I first encountered The Airport 77s on their delightful single from last year, with its fun, sweet video, “Losers Win.” The B-Side, “The Illustrated Book of Cupid,” is good too. Now they’re back with a great album that includes the single.

Andy Sullivan, guitarist for the band was kind enough to answer a few questions for me.

Andrea Weiss: How did the band form?

Andy Sullivan: Chuck and John needed a new guitarist, and they had seen me play with another band. They did some due diligence, and were told that I was fussy at practice: playing the chorus over and over until we GOT IT RIGHT, etc. Apparently that was what they were looking for. At our first jam session it was immediately clear that we were a good fit. 

AW: Who are your influences?

AS: ”My Sharona" and songs that sound like "My Sharona." We can probably play every song off The Paul Collins Beat's first record. The Hold Steady forced us to sharpen our lyrics. Ex Hex got us thinking that maybe this Betamax-era power pop sound could work in a modern context. 

AW: How does it feel to have your first album out?

AS: This is the culmination of a year-long sprint. When we signed with JEM we thought they would re-issue our self-released EP "Rotation" with a few extra songs to round it out. When we found they wouldn't be able to put it out before spring, 2022 at the earliest, we wrote, arranged, and recorded a whole batch of new songs between November and April. It was a lot of work and a ton of fun. It turned out way better than we expected, thanks in large part to Kurt Reil's deft mixing. We are excited for people to hear it.

AW: Your songs are about grown up relationships, which is great. Do you think you would have that kind of perspective if you were younger?

AS: That’s a great observation. As grown ups, we are more certain of who we are and less insecure about our prospects for romantic success, and that informs the stories we tell. You won't find songs complaining about "chicks just don't understand us, man," for example. And a song like "Losers Win" couldn't be written by a 19-year-old -- it's about two people who are trying to rekindle a romance, despite all the experiences they've had over the past few decades, and it's told with compassion.  

AW: Is “Drinking Alone” meant to be a Cars tribute, since it quotes “Just What I Needed”?

AS: The Cars' first two albums are our Book of Genesis. But "Drinking Alone" is more of a country song -- take away the jittery guitars and any Nashville hunk with a sense of humor could pull it off. It was written during the depths of lockdown and, like many country songs, it uses cornball humor to cover up the existential dread.

AW: I like how your characters have fun, especially on “Birthday Girl.” Did you want to lighten the at times serious mood of the album?

AS: This song was inspired by a posse of women at one of our gigs. We started off as a cover band, and it's in our musical DNA to make sure the audience is having a good time. But, like "Losers Win," this song has some shadows -- the couple has been through some rough times and now they are spending way too much money to exorcise those demons.

AW: Do you have any plans to tour?

AS: We are playing the International Pop Overthrow on Nov. 12, and there might be an East Coast tour in the offing next year, but we are not at that stage in our lives where we can just hop in the van and set off for parts unknown.

AW: What would you say to someone just starting out in music?

AS: When you're on stage, make sure to look every single member of the audience in the eye.