with the song then it just is an instrumental by nature.

Are you working on much in the way of new material at the moment? Thoughts yet on the follow up to the first record?

Yeah, we are going to record with this guy Nikhil in Arlington. He has a studio in his apartment that my other band used to practice out of. He is a fucking pro. He has worked on some of my favorite records and no one else i know can build an entire studio quality soundboard in under 20 minutes.

Your place of work may make you biased, but what's your favorite venue in D.C.?

It is the Black Cat because those guys know everything about music.