Buick Audra is used to working in more than one lane.
As half of the heavy rock duo Friendship Commanders and as a solo artist, Audra moves between sounds and settings with intention. Her new solo album, Adult Child (released June 13) is a personal yet powerful record that explores the oft-unhealthy patterns we carry forward.
Written and produced by Audra, Adult Child leans into vulnerability with stripped-down arrangements and honest storytelling. In this conversation with Analogue, she talks about the process behind it all, what it means to make space for both her solo work and the band, and how recovery and reflection shaped the music along the way.
Analogue: I went to listen to the album and as soon as I heard "The Worst People Win," it felt like an immediate, “Oh, this is great.” It just works. Was it obvious to you that it’d kick things off?
Buick Audra: Yes. It was the first song recorded for the record, and I’ve always loved it. It’s catchy, swirly, and those choruses are really melodic—almost pretty—but there’s also some dark stuff in there. I love that juxtaposition. Even before Adult Child was a full album, I knew "The Worst People Win" would start it.
Analogue: Did that song feel like a turning point creatively? Did it shape what came next?
Buick Audra: Actually, the first song written was “Questions for the Gods of Human Behavior.” I recorded both on the same day, about a month apart. I thought I’d do a short EP, but I ended up writing 18 songs. Only eight made the cut, those that best reflected my current musical leanings and the emotional arc I wanted: family dynamics, relationship patterns, that kind of thing.
"Most of my albums are concept records. I’m usually trying to untangle a specific emotional or psychological knot."
Analogue: Do you often write in these kinds of bursts?
Buick Audra: Yes. Both with this solo project and my band Friendship Commanders, I tend to write in flurries. Most of my albums are concept records. I’m usually trying to untangle a specific emotional or psychological knot.
Analogue: What’s that knot for Adult Child?
Buick Audra: While it’s framed around family, the real tension is how those patterns affect my other relationships. I grew up being the “hero child” and later became the “black sheep.” That shift shaped how I relate to people—taking every invitation, sharing too much too fast. “Questions for the Gods of Human Behavior” was really about confronting those tendencies and asking myself, am I repeating the same patterns I didn’t want done to me?
Analogue: That sounds like deep internal work. Has that come through therapy?
Buick Audra: More through recovery. I’ve been in Al-Anon for a long time, and that’s helped me understand myself more clearly—not just behaviors, but the thoughts that lead to them. I’ve had to ask, what’s my role in the dynamics I keep falling into?
Analogue: And then you’re navigating that personal work while engaging with the marketplace—promotion, branding, all of it.
Buick Audra: That’s the hardest part. I was raised by musicians, so there was this confusing mix of “of course you’ll be talented” and “don’t make a big deal out of it.” I wasn’t allowed to take up space. It’s still difficult, but I’ve learned to stand for the work. Even when I can’t stand for myself, I can stand for the work.
Analogue: That feels like a huge win.
Buick Audra: It really is. I’ve done much better with this record. Though it took me over a decade to finally frame and hang my Grammy. One parent told me not to celebrate because it would make others feel bad. Another said, “Well, it’s a start.” So yeah—I'm learning to undo those messages.
Analogue: You mentioned both this project and Friendship Commanders. How does one influence the other?
Buick Audra: They’ve always coexisted. Sometimes a song just tells me where it belongs. Kurt Ballou, who mixes a lot of Friendship Commanders’ work, also mixed Adult Child. He knows my voice better than anyone, and this record is so vocal-forward. Even though it’s not sonically heavy like FC, he knew exactly how to place everything.
Analogue: Was it always going to be a vocal-heavy record?
Buick Audra: Not at all. Originally, I imagined a scrappy indie rock EP, but in the middle of tracking, my friend Steve Albini passed away. That moment of grief shifted things. I was recording “Yellow” when it happened, and I ended up layering my own vocals in this kind of musical solidarity. From there, it evolved. I realized the voice would be the primary instrument and leaned into it.
Analogue: You mentioned writing 18 tracks. What happens to the songs that don’t make the cut?
Buick Audra: I demo and archive them. I’ve written somewhere between 350 and 380 songs, so I try to keep everything organized: lyrics, tunings, notations. Some might resurface later, but usually the ones that don’t make the album are what I call process songs—they helped me work something out, but they don’t haunt me the way the others do.
Analogue: What’s ahead for Friendship Commanders and your solo work?
Buick Audra: There's a new Friendship Commanders album coming this year. So yeah, I made two records last year, and both are out this year. I’m also touring Adult Child solo electric between FC’s commitments. It’s a full schedule.
Analogue: Is that fulfilling? Being able to shift gears like that?
Buick Audra: Absolutely. It’s wild to move between projects, but also refreshing. I care deeply about both. I was proofreading FC lyrics just before this conversation and had to remind myself, “Right, I’m doing this, too.” It’s not always easy, but it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. I try to hold onto that truth.
Analogue: Any rest on the horizon?
Buick Audra: Not until December, but touring has its own rhythm. It forces me to be present. There’s something restful in that focus, even if the body is tired.
VISIT: Buick Audra
Photo: Anna Haas
