Indie rock quintet Twin Peaks will be making a stop in Columbia at Cafe Berlin on Friday, March 11. They have played a number of popular festivals such as Lollapalooza and Mo Pop. Their sound could be described as a blend of alternative rockers The Strokes and the classic rock act The Rolling Stones. As of now, they have released two LPs and will be releasing their third LP, “Down in Heaven,” in mid-May. I had the opportunity to speak with vocalist Cadien James about “Down in Heaven,” the overall development of the quintet’s sound and live performances.

**How did the five of you meet?**

Jack (Dolan) and Connor (Brodner) knew each other growing up and lived across the street from each other. I met Jack in elementary school, Connor met Clay (Frankel) in high school and by that time we had all met each other. We then met Colin (Croom) when we were seniors in high school by playing shows with him while he was in a different band. I started playing with Jack and Connor when we were sophomores in high school. I was playing with Jack before that, but that’s the formation of Twin Peaks.

**You guys are releasing your third LP soon, so how would you say your sound has developed since your first record?**

Well, we took our time a lot more than we did with the last two. We had the first two records figured out and knew the parts for all the songs. We had it mapped out. With this one we kind of wanted to get everyone writing their own parts more. Also, Colin is a full member of the band now, so he’s more present on “Down in Heaven” and he’s more involved.

**You guys have a reputation for putting on a great show. What do you guys think make you stand out as a live band?**

We like to rock and we have a lot of energy. Also a lot of bands say that if (the crowd) isn’t enjoying it, then (the band) doesn’t enjoy it. We want people to like what we’re doing, but we always like what we’re doing first, and I think that helps us put on a good show.

**What do you think some of the most important parts of making an album are?**

You need to be critical and have a good balance. You want to enjoy what you’re doing but leave room for growth and development while you’re recording. Also, you just need to be natural. We don’t usually spend a half hour thinking about what we’re trying to create. You should just wing it.

**What is your advice to aspiring artists who are looking to start their career?**

Play all the time, play with anybody you can and play live. Be relentless. You need to be confident but also be kind. Put yourself out there and be confident but remember to be kind along the way. Build good relationships with everybody, and that goes a long way. As long as you’re kind, they’ll be kind to you.

_Edited by Katie Rosso | [email protected]_