If I had to bestow the title of Earworm of the Year to one song in 2005, it would have been Morningwood’s “Nth Degree.” Along with ensuring that I would never incorrectly spell the group’s name, this track introduced me to a band whose playfulness and talent for writing hooks immediately caught my attention. Their follow-up effort, Diamonds and Studs takes the music to another level, adding heavier dance beats to the pop-rock sound they developed on the debut, and the new single “Best of Me” has already put itself in the running for the EOTY title in 2010.

Band vocalist Chantal Claret took some time to talk to LA Music Blog about the new release, time-sensitive songwriting, and what Morningwood has in store for 2010.

What do you feel is the main difference people will notice between your self-titled release and Diamonds and Studs?

I think we felt less of an obligation to have the record fit into one type of song or type of music. We let our influences peek through more on this record, and they are really diverse. We were very conscious of hooks and melodies. We were also on the last record, but this record is chock full of hooks because that is what we love in music. We also made songs that were very voice friendly. On the last record a lot of the songs were in my head voice, which is a pain in the ass for me to sing live. This record I get to belt it but maintain my chest voice so we can keep the energy up when we play live.

What is the songwriting process for Pedro and yourself?

With this record we did most of the songs with a co-writer. Since Pedro and I are pretty much opposite people we needed a middleman in there to be our tiebreaker in arguments. Since I live in LA and Pedro lives in NYC we really hustled while writing the songs. Each song we had a day or two to write, and we knew if we didn’t complete it, it would have been a waste of time and money. I liked working that way. I work better under the pressure. Like “Cat In A Box.” That is still the original vocal from the first time I recorded it. There was a cab waiting outside to take me to the train station, and I had to hustle and get it right.

Has that process changed since you first got together?

We used to take our time writing songs, but now we have gotten into a groove, especially working with other people, and we like to crank ‘em out. I am an impatient person, so I love having an immediate finished demo and product that I can listen to when I leave and see what I want to fix for the masters. Pedro and I used to write all our songs with just the two of us, but I really enjoy working with many different people. It’s really interesting, and you learn a lot about adapting to the way other people write.

What do you feel was the hardest part of recording/releasing Diamonds and Studs?

The whole entire process was hard. There was nothing easy about it. From writing, to recording, to releasing, everything was a struggle and could have ended the band, but ultimately we were so proud of the songs that we made that we fought through everything to make sure they were released.

Do you have a personal favorite song on the new album?

I think “Hot Tonight” and “Cat in a Box” are my favorites. I love to sing both of them.

What about a favorite song to play live?

“Snobby Little Elf” and “Hot Tonight” are probably the best songs to play live. They are instant energy-givers.

Who would you say have been some of your biggest musical influences and where do you see them showing up in your songwriting?

My biggest musical influences are girl groups from the ‘60s like the Exciters, bands like the Cramps and the Zombies, and singers like Nina Simone. I am not sure where those influences come in. Probably in energy. All of those people have energy in their vocals and music, and I love them all.

What does the band have in the works for 2010?

Hopefully a ton of touring and some very special fun stuff that I can’t talk about until it is all in the works, ya know.

For more on Morningwood check out:

http://www.morningwoodrocks.com/

or

http://www.myspace.com/morningwood