Soda Shop, a duo from New York, is made up of guitarist Drew Diver (formerly of The Drums) and frontwoman Maria Usbeck (who sings for Brooklyn’s Selebrities). After meeting at an Air France DJ set, they found out they had similar tastes and joined forces, eschewing synths and drum machines for a guitar and tambourine. This month, they released their self-titled debut on Velvet Blue Music. The lead single, “Keep Swimming,” is a sweet, catchy tune that’s summer’s perfect swan song. Diver and Usbeck tell Myspace why they're called Soda Shop, hating the term twee, and whether or not there was anything romantic between them.

Hometown: Drew is from Ohio. Maria is from a valley called Valle De Los Chillos on the outskirts of Quito the capital of Ecuador.

Homebase: Brooklyn, New York.

How did you two meet?

Maria: Drew and I met at a friends DJ set but I had previously once seen him at a show. I still remember the first time we made eye contact like it was yesterday. I knew something would come of it.

Why are you called Soda Shop?

Maria: Drew came up with the name, it seemed to me that much like the sound is influences by the 50's the name is as well. The American Dream.

Your debut just came out. Why did you go the self-titled route for its name?

Drew: It’s our debut, I think this album defines us. I was never sure if there would even be a full-length. The sort of joke with the first single is that it was called “Farewell” before we even started and now roughly four years later the album is real.

What themes were you working on when working on it?

Drew: A genre I always go back to and still listen to is early rock & roll like Link Wray, Dick Dale, Gene Vincent. Those songs were so minimal yet so strong. Less is more, and why fix what isn’t broken?

Is there one thing that most influences Soda Shop as a band?

Maria: A combination of the '50s and '90s nostalgia.

I definitely hear that! What about your influences growing up? Did you grow up in a musical household? 

Drew: I grew up in a musical household. My mom would make it a point to play records with me when I was younger to clap and grasp rhythm. I played percussion in concert bands throughout high school until I eventually got a guitar.

Who are your biggest musical influences?

Maria: We both have very similar musical taste. The strongest influences have been Link Wray, Starflyer 59, The Zombies, Fine China.

How do you describe your music to someone who's never heard you before?

Drew: That's a tough one, because if you say "pop," I always assume people think Taylor Swift or something, which obviously isn't the case. People generally understand if I use the term "Indie pop." Though we hate (the label) "twee." Never call us twee...

Does where you grew up and where you live now influence your music?

Drew: I think where you grow up definitely affects your creativity in a subconscious sort of way. There is the drive to rise above what you hated growing up with and going against the grain. I tend to always have an image in my head, whether it’s autumn, summer or a memory and I try to convert that to melody. To create a “feeling” from some nostalgic event or current experience.

Is that also how your songwriting process works?

Drew: I’ve always approached songwriting in a timeless sense, thinking “Will this sound dated or will people assume I was in this fad five years or more from now?” Of course Johnny Cash sounds “dated,” but not in the way New Order sounds dated. 

Who would you love to collaborate with?

Maria: I would love to have The Durutti Column do some guitar work for us.

What's your craziest concert story so far?

Maria: On our first show in 2010 for the NYC Popfest, we had about 20 minutes of actual practice time before the show. Somehow we pulled it off, but I was so nervous that I forgot majority of the lyrics. Thankfully I'm good at improvising! 

People always assume that musical duos are also romantically involved. Were you ever romantically involved or is there a sexual chemistry between you two that helps you make Soda Shop's music?

Drew: I'll say this, I think most good bands start with (or go through) a little drama. At this point, there might be a little more animosity. (Laughs.)