Beloved Lawrence locals Fourth of July started as a solo project with Brendan Hangauer and an acoustic guitar. Now, it’s all in the family. Joined by brothers Kelly and Patrick on keys and bass, plus other brothers Brian and Brendan Costello, the band’s latest collection of jangly guitar-driven folk rock, Before Our Heart’s Explode!, dropped in August. At the band’s house/rehearsal space across from Memorial Stadium, Hangauer mused about youth, therapeutic songwriting and whether there’s even a Starbucks in Lawrence.

Jayplay: So what are the pros and cons of living across the street from the stadium?

Brendan Hangauer: It’s great. We’re in a spot where we can party or have DJs out until five in the morning, and during football games we can charge for parking and make 50 dollars a spot. We have some older neighbors next door who are sweethearts. They open their windows when we practice and bring us Girl Scout cookies. We love it.

Jayplay: One review of the new album said the band’s lyrics and your vocal delivery had an “everyman” quality about them. Do you try to make relatable music?

Brendan Hangauer: I really write songs to express things that I want to express. I think it’s one of those things where it’s so deeply personal, but other people can relate to it if you’ve ever been halfway in love or felt anything toward anybody. Every song I write makes me feel better about the situation. I could play a song I wrote 10 years ago and be taken back to exactly how I was feeling.

Jayplay: It’s been three years since your first album came out in 2007. Do the songs on Before Our Hearts Explode! still feel new, or comfortably worn?

Brendan Hangauer: They definitely feel pretty worn, in a good way. As soon as you have an album out that people can take home and listen to, that’s when they start really appreciating the songs. We had a lot of time to practice them live.

Jayplay: So when you choose which songs to put on the album, do you keep the live show in mind?

Brendan Hangauer: Definitely. There was one song on the album called ‘Wedding Day’ that got cut because it was way too drawn out. You make things as precise as possible because it’s way too easy for the crowd to lose interest.

Jayplay: Having lived in Lawrence for a while and seen the town’s trajectory, where do you think the arts and music scene is going? What local bands and artists are you excited about?

Brendan Hangauer: I would like to see a lot more bands working together. But if you’re in a band in Lawrence

and you get somewhat popular, everyone turns on you. It happened to The Get Up

Kids. It’s a weird town that likes to turn on itself.

Jayplay: So you think most students are disconnected with the music scene in Lawrence?

Brendan Hangauer: My little brother played a KJHK thing [on campus] and nobody paid any attention until there was a raffle for an Xbox. Then there were like 1,000 freshmen. You have to hear that there’s even a scene first. Some

will live in Lawrence for four years and have no clue there’s an arts and music scene.

Jayplay:It’s kind of like how the Kansan does ‘Top of the Hill’ every year, where students vote on their favorite businesses and Starbucks wins ‘Top Coffeehouse.’

Brendan Hangauer: Really? Is there a Starbucks here? There’s like 10 other local coffee shops. See, that pinpoints it.

Jayplay:A friend asked me what your band sounded like. I told him I thought it sounded like Lawrence. You even reference Free State Brewery on one song. How much of an influence does the city play lyrically and musically?

Brendan Hangauer: I’ve been here for nine years and it plays a huge part. I have a lot of friends who used to live in Lawrence and moved away and say “I listened to your album and miss Lawrence so much!” It’s the feel of Lawrence — easy living but in a complicated in a way.