Tristeza are a post-rock band that saw the light in the early days of 1997. The group was formed in San Diego, California, their first line-up was Luis Hermosillo (bass), Christopher Sprague (guitars), James LaValle (guitars) and James Lehner (drums). Days later, Stephen Swesey joined them playing keyboards. Under that line-up, they recorded their first EP entitled ?Foreshadow?, whose music shows their melancholic and creative sound. Their first full-length album was released in 1999 and got good critics within the post-rock fans and connoisseurs.

I got in touch with them and James Lehner answered my questions.

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Your biography has been covered in your ProgArchives profile so let's bypass the biography details. But which bands were you influenced by and why did you choose that name ?

This is an archive based interview also intended for the fans you get well after both you and I have passed away so let's go straight to your albums. Please tell us more about.....

Spine and Sensory from 1999

Dream Signals in Full Circles from 2000

This album was recorded in Chicago with Dave Trumfio at the old King Size Sound Labs before he relocated to L.A.  We spent ten days recording and mixing the album.  Everything was done on Pro Tools and Dave didn't give us much freedom in this album.  He basically closed the door on us during the mixes and over-produced this record.  The times we spent writing and touring in these songs were some of the best for me, but the process of making this album was my least favorite.  It is one that I would very much like to remix.   9 of the songs from the session made it onto the album and the last song was the b-side to the 7" for "Are We People".

Mixed Signals from 2002

This is the worst piece of music that ever had our name on it.  I wish it never existed.  This marks a time when laptops and soul-less computer music recording programs took over Indy music.  A lot of sh*tty music was made around 2002 and even more sh*tty performances by Laptop -based, click-track driven bands.  This release is a collection of remixes done by many of these acts.  With the exception of a nice remix by Windy and Carl, and another by Simon Raymonde of the Cocteau Twins, this record doesn't represent Tristeza at all.

A Colores from 2005

This is our Mexico album.  All the songs were written in Mexico where we rehearsed, and during these years we were playing a lot if concerts in Mexico.  The moods on this album really vary, and this is the one album I would say that the recording and the studios don't have any importance in the feel of this album.  The technical aspects are insignificant.  The songs stand for themselves and the strength of the sounds come from much practice and many performances.  We spent about $15,000 making this album and it took a very long time.  It was recorded at Key Club in Michigan and mixed in San Diego at another studio.  The line up on this album featured a different keyboardist and a different second guitarist.