Prodigal Australian sons Boy & Bear have been doing the hard yards. With 18 months of solid touring around the globe under their belt, they’re headed home for something special. The Get Up & Dance tour will see them play at some of Australia’s most prestigious and beautiful venues, including the Sydney Opera House, with extra shows already added for Sydney and Melbourne. We took up a moment of guitarist Killian Gavin’s brief spare time to discuss highlights, second album pressure and going from bandmates to best friends.
You’ve been touring for over 18 months now! What have been some of the highlights for you?
Oh gosh! It’s so hard! We’ve been fortunate enough to go to so many beautiful cities and countries, and play some pretty fantastic shows that have been really fun. I think if I had to list a highlight, I’d probably say Vancouver. We played back in March or April, and it was just one of those nights where everything comes together. I felt like we performed well, the crowd was fantastic and the venue was brilliant.
Awesome! So the Get Up & Dance tour is your final tour for Australia for 2014 – what made you decide to play in theatres this time around?
We always make decisions about what rooms you want to play in and where you want to go – there are a handful of rooms that we could’ve gone to and some of them we’ve played before, but these are theatres we’ve never played before – except for the Opera House. It’s more of a privilege than anything else to go and play some really beautiful rooms, and we have the opportunity to do so, if we desire. They’re also more beautiful in my opinion!
Yeah! You’ve got some really beautiful and prestigious venues on the list. The Tivoli here in Brisbane is one of my favourite venues ever!
Yeah, it’s one of my favourites too actually – it’s such a great room.
What can audiences expect from this tour? Do you think the venues will have an effect on the crowd?
I think venues will always have an effect on the crowd. If you turn up at a pub, you’re often getting a riotous, noisy kind of crowd, which can be fun for different reasons. I think we wanted to make it an intimate show. When you have people in seats, they’re often much quieter and much more attentive. You can be a lot more dynamic in your playing and more dynamic in the overall energy of the band. I think those little intricacies can be lost when you play pubs. We’ve played theatres quite a few times before, and we have a strong connection or likening to actually playing those rooms. They’re just really fun for different reasons.
Have you changed your live show to suit the venues now?
Absolutely. We’re still overseas right now, but when we get back we’ve set aside a week to go over the set and make a few changes; maybe bring in a cover and try and bring in a few different dynamics again to the kind of the overall set. Maybe we’ll try and slow it down at times where we would have usually sped it up. You do cater for the venues you’re going to be playing in by just going over the things you’re going to be doing and re-tweaking.
In the early stages of Harlequin Dream, how did you find the pressure following up such a stellar debut in Moonfire?
I feel like every record you do, regardless of if it’s your first, second or seventh, is always going to have a certain amount of pressure associated with it. I found that with this record – because it’s our second record and they can be somewhat unforgiving at times with certain bands – we never really spoke about it as a band. We were blown away with how well the first record did, so I think as a whole for us, it was more of a learning curve more then anything. That was the first time we’d got together and made a record as a band. So when you do something like that and embark on something that big, you’re bound to come up with certain issues. We looked back and saw a lot of things we would’ve loved to do differently, and a lot of things that we just learnt in hindsight how to achieve. We were too busy, we didn’t really have any time to consider that kind of pressure.
I said in an interview quite a while ago, after we finished the record we had three months before it was released – and it was only in those three months that I realised that I had a bit of nerves and anxiety on how it was going to go, but at that point it was too late. The record was already done, we’d done all we could. But yeah, funnily enough it didn’t happen until then.
Did your creative process differ much from the first record? Is it a collaborative effort for the five of you?
Yeah, absolutely! It changed somewhat significantly from the first record. First of all, we recorded it overseas in one block. We were in the studio for seven weeks straight. You just have to power through, and when you’re done, you’re done. Whereas with this one, we wrote the songs slowly over about a year and a half, and we recorded it slowly in Sydney over about eight months. That meant we had a lot of time to revisit things that we weren’t happy with. Southern Sun, for example, was recorded at the very start of those eight months. Maybe a session or two later, and we listened back to the live take, and we felt we didn’t really have the right energy with the song, so we actually went back in and re-recorded it at the back end of the process.
That flexibility was something we lacked in that first record, and we wanted to make sure we had the option to do something again if we felt like it was needed. It was a different process.
I felt like we thought that the first time around, it wasn’t the most conducive for us to reach something we’re satisfied with. I think with the second record, we had the benefit of hindsight to look back and I feel like we put a better plan together.
I’m curious as to how all of you, as a group, have grown since your second record. The way you play together is probably a lot different now compared to your first few gigs, and now you’ve toured the world – obviously things have changed. How has the group grown from that?
Great question! That sort of forces you to look at the subtle things you do differently, and realise those subtle changes are usually not as subtle as you think. That first record; we recorded all the songs with a really fast tempo. That was a creative decision between us, and our producer. With the second record, it was really laid back. That first record live, we play all the songs much slower, whereas with the second record live we’re playing the songs much faster.
I think with live music, you can’t help but flesh out the songs to get them to a tempo where they feel right. The songs are so new when you’re writing and recording, so sometimes you’re a little unsure of them. I think as a whole as a band, we just look at what we’re doing and reassess and make changes if we need to. Outside of playing live, we’ve fortunately been a band that, as we’ve gone on, we’ve become better and better friends. We were bandmates before we were best friends, and fortunately it’s become best friends more than bandmates. That doesn’t always happen!
Kind of the other way round!
Yeah! We’ve definitely put a lot of effort in and had some tough and open conversations, but I think when you really wanna take on what we’re taking on, you have to really be able to work with people. The communication has to be at a really high level or else it’ll fall apart. We’ve spent a lot of time in tough conversations, and that’s sort of the fun, you know! It doesn’t stop, it keeps going, but I think it’s a positive thing to go through all that. From a musical perspective and a personal perspective, there has definitely been a lot of growing. I think it’s been tough but very beneficial!
Well, good on you guys! Now I’m interested in how you find your audiences abroad to Australian audiences! Is there much of a difference?
Well, I love both things for very different reasons. Playing at home, we have bigger audiences than we do anywhere else right now! It’s really fun coming home and playing some amazing rooms with big crowds. Although it’s cliché, being able to live that kind of life is a privilege. To be at a certain level as a band is awesome.
I think though, the thing that I love about that is that we’re still “exotic” to people overseas, in the same way that when you’re in Australia and you see an international band and they’re somehow exotic in a way. There is definitely a different opinion of the band coming overseas to America or to Europe and playing some good shows, and people look at you and your music differently because you are from Australia – in a great way! I think that’s a really awesome thing to experience as well.
It means that when you’re on stage, you can sort of not think about what you’re doing, and just do it without any concern. It’s almost like a freedom that I personally experience playing overseas because people view you in a certain way. In Australia – we’re all Aussies, we have similar personalities and humour, and I think sometimes that gets in your head and it plays with you before you walk on stage.
Well, having toured for so long, what are your plans post tour? Surely you’re due for some down time soon!
I would absolutely love some down time, my god! We’ve got about five months until we finish. I was planning a holiday to Europe with my wife, but that fell apart because of touring reasons, haha. I’m looking forward to getting back in December and just going to the beach and spending time away from the boys. Probably a healthy thing, haha. I’m sure they say the same thing about me! When we get back together though, there is certainly that excitement of seeing everyone again and getting back on the road. I think though, you definitely need a few months apart to restock and fill up your tank of energy or whatever you want to call it, and move forward.
Boy & Bear tour dates:
September 3 – The Palais, Melbourne (AA) (SECOND SHOW)
September 5 – The Palais, Melbourne (SOLD OUT)
September 6 – Thebarton Theatre – Adelaide
September 12 – The Arts Centre, Gold Coast
September 13 – The Tivoli, Brisbane (AA Matinee)
September 13 – The Tivoli, Brisbane (18+ Evening)
September 21 – Sydney Opera House, Sydney (AA) (SECOND SHOW)
September 22 – Sydney Opera House, Sydney (SOLD OUT)
September 25 – Albany Ent. Centre, Albany
September 26 – Bunbury Ent. Centre, Bunbury
September 28 – Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle
Originally posted to Scenewave.com
After years supporting some of Australia’s top electronic acts and cementing their place as true up-and-comers, Blue Mountains duo Fishing have created a debut album filled with the undeniably cheery energy of a neon bouncy ball popping in pink lemonade. Written over their many overseas jaunts, Shy Glow seamlessly flows from track to track to create a carefree and catchy soundscape that will have you longing for summer holidays and a trip of your own.
Old friends Doug and Russell have been part of the Sydney music scene for years, with last year’s effortless single “Choy Lin” following a long stream of releases and mixes that infuse driving beats with liquid synth lines. Their years of experimentation and exploration have paid off, producing a debut album that both confirms what we hoped Fishing could achieve and promises even more to come.
The album is a mix of electronic instrumentals that propel you on waves of groove, and collaborations with a diverse number of artists, including Cloud Control’s Alister Wright and Lavurn Lee, aka Guerre. These collaborations are some of the stand out tracks from the album, including “Nineteen/Boy Wunder”, an upbeat dance number that features falsetto pops with powerful bass undercurrents. “Choy Lin” is clarity through distortion, a slowed down exercise in production control with precise and gorgeous results.
This same control is evident in my favourite from the album, the fluid and velvety “Voss”. In the comedown after “Nineteen/Boy Wunder”, “Voss” starts with the type of instrumental line fit for a Mad Men elevator scene. This surprise first layer of sound not only sets the oh-so-suave tone but provides a level foundation for the boys to build thick layers of syncopated beats, showcasing the carefully constructed production Doug and Russell do so well.
The pair have described their LP as “an eclectic delight that never holds on to any one idea for too long”. Shy Glow is a rare blend of fresh sound and well-practised production, an exciting vindication for all of us who’ve been telling people about Fishing for years. Don’t miss out.
Touring:
Friday, August 22 | The Factory, Maroochydore, QLD
Address: Sunshine Plaza, Horton Parade, Maroochydore
Tickets: From venue
Saturday, August 23 | Bowler Bar, Brisbane, QLD
Address: Coniston Lane, Fortitude Valley
Tickets: From venue
Friday, August 29 | Cats @ Rocket Bar, Adelaide, SA
Address: 142 Hindley Street, Adelaide
Tickets: From venue
Saturday, August 30 | Shebeen Bandroom, Melbourne, VIC
Address: 36 Market Lane, Melbourne
Tickets: $12 + bf: https://shebeenbandroom.ticketscout.com.au/gigs/2747-fishing
Saturday, September 5 | Newtown Social Club, Sydney, NSW
Address: 387 King Street, Newtown
Tickets: $12 + bf: https://newtownsc.ticketscout.com.au/gigs/2746-fishing
Saturday, September 27 | The Causeway, Perth WA
Address: 243 Albany Hwy, Vic Park Perth
Tickets: From Venue
I may as well say it right up here: I adore Jack White. Solo, White Stripes, Raconteurs, Dead Weather, you name it. Since his 2012 solo debut Blunderbuss, I’ve been waiting with little patience for the release of Lazaretto.
The thing you gotta remember, is that Jack White is Jack White. Lazaretto isn’t breaking into any crazy new ground or anything, but it doesn’t need to.
Interestingly, White revealed that many of the lyrics for this album were actually snippets from plays and journals that he’d jotted down nearly two decades ago. “I thought, what if I collaborated with my 19-year-old self?”
Fair enough.
As we learnt from Blunderbuss, White’s solo work is remarkably more refined and produced than his work with bands. Lazaretto showcases a variety of styles, tones and tempos, and they wax and wane in a perfectly balanced manner. Sure, I had to listen to a few tracks multiple times to get a feel for them, but there are no dull moments, and certainly no filler tracks.
Track by track review of Lazaretto.
Three women
What a way to kick off the album. Punchy riffs, the always-great organ and of course, the lyrics: “I got three women, red, blonde hair and brunette, I take a digital photograph to see which one I like.”
I love how extroverted and bluesy this song is. And he wastes no time in addressing any judgements you’ve already made; “Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, what gives me the right?
Well, these women must be getting’ something, ‘cause they come and see me every night.”
HA!
Lazaretto
Title track and first single, Lazaretto, is next. Those drums thrash and crash, the bass is furious and heavy. This is song is more exciting every time I hear it. And what about those solos? Not only are we treated to a wailing guitar solo, but the track finishes off with some seriously screamin’ violin. Nice.
Temporary Ground
The violin brings us back in, but it’s calmer, more collected. Temporary Ground is soft but not delicate, and has a very Nashville country folk-vibe, particularly with the twangy female backing vocals. It’s a wistful ballad filled with some great poetic imagery; “Moving without motion, screaming without sound, across an open ocean, lying there on temporary ground.”
Would You Fight for My Love?
Oh my. Those opening rumbles. Easily one of the best moments on the album. It’s a tale, once again, about the toils of a broken relationship. During this track, White really indulges in his signature contrasting of musical extremes – those high pitched vocals and piano chords soar above the crunching bass, way down below.
The anthemic chorus reminds us of what made Jack White famous in the first place – his uncanny ability to create these unbelievably banging rock n’ roll riffs that are simple, catchy and just so damn good.
High Ball Stepper
I LOVE that there’s an instrumental track on Lazaretto. And holy hell, it rocks. This song is simply an ode to the guitar. Structure-wise, it’s fairly simple. But the bluesy riffs get wilder, heavier and more distorted, blasting through this funky, frantic track. I imagine it’s the kind of track that, when played live, will include an eight minute blues jam. Bring it on.
Just One Drink
Just One Drink is a clear homage to White’s late, great influences – specifically, Howlin’ Wolf’s I Asked For Water (She Gave Me Gasoline), referenced in the very first line, “You drink water, I drink gasoline.”
The simple rhymes and the standard bluesy structure, with just a pinch of garage-punk, is boot-stompingly fun. A romping hootenanny of a track.
Alone in my Home
Alone in my Home is another heartfelt ballad. Beautiful harmonies and trickly top-heavy piano licks create the closest I’ve heard to a straight up pop song on Lazaretto.
It seems like a pretty bittersweet track, considering lyrics like, “I’m becoming a ghost so nobody can know me.” Yet when he sings, “All alone in my home, nobody can touch me,” it’s less sad; he’s relishing his solitude.
Entitlement
Entitlement is an absolutely gorgeous Nashville track with a balmy island vibe somehow added in there too. And that mandolin is so wonderful. It’s actually a really bitter track, though; “There are children today who were lied to, told the world is rightfully theirs. They can have what they want, whenever they want, they take like Caesar and nobody cares. ” It took me a couple of listens to enjoy this song, but I really, really do.
Black Bat Licorice
This is my favourite track. This song was penned by White’s 19-year-old self, and it’s so raw, with a totally nostalgic White Stripes feel. The syncopated vocals come close to rapping at times, and the lyrics are genius. “Yeah, she’s build for speed like a black castrum doloris, good for the needy, like Nietzsche, Freud and Horace,” he hollers. Amazing!
I also really love the call and response between lyrics and music. He sings, “I wanna cut out my tongue… ‘cause without my skull to amplify my sounds it might get boring,” and the music responds with some heavy, heavy distortion. And, later, “That black bat licorice, I never liked it, I never will, now state the same damn thing with the violin,” after which comes, you guessed it, a fucking sweet violin jam.
I think I found the culprit
A really atmospheric track with a Western vibe, this is a strange allegorical tale. “Birds of a feather may lay together, but the uglier one is always under the gun,” he repeats over and over, as the music builds up. And that fiddle. It’s always the best part.
Want and Able
A strange and bittersweet fable closes the album. A ‘moral of the story’ type thing. “Well, Want and Able were crossing the road, Want had a feeling there was something he was owed. But Able broke it to him that there’s a social code, so walk straight down the middle now, and do what we’re told.”
Sad, but lovely.
All in all this is another great Jack White record. And while it’s clear that my favourite tracks are the heavier, messier ones, there are no dull moments. It’s everything I expected, and I’m totally satisfied with that. Now we just have to sit back and wait for tour dates to be announced…
Studios, Love Letters is a gorgeous LP that melds modern electronica with vintage instruments and recording techniques to produce a warm, layered sound. I spoke to the band’s founder, Joseph Mount, about the new album, festivals and future projects, ahead of their arrival in Australia in July.
Firstly, congratulations on the new album! You must be really pleased with how it turned out.
Thank you very much! And yeah, absolutely. I guess whenever you’re getting ready to produce a record, you’d never release something unless you were really happy with it, and then, still, you’re a little bit apprehensive to see what people think. But it’s going very well, yeah. I’m really happy with it.
Each of your albums has a very different feel about it. Do you set out to make each album very distinct, or does it just come about naturally?
It’s a combination of the two things, really. Each record marks a quite specific period of time, you know? You release the record, and then you go out and tour it, and then when it comes to doing another record, it feels like you really have to grab the opportunity again and use the time to make something that feels relevant. I always want to do things differently, and I always have quite specific ideas for records. I would never be interested in releasing more of the same.
One of those specific ideas, of course, would have been recording at Toe Rag Studios. What was the main inspiration for you to record the album there, in an analogue style?
There were a few reasons. One of the main ones was just that I knew it would do something to the way that I worked that would be interesting, and when you get to work in that kind of studio, it involves so many different disciplines. And when you make music in 2014, you don’t necessarily have to restrict yourself, so I just thought it would be interesting to put myself in a slightly unusual place to see what it would do, creatively. Also, I’d just never worked in a studio like that before and so I wanted to learn a bit about recording. The songs I was beginning to write seemed to fit into that world a bit better, I think, as well.
I’ve read that you’re interested in eventually transitioning into working as a producer. Are there any artists you’d particularly like to work with, either in a production sense or with Metronomy?
There are two types of production work I’d like to try. One would be working with a pop performer, but then I’d really like to work with a young band, a band that doesn’t really have an identity. I’d love to help give a band a sound, that kind of thing. So they’re not necessarily established people I’d be looking for.
You’re touring the US with Cloud Control at the moment. Have they taught you a lot about Australia?
We actually talked a bit about it last night. We’ve been to Australia a few times now, so we’re quite comfortable with the place.
Of course, and the last time you were here was over the new year in 2012. What do you think was the highlight of that trip?
It seems strange, but I think in the context of a world tour, just coming to Australia is quite a big highlight for us. We always have days off when we’re there, in Sydney or wherever, we might get to the beach, and I have friends in Melbourne. I think we relax quite well when we’re in Australia, so it’s like one big highlight, I suppose.
So I assume you’re looking forward to returning and playing a bigger festival this time?
Yeah! And the sideshows are always really good fun. It’s nice to have your own gigs while you’re there.
That’s what I was going to ask, actually: do you prefer the festival scene, or do you think your sound is better suited to smaller, more intimate shows?
By now, we’re quite used to both environments, and you have to do things differently for festivals, but it really depends. Your own shows are always really special because people are just paying to come and see you, so there’s a kind of purpose to it, but then festivals can be really surprisingly fun. It’s an opportunity to try and persuade people to like your band, because people might be coming to watch out of curiosity. But yeah, I think we like them both.
When you perform at a festival like this, do you get a chance to watch any of the other acts, or is it quite a formal, ‘in and out’ experience?
Nah, we hang out. Obviously it depends on some of that boring stuff like schedules, but we always make an effort to see people. I remember last time we were over, I can’t remember where it was, but we were in a field there and we were watching Unknown Mortal Orchestra, whom we hadn’t seen before. You get an opportunity to check out new people, so, yeah, it’s fun.
I don’t know how much of a chance you’ve had to look at the Splendour in the Grass lineup, but is there anyone on it you’re particularly looking forward to seeing?
I can’t really remember what the lineup is. Are Outkast playing at this one?
Yeah, they’re one of the main headliners.
There you go. I’m very excited for that. I can’t remember who else is playing, I’m afraid [laughs].
They are some very talented up-and-coming British bands, like Jungle, Darlia and Circa Waves, who are also performing. How do you feel about the state of British music, generally, and those kind of bands who are just gaining traction in Australia?
It’s weird, but for the first time in a long time – partly because I’ve got a baby now – I’m really out of touch with what’s going on. But that’s the cool thing about festivals, you have the opportunity to see these people who are up-and-coming. It seems to me that there’s pretty good stuff happening. For a while people were worrying that bands were suffering because labels weren’t really signing bands or something. It seems like there’s some cool stuff, but I don’t really know what it is [laughs].
You acknowledged that you’re a bit out of touch, but what has been some of your favourite music so far this year?
[Sighs] This year… What year is this? I was impressed by Wild Beasts’ record. They’re a band that I haven’t really got into before, but I thought there were some really nice, atmospheric songs on that that I enjoy. Actually, you know, there’s another Australian, that Courtney Barnett, who I hadn’t heard of until a few months ago. I think she’s really kind of brilliant. That’s about as far as my knowledge goes.
If you’re concentrating on your own music, I’m sure everyone’s pretty happy with that.
[Laughs] It’s a terrible thing, though; when you start touring again – obviously you get to hear stuff like Cloud Control when you’re out and about on the road – but I kind of spend all my time not playing music, not listening to music, just kind of watching TV.
You are doing an incredible amount of touring this year. Do you get tired of it after that long on the road?
I was slightly apprehensive about touring for this record, because obviously I’ve got a baby and stuff, but we’re having a really good time. The live show is the best it’s ever been, we’re all getting on really well. We’re just enjoying it. It’s not tiring yet, but we’ll see how we feel this time next year.
Do you have any plans for when you get back home?
I’m trying to do a couple of production things, and I’m already getting ideas together for the next record, so I still like to use the time off as time to make music, really.
This was originally written for Scenewave.
Brooklyn trio Wet (not easy to Google, by the way) have been receiving a lot of attention throughout the music world of late, and it’s easy to see why. Their self-titled EP is such an obvious standout among music I’ve heard this year. According to the press release, the three musicians have been playing together since 2006, and it’s clear that those years have given them the time to truly define themselves and create a unique, sultry, incredibly well-considered sound.
I’m going through an extended sulty-vocals/alt-r’n’b/trip hop/chilled-electro phase right now, and Wet fit the bill perfectly. The first track, Dreams, (released in Aus as a single late last year) is sparse and spritely. Blank spaces between the vocals, beats and backing music place a strong emphasis on what is going on. Staccatoed lyrics, synth notes and harmonies add punch and funk to the understated track. It swings from note to note and beat to beat with ease and fluidity. A soft start, but by no means shy.
You’re The Best is mesmerising. The vocals are soothing and so full of love, especially with some of the harmonies and the melodic vocal gymnastics. But, what I’m coming to love about Wet is that it may be sweet, but it ain’t bubblegum. As clear, clean-sounding and immaculately arranged as it is, there’s something else there. It’s not your run-of-the-mill female-led pop/R’n’B, that’s for sure.
Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl is an ethereal, emotional break-up track. It’s very, very well thought out. Starting with lovely fuzziness and some slowly-strung guitars, there’s a repetitive mantra-like simplicity in the melody, a soothing antidote to the subject matter. Wet’s signature use of contrast and subtlety create so much power in their music. I really love the syncopated beat, it’s kind of Massive Attack-esque.
Vocals, courtesy of Kelly Zutrau, are divine. She has the voice of an angel, and it’s probably best shown in the despairing ballad No Lie. It’s a tale of finding the silver lining, of finding the strength to escape a destructive relationship. “My baby, he said he loved me, but that’s a lie, No more Lies, The time I have wasted, But I’ve had enough..”
A heavier drum beat brings the track up toward the latter half. I’m such a sucker for this kind of sound, this is definitely my favourite track off the EP. It’s fairly heartbreaking, too. I imagine this would sound brilliant live, slowed down and silent save for vocals and that beat.
The final track is a remix of the first, Dreams. The UNO Stereo remix hastens the pace, adds spacey synth sounds, small glitches and multiplies the beats, making a jingly jangly dance-floor hit. It’s really fresh and summery, but I prefer the original version, to be honest.
Wet are sensual, introverted and understated. There’s clarity and beauty in every beat of this EP. I want more.