Where creativity is relative

Louisvillians-turned-Austinites Will and Lily Courtney form the harmonic crux of Brothers & Sisters, whose new record, Fortunately, sits firmly in indie-Americana. They visit Skull Alley Thursday for an all-ages show.

LEO: So where is “Mason City”?

Will Courtney: You know what, it was when we were on tour a couple of years ago. We were driving through the Midwest, maybe in Iowa — I really don’t know — and I started writing a song as we were driving by the exit sign. So it’s literal. I was driving down the road and saw it — “Mason City exit on the right-hand side.” I hope the Mason City people don’t get upset.

LEO: Do you run in terror from South By Southwest or welcome it?

WC: Oh, you know, it’s cool that it’s in Austin, because all these bands are coming through, and it’s generally fun to see bands you’re liking, and want to see them play live. Being a local artist and having to deal with that the whole weekend — it’s not something we’re counting down the days to. You deal with it, it’s nonstop the whole week. Lots of people coming in and out of your house. Tons of bands staying with you. You end up getting sick at the end of the week every time.

LEO: How many times do you and Lily argue?

WC: The old days, before, like in high school, we argued a lot. By the time we got to college, it kind of changed. We got more mature, and we ended up realizing that we were a lot alike, and we actually liked each other. Sometimes we can’t help but argue. It’s easy to argue with family, I guess.

LEO: Best movie line you wish you would’ve written yourself?

WC: Oh my God. Probably the sequence in “Back to the Future,” when Marty McFly and his girlfriend are talking: “Jennifer, check out that 4-by-4. That is hot! Someday, Jennifer, someday, wouldn’t it be great to take that truck up to the lake and lie our heads underneath the stars?”

LEO: Googling yourself: narcissism or mere curiosity?

WC: Um, I think it’s curiosity, because I think everybody is on Google now, just because we’re all on MySpace or Facebook, your name comes up. I’m kind of afraid to do it. I don’t want to read and see bad. I usually let people tell me if there’s something I need to look at.

LEO: Will is a noun, a verb and your first name: How do you think of yourself? Man of action?

WC: I am a man of action. Always on the go. Always doing something. 

LEO: Three things you do not like about your iPhone:

WC: No. 1 is the delay.

LEO: What’s up with the delay?

WC: I don’t know if it’s AT&T, but I’ve never had this problem. I don’t know if maybe it’s a coincidence. I got this the month it came out originally. I got the 8GB one … and it’s been a problem the whole time. I didn’t realize until one time, my sister and I were trying to sing the harmony on the phone. No. 2: I hate that I can’t cut and paste. I think that’s ridiculous, that on a miniature computer, you can’t open-apple C and open-apple V. The third is, I hate that there’s no video camera. Because I had a video camera on my old cell phone. That’s the stuff I Google, to see how we can protest these things. 

Brothers & Sisters

Photo by Melissa Stone: Less delay in the receiver, please: Austin alt-country indie outfit Brothers & Sisters.

w/ Yardsale, Mt. Asiago, IamIs

Thursday, Sept. 4

Skull Alley

1017 E. Broadway

558-9957

$5; 7 p.m.

This article appears in September 2, 2008.