Category: Interview

A rollercoaster of emotions encapsulated in song, the new album from Smut, How the Light Felt, is released today. A far from generic take on the delights of shoegaze, the Chicago via Cincinnati five-piece have created something that feels both melancholic and hopeful at the same time. We caught up with them to chat about their journey so far, favourite places and musical memories…

Hey there, introduce us to Smut – who’s involved and what brought you all together?

Tay: Hello, we are Smut! I am Tay, the singer, Andrew plays guitar, Sam plays guitar and synth, Bell is our bassist and also plays synth, and Aidan is our drummer. Andrew and I started the band a million years ago and Sam was the first to join soon after. Bell joined about 5-6 years ago when we poached her from another band, and Aidan joined the gang last year by sliding into our DMs.

Tell us about the Chicago music scene, venues worldwide seem to be struggling to stay open – how are things there?

Tay: We actually moved to Chicago during the height of the pandemic so we don’t have much perspective on how it was compared to before. As far as we’ve experienced we love playing here and the shows have a high energy and enthusiasm that we definitely missed during lockdown. Sleeping Village is probably up there for me as far as good sound, stage, and space.

And where else would you recommend in the city, where are those places that you wouldn’t find anywhere else?

Andrew: The Music Box Theater is amazing. We all just went and saw Nosferatu with a live band playing an original score. I also want to shout out Taqueria Chingon and Graveface Records/Museum.

You’ve been working with Bayonet Records for a while now, how did that come about?

Bell: A few years ago, we were shopping labels for quite some time and having a really rough go of it. Feeling kind of defeated, I talked (ranted) to one of my old bandmates while at a show we were playing at Elsewhere in Brooklyn. He recommended we reach out to his pal Katie, who co-owns Bayonet. I name dropped him in our submission email to her and the rest is history! I think Bayonet was the perfect fit for us all along, we get along with everybody there so well and really love working with them. I know we’re also all so grateful that they all really believe in us and love our music. It’s a very cool feeling to know you have people in your corner.

The new album How the Light Felt is out today – has it been a long time in the making?

Andrew: Yeah, some of these tracks date back to 2017, and some are as recent as last year! It’s been a hugely eventful couple of years, the worst and best of what life can give; this record really spans that entire period of time.

You deal with some tough subject matter in your songs, is song-writing a cathartic process for you?

Tay: Yeah, I’ve always used writing as a coping mechanism, to be honest. When we started the band it was Andrew who asked me to make music with him because I had so much to say and was constantly writing or ranting about some injustice in the world. I have a lot of passion and no other outlet, so music is my catch all. It gives me control over my emotions.

Tell us about one of the tracks on the album.

Tay: I guess the title track How the Light Felt hasn’t been talked about much. The final version on the record is actually the first demo we recorded of the song and that’s really special to me because it felt like we really captured a bittersweet honest feeling in it that we didn’t even want to try to replicate. And once it was written it made a lot of sense that the album should take the same name because the album as a whole can be summed up in the content of this song. It’s about grieving and loss.

There’s lots of different influences coming through on your songs, what are your early memories of listening to music – at home, in the car, wherever?

Andrew: I grew up in a really musical family, my grandma was a Suzuki instructor and my dad played bass in a ton of great bands in the 80s. My first memory with music is playing Lightly Row on violin with my grandma. I had probably played it a dozen times before, but this time my eyes were closed and I could see these huge, dark blue curtains with homemade silver and gold stars. I didn’t know music could do that, it had been a chore until that moment, When I was in middle school my dad took me to see RHCP, The Police and English Beat and that really solidified it for me.

If you could have any artist cover one of your tracks, who would you opt for?

Andrew: Kids! Like, a not famous kid. I would freak out if I saw a video of someone who took the time to learn one of our songs and post it wherever. I bet Jeff Tweedy would shred a version of How the Light Felt.

And what’s next for Smut – what will 2023 bring?

Andrew: Hopefully a show in every city and more music!

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You can find Smut here. How the Light Felt is released today on Bayonet Records – check out your local record shop, Bayonet’s website or buy via Bandcamp

Interview by Siobhan
Photos by Jaycee Rockhold

11th November 2022

Pizza Crunch – Interview with Jacob Rose

After the release of their latest single ‘Flatfoot’, a blend of the melancholy and freedom originating from 2020’s lockdown, I had the delightful opportunity to speak to Pizza Crunch about their past with the single’s evolution, as well as the future of their sound…

JR: So first, I’ve got to say that I’ve really enjoyed the new single Flatfoot. Loved the Smithsy vibes from the track, which hopefully isn’t a comment that’s been haunting you since. I’ve heard that there were some changes to the song since its creation in the first lockdown – how much would you say it’s changed since its original creation and were there any key moments that determined that change?

Ewan (vocals): So Nathan (lead guitarist) and I do the bulk of the writing. And I think in the early days of the band we often got lost in our own parts. For example, I’d write the lyrics and I’d want them to be squeezed into the song without putting much care into other sections. Flatfoot was originally quite focused on the vocal and lead. Since we first wrote the song we have reworked the chorus so it packs more punch and is more easy listening. We went into the studio with Johnny Madden of Baby Strange a year or so ago and the emphasis he puts on chorus melodies probably influenced us with this new tune.

You mentioned how the jovial tone of Flatfoot stemmed from the freedom you felt from that first lockdown – did the band share that feeling in their respective situations? Or were there any conflicts between what you guys wanted to produce from the feeling of that lockdown?

Yeah, because I write the lyrics my feelings kind of take precedence haha. But often, Nathan will write a jovial guitar part and I’ll write some misery filled lyrics and we’ll kind of have this contrast between the music and the lyrics. I’m sure the other members of the band did go through tough spells during the lockdown as we all did, I think I was in the minority in seeing the initial part of it as a bit of a holiday.

I feel obliged to ask at least one a bit off kilter question – if you could choose any new instrument to take with you to the recording booth for your next tunes, what would you like to bring in?

Haha great question. For the new stuff we have been working on we’ve actually brought up in some new instruments. We’ve got all sorts going on, trombones, gloks, cellos, etc. I’d love to bring in a sax at some point. I’d also love to get a choir involved.

In respect of keeping the new project in any and all secrecy you like, I just wanted to ask if there were any musicians or albums that have inspired where you’ll be taking your music. Obviously, if the honest answer is Pizza Crunch and Pizza Crunch only, that’s just as good an answer.

Nah mate don’t worry, we steal from anyone and everyone. I’ve been listening to a lot of soundtracks recently, so I’m keen to use some atmospheric soundscapes etc., rather than bread and butter guitars, bass and drums. We’re big fans of The Ninth Wave, the new Wolf Alice record has impacted us a lot. We also like the Parliamo EP. We’re just looking forward to releasing some songs that are different from the standard indie release.

Just as a follow up to that last question, I was wondering what soundtracks you’ve been listening to recently?

A lot of Cliff Martinez, like the Drive soundtrack. My favourite one at the minute though is the Lost River soundtrack, I think Johnny Jewel did that one. Only God Forgives too, there is a cool Thai song at the end of it called You Are My Dream.

To focus more on the lyrics too, a question I forgot to ask before was if you had any non-musical influences that have really affected how you approach your writing or even an influence on how you guys as a band approach music.

I think non-musical influences help shape the lyrics a lot, I’d say it is mostly musical things that influence the sound though. I’ve been reading a lot of Bukowski recently for example and that has probably made my writing a little more cynical. I think maybe non-musical things can indirectly impact the sound and music itself. I feel that if I’m reading something sentimental maybe that is more likely to come across in the mood of the song. Those artists/albums I talked about in the last email are the main factors in this slight changer in direction though. I think what they all have in common is that they are bodies of work made up of songs that all belong next to each other. Being able to do this is impressive on its own so I really want us to do that next, hence the EP…

Listen to Flatfoot here and check out more from Pizza Crunch on Bandcamp and via their Facebook page

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Interview by Jacob Rose – many thanks to Pizza Crunch

7th March 2022

With some exciting collaborative projects already under their wing and a new single out today, we caught up with Su, I Think to find out how their art and music comes together…

Hey, how are you and what can you see from where you are right now?

Hi, how are you? I can currently see my bedroom at 6am, as I got such an early night last night haha. Feel very girl boss right now.

Introduce us to Su, I Think and your music

I’m a musician and artist based in London, I try and make work that blends dark electronica with experimental pop. When people listen to my stuff I want them to be able to relate to my music and visuals; whichever way they can. I just hope people like it – that’s that really. Also I’m just trying to pay my rent I think haha.

Your vocal has the ability to make us stop what we’re doing and really listen, are their singers that have had that effect on you over the years?

Ah that is so so nice of you to say, thank you so much – oh my days!!! So many singers make me stop in my tracks for different reasons vocally. Right now I’m obsessed with Charlotte Day Wilson, Clairo, SerpentWithFeet, Joy Crookes, Perfume Genius, Seinabo Sey, Robyn – just so many!! People who can hold their own and have their own style about them are artists I usually am attracted to!!

Tell us about your new single Pipe Dream

I wrote Pipe Dream this spring when I looked around at my life and was unhappy with how I was treating myself. Going to work and coming home and repeating this for weeks on end is not good for anybody’s mental health. I was angry with myself and thus Pipe Dream came out. I don’t think I realised how internally angry I was until I went into the studio with James Casper and we recorded it. I then brought the video concept over to Italia Minchella to just try and show how distorted I felt visually and she was able to convey how we both felt about the track. It’s such a blessing to work with people who understand and respect what you have to say and do. I’m super blessed.

It feels like the visual representation of your music is really important to you, how do you approach the process of adding videos to your songs?

Visuals are just as important to me as music is. I remember sitting in front of the TV with my siblings when we were younger and just studying old school music videos. I think to be able to push your narrative with music is amazing but to reinforce it with a visual is so much more necessary. Also I love creating visuals as you can be as abstract as you wish and people still understand? If that makes any sense. I don’t want to release a song without a visualiser at least!!

So who else has been involved in the making of Pipe Dream and its accompanying video?

It’s been a pretty intimate team working on Pipe Dream and for that I am so grateful for the product that has been created. I worked on the song with long time collaborator James Casper, who is just a complete genius. Then I worked with Italia Minchella on the video and she is the most stylish person I think I have ever met. They are both so on the ball and to be able to get my vision across whilst combining with their vision is so lovely.

If you could play at any venue where would you choose and who else would be on the line up?

God, this is a tough one. I would love to play Glastonbury – maybe me and Robyn, Lorde and Charli XCX headlining? Could that happen? I don’t know?

First and last gig you went to?

My first ever gig was Paramore with support by Charli XCX and to tell you it was unreal would be an understatement. Best night ever!

My most recent gig was my friend Sfven and he has the most unreal voice, it was so lovely to be able to be in a room filled with people just enjoying music.

If you were asked to take the role of any artist or historical figure in a biopic of their life, whose character would you love to play?

I don’t know, can I say Jennifer Coolidge?

And what’s on the horizon for you, what are your hopes for 2022?

More music, I’m just gonna release until I am exhausted. I hope to play more shows and I just hope people enjoy my work and stay listening. Just hoping for the best haha.

You can see more from Su, I Think here; Pipe Dream is out now

Interview by Siobhan
Photos © Italia Minchella

11th November 2021

Slide onto the dancefloor with Good Health Good Wealth as they mix slick tunes with wry lyrical observations on life. We chatted to vocalist Bruce Breakey about music, memories and Mutant Ninja Turtles of the Teenage variety…

Hey, how are you and where are you right now?

Great cheers, currently in sunny North London, Holloway.

Who’s involved in Good Health Good Wealth and who else around you deserves a shout out?

Myself, Bruce Breakey on the vocals and Simon Kuzmickas on the guitar. Shout out to George Apsion who helped us with the production on this one.

Tell us about your latest single Hong Kong Head

It’s all a bit of a blur but basically it came out of a bad trip to Hong Kong a few years ago. I wrote it as catharsis when I got home feeling sorry for myself.

Your videos are sharp – who puts them together?

We’ve worked with a few different directors now but this one was directed by the boys at G22 Studios, Sulymaan Hameed, Stephen Noorshagh and Jack Ruthenberg.

What are some of your earliest music related memories, where did you start listening to stuff that got into your head?

Jingles for adverts always really stuck in my head as a young kid, or theme tunes for TV shows. The old cartoons like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Hong Kong Phooey, those were genius because they made you a fan of the show before you even got to see it!

What’s that one song that totally takes you back to a different time and place?

Jamiroquai Deeper Underground takes me back to being a kid watching that first Hollywood Godzilla movie, the one with Matthew Broderick in it. I remember in the music videos he’s jumping on the tops of cars or something and I would pretend to do it in my front room on top of the sofa

One film and one book – what do you choose?

The Departed & The Choirboys, anything with gangsters or crooked cops and I’m in.

Who’s on your playlist at the moment that we should be listening to?

I’ve been listening to a lot of other duos recently like Majid Jordan, Paris Texas and Emotional Oranges, call it research. I’ve been going back in time a bit with The Style Council and The Blow Monkeys.

The last 18 months have been harsh in many ways, what’s been good for you despite or because of the pandemic?

We’ve written so much new music because there was nothing else we could do! We’re happy to be getting out into the real world now though.

You’re playing at the Sebright Arms in November, any likelihood of you gigging further afield in the coming months?

We’ll be playing a few dates with The Twang on their tour over December which is gonna be quality! Stoke, Derby, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Cardiff, Newcastle and Birmingham, proper road trip.

What’s next for Good Health Good Wealth, what are your plans for the rest of the year and 2022?

To cement ourselves as London’s premiere funky disco boys.

Good Health Good Wealth release two new tracks Buy Me and Love Ya this Friday 5th November – guaranteed to bring a spark to your bonfire, keep tabs on their bid for elite funky disco status here. 

Interview by Siobhan

1st November 2021

Self-described ‘pop musician, producer, web developer and synthesizer nerd’ Tom John Hall clearly hasn’t let lockdown curb his creativity. On top of making and releasing his unique brand of infectious electro-pop, he’s been busy fundraising for projects in Derby with independent arts collective Year of Glad. It seemed only right to find out more, join us for a chat here…

Hey, how are you doing and what can you see from wherever you are right now?

Hiya! Very well thank you. I can currently see mostly synthesizers, guitar pedals and wires. My home office transforms into a home studio at the weekends. It’s a beautiful day so I have the balcony doors open too – not much of a view but it’s nice to see some sun!

It’s been the oddest year, aside from music what’s kept you going?

Animal Crossing, running and food. But mostly I have my partner, Edie, to thank for making this past year actually pretty okay all things considered. I don’t think I could have made it on my own, that’s for sure!

You released My Big Album last year (and 20 tracks truly do make a big album), tell us a bit about how that came together.

It was a relief to finally release it! I started working on it years ago, I’ve always been putting out music in various forms but never felt like I’d made a proper album. From early on I got attached to the idea of committing to this huge project, to capture every aspect of my perspective on the world and life at the time, and just working at it until it was perfect. It was a gigantic learning curve to try and produce what I had in mind with the limited means available to me, and I’m extremely proud of it – but I think the next one will be a slightly smaller album.

Your latest single 8mb has just come out – how have you adapted to releasing music in lockdown?

While it’s a shame not to be able to do one of our Year Of Glad release shows and get everyone together to celebrate, I am lucky in that I can go on producing and releasing everything from home without too much disruption. You definitely feel a bit more disconnected from the people who care about what you’ve put out, and it does feel more cynical relying on things like social media to be your main avenue for presenting your music to the world. The occasional live stream on Twitch has helped, and otherwise it’s just a case of trying to stay active and in touch with the people in our local scene to collaborate and listen to what one another are working on. I have friends in bands who thrive on getting together and performing live, they’ve been waiting for so long to go back to doing what they love so I count myself lucky.

The proceeds from the single are going to Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity, a cause close to your heart?

Yeah, absolutely – I’m sure most of us have people in our lives who’ve needed care from local hospitals this year under uniquely challenging circumstances, and sadly a lot of frontline staff are facing financial uncertainty, so I wanted to be able to donate a little bit to the Hospitals Charity for my (Derby) and my grandma’s (Burton) hometowns. Over lockdown all of Year Of Glad’s releases have been fundraising for causes, and it’s a really nice way to release music and bring people together.

Can we shout out the other stuff you’ve been raising money for in the community too – how did you get involved and how can other people lend their support if they’re interested?

Absolutely! Our YOG20 compilation over the festive season was in support of the Padley Group, a homeless shelter and kitchen in the city, and Doorways Derby, who run food banks and a soup kitchen. We put on a raffle and art stall and put out a compilation and the support was amazing, we managed to raise over £1200 and loads of amazing local creatives, small businesses and musicians chipped in to offer prizes and help out – there’s still a few things left on the art stall at Year of Glad. MARIA-M (now YAY MARIA) also released a single in support of Derbyshire LGBT+, and we put out a Papayér single (the band I play guitar in) for Derbyshire Coronavirus Relief Fund.

Take us for a wander round Derby – which 3 places are not to be missed?

The first has to be Dubrek, a studio, rehearsal rooms and venue in town which is now the home of alternative live music for many in the city and is also where I spent a huge amount of my time growing up, in lengthy ‘band practices’ (just sitting around) with my best mates in Papayér. It’s flourished into far more than just a place for bands to make noise, it’s now more like a hub for an entire creative community.

Second is just over the road, Bar One – a great independent pub where I’ve also spent a disproportionate amount of time. It’s run by a lovely bunch of people and is just a really excellent pub, basically.

Third is Bustler – it appeared a few years ago, occupying disused space and filling it with an eclectic mix of independent street food vendors, and has gone from strength to strength since. A few of my nearest and dearest are involved and I’ve had a sneak peek of the new permanent space they’ve been kitting out, it’s looking amazing!

As things open up again, if you could play any venue with any other artists,  what would you go for?

I’ve just rebooked my tickets for Randy Newman in 2022 – it was cancelled this year. A part of me wants to say joining Randy at the London Palladium but deep down I know that isn’t true, I think I’m much happier in the audience for something like that. To be totally honest I’d go for another night at Dubrek with YAY MARIA, which happens to be the last show I played before lockdown, and will most likely be the first thing we put on post lockdown, so just picking up where we left off basically.

What’s next for you – does it feel like you can start to make plans for the rest of 2021 now?

With my own music I’m moving slowly with working on my next record, THUNDERCHILD, which is a sci-fi concept album. I’ll be putting out a few more singles and booking shows where I can, but I’m also putting a lot of my energy into collaborations with other Year Of Glad artists and working on other people’s music for a little while, which is exciting. But my main focus is being able to be with friends and family again, and anything else is a bonus!

And last up, have you changed the clock on your cooker or are you waiting till October to see it tell the right time again?

The clock on my cooker does not, and quite possibly never will, display the correct time – BST or otherwise.

But thanks for the reminder. And thanks for the chat!

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You can catch up with Tom here; My Big Album is available to purchase now

Interview by Siobhan
Photo via One Beat PR

12th April 2021

In their latest album ‘The Falling’ released last week, The Underground Youth have produced a collection of songs filled with depth and emotion. We caught up with Craig Dyer to ask what keeps the band moving in new directions musically, their ongoing partnership with Fuzz Club Records and life in Berlin… 

Hello, how are you all keeping – have you been able to see each other during the various stages of lockdown?

Yes, we’re well thank you. Keeping productive and staying positive etc. And yes we all keep in contact, we remain in each other’s ‘COVID bubble’, as they say.

Take us back to the early days, what was the catalyst that kick started The Underground Youth?

2008, I was writing some basic and fairly derivative poetry and trying to work the poems into songs using the few guitar chords I knew and the modest skills I’d taught myself in recording. It all developed from there, slowly and steadily, until we reached where we’re at today.

And how do you sustain that feeling that keeps you together and wanting to make new music?

I think that feeling has to come pretty naturally, you couldn’t force it, you know? But for me personally and for us as a band, we’ve never been happier than doing what we do, well, when we can eventually tour and actually do what we do again!

The songs on your new album The Falling manage to sound both dark and soft at the same time – what’s been the driving factor behind the record?

Lyrically, it’s an introspective record, from a personal place, I think there’s a darkness and a softness to writing in such a way. I think the driving factor was to explore this slightly different sound we’ve adopted on this record, string arrangements, more acoustic instrumentation. It’s fulfilling to work on a record in a different way.

Tell us the story behind one of the tracks.

Ok, Letter From A Young Lover is the final track on the album. Now it’s rare I sit at a piano to write a song but this one came out in that way. Lyrically the idea is quite light, the idea of having a written correspondence with a young version of myself, naive and yet to understand or appreciate love, it’s not so serious. The music is the complete opposite however, dark and dramatic, the clash of mood and context seems to make the song even more powerful.

You’re based in Berlin now, the instigator of much influential music over the years – does the environment or the music scene there impact on your writing?

I do find myself answering this question a lot and whilst of course the surroundings of where an artist lives do influence and inspire the art, that is true of anywhere you would decide to live and work. It seems more relevant to people when the city has a history or has been deemed influential on music in the past, we were always asked the same question about Manchester when we lived there. But the truth is I’d be just as inspired living in any other city and I can’t say in what way that would differ.

I loved Berlin when I was there but haven’t had a chance to go back in years, where would you recommend when things open up again – where are your favourite places to be?

Well the main hope is that everywhere can reopen once this is over, there’s a huge concern in the case of many bars and venues that the financial strain may prove too much for them to survive. But to be optimistic and put that thought aside, we’ll be looking forward to once again frequent our local bars, 8MM, Tomsky, I really miss being able to get a pint of Guinness. Museums, galleries, seeing small shows in cafes. There’s too many venues to mention, I think once live shows become a reality again there will be a huge surge in attendances, it’s going to be an interesting time.

What have you been listening to and watching through quarantine?

I guess I’ve been through different periods since the beginning, listening to a lot of old music, getting very nostalgic, music from my youth, a lot of hip hop, early punk, I also went through a period of buying a lot of jazz records. Watching a lot of movies, I don’t tend to indulge in many TV series but when I do I get really sucked in. I recently watched Adam Curtis’ new series. I’m a huge fan of his work.

The album is out on Fuzz Club Records – they’ve been putting out a great mix of artists, how did you get involved with them?

It was back in 2011, Casper (Fuzz Club) got in touch with me to ask if we had any of our albums available on vinyl. Now at the time I was just releasing the music for free online, so I told him no. He said he was thinking about starting up a record label and would love for our album Delirium to be the first record they put out. So we did it, he flew over to Manchester from Norway and we signed a contract and we’ve been releasing music and have been great friends ever since.

And where do we go from here – do you have hopes and plans for the coming year?

I think our biggest hope at this point is for live music to return. We have a European tour booked for later in the year and with any hope we’ll actually be able to do it.

The Falling is out now on Fuzz Club Records – you can purchase the album here or from your local independent.

Interview by Siobhan
Photos by Miriam Marlene Waldner (header) and Laura Cherry Grove

16th March 2021

Sydney Sprague’s first full length album ‘maybe i will see you at the end of the world’ will be released on February 26th. At 29, Sydney brings maturity and vision to her music that showcases her strong vocals, songwriting and confidence, as she creates her unique brand of indie music…

Although 2020 was a tough year, you’ve had many good things happen. Rude Records signed you to their label. How did that come about?

It happened through Mike Pepe, who mixed my record. He’s out in LA. He’s good friends with one of the A&R guys at Rude, and he sent the company the finished product. Rude Records had just signed Sundressed (a Phoenix band), and I sang on one of their songs. I had already released the first song, i refuse to die, so they had to get on board pretty quickly to get the record out.

How is it working with a label as opposed to working independently in the past?

They paid for the album I had already recorded. I was able to use that money to create videos and content. They also hooked me up with PR companies worldwide, a Facebook and Instagram marketing company, and branding marketing. My video, object permanence, is playing at Hot Topic.

This is your first full-length album.  When did you record it?

I did it in January 2020. We booked Hall of Justice studio in Seattle for the month. Nirvana and some of the older bands from Seattle recorded at the studio, and then it was bought by Death Cab for Cutie, where they recorded their albums.

The music on this album is a departure from your past music.  Tell me about the writing and recording process that went into the album.

This was the first time I went into the studio with all the songs acoustically demoed and the producer, Sam Rosson, came up with all the parts. I had more confidence coming into the studio with how I wanted the songs to sound. I did some rudimentary recording at home of the basic parts that I heard in my head and what I wanted it to sound like, then took that into the studio. Sam and I met in the middle to create the final recordings. The first week of recording was getting the basic tracks down of guitar and scratch vocals. After that, we spent two to three days on each song but not in any particular order. We tried a lot of the different pedals and instruments that were at the studio then scaled back a lot.

Does the album have an overall theme to it?

I think it’s love in the time of the apocalypse. It’s trying to be hopeful and having all these feelings, but knowing that you are running out of time.

Is there someone or a style that influenced your album?

It’s a combination of everything that I love. There’s some emo pop-punk influences but primarily indie bands. I would say Death Cab for Cutie because their albums were influential to me, and I loved all the weird ear candy sounds you heard in their music. That’s why I wanted to record at that studio. I got to learn how to make those sounds on my music.

I’ve seen you perform object permanence often on stage, but the album’s version is so different, more upbeat.  Was that change planned ahead of time, or was that something that happened in the studio?

Honestly, that song was the biggest struggle in the studio.  We recorded it a couple of ways. I had two demos, one the way that I had played it on stage with acoustic and some other parts added, but stripped back and simple. The other version was with the Mill boys (Jared and The Mill’s Chuck Morris III, Larry Gast III, and Josh Morin). Larry had a cool guitar part that we messed around with in the other version, but it was too grungy. It sounded like a 90’s rock song. The final recording is a middle version of the two ideas.

You have four official videos released, with one more on the way.  Did you go to  Michael Carter and Dick Dorado of Rhodes Creative LLC with a vision of what the videos would be?

It’s been an interesting process of coming up with the videos. Going into it, I had many ideas but Michael was the real driver of that. I’m not a visual person for translating the words for my songs, but Michael and Dick came up with the majority of concepts and ideas we could incorporate into the videos. They understand my personality and sense of humor then translated it into the video. The steve, staircase failure and quitter videos were all pretty much Dick’s ideas. The guys built the videos from the ground up – steve, which was the first video Rhodes Creative made, was nominated for best music video at the Indie Film Fest in Phoenix.

Does doing A Case of Mondays on Twitch help keep your music fresh and give you a sense of connection?

At the beginning of the quarantine, I was writing and recording music at home, but with the album release and making videos, it’s been harder to make time to play. Before the pandemic, I played cover gigs at least five nights a week, giving me the time to practice. Twitch gives me a chance to play and connect with my friends, even if it’s not in person.

Do you have a pandemic playlist?

I tend to go to nostalgic music, the 90s and early 2000s, that I used to listen to a lot.

What do you think playing is going to look like when you can play live again?

I think there’s going to be a lot more competition because so many bands have been off the road for so long, and there are fewer venues to go back to. I think that living room/backyard shows may be more popular for artists of my size.

If you could play anywhere safely right now, where would you like to play?

I think it would be Rebel Lounge (Phoenix, AZ). It’s my second home. I feel like I was there once a week for a year.

maybe i will see you at the end of the world is released this Friday 26th February, pre-order here.

Interview by Jennifer Mullins
Photos by Natasha Wilson

24th February 2021

Danielle Durack’s new album release, No Place, reflects the ups and downs of a relationship and the grief when it’s over. Danielle is a Phoenix, Arizona singer-songwriter who has a wonderful gift for pairing lyrics with beautiful melodies and harmonies. She does an outstanding job of combining a full band sound complimented with synths that add a haunting quality to the songs. Danielle has created an album with both uptempo songs and ballads. Fans of Sara Bareilles will enjoy Danielle’s music.

It’s been a busy time since the release of No Place. How are you doing?

I’m still working, taking care of the album release, and trying to take care of myself. It’s been busy, but I’m doing good.

You’re getting excellent press response to No Place. How are you feeling after all the work that you put into the album?

It feels good! I always go into the release assuming that nothing will happen. I put everything into it, but I don’t expect anything. With all the good music out there, the fact that it’s reaching a bigger audience is a dream come true.

Were you able to play any of the new songs before the lockdown, and did that influence the recording?

I played some of the songs in my solo shows for the year before lockdown, but I only was able to play the songs with a full band once last February. The songs were basically what they were going to be in December 2019. It just needed to be mixed.

What was the difference between doing an EP and a full album?

It was a lot more work and time, though still as much fun. Each song equates to one more day in the studio.

Can you tell me about the recording process?

I did the album in chunks. I demoed some songs with Sam Rosen, the audio engineer who did my EP Bashful, in Seattle in October and laid out what songs would be on the album. Then, I did the instrumental recording with scratch vocals in December 2019 in Seattle with Sam. I hired musicians who Sam knew, including a bassist and drummer. The drummer had various synth instruments that added to the spooky feeling you hear on some of the songs. My brother Matt did guitar on a couple of tracks, and Sydney Sprague also played on a couple of tracks and sang harmonies. Sam came down to Phoenix to record the vocals.

You’ve made three videos for the singles that you released before the album release. Can you tell me a bit about the process of making them?

The inspiration for the Broken Wings video came about when a friend posted that a wedding shop was going out of business, and I thought, ‘How could I use a wedding dress in a video’. Then I thought of the meme – what’s your type: a red flag with blue eyes, and it made me laugh. It fit the song. Eggshells is about walking away from a relationship then running with certainty, which inspired the video.

The third video, There Goes My Heart, is very cinematic.

I made that with a friend from college who is a filmmaker. We made it in Indianapolis and took all the Covid precautions so that we could make it safely. The video idea was initially for Some Day, but the PR firm I was working with thought this was a better single. My idea was to take a depression mood board with a release at the end. I liked the idea of dancing in the rain at the end, and we were lucky to have a rainy day.

The first track on the album, Mistakes, sets the tone for the album. Was it harder to write a short song?

No. I tried to write a second verse, but I didn’t want to screw it up. I realized that I said everything that I wanted to say. We finished it when I was demoing the song. It’s a nice little interlude.

What is the theme of the album? I always find that your music strikes a chord with how heartache feels.

I wrote this album to process my feelings. I think I got what I needed out of it, and it’s really beautiful for me to know that it is just yours now! Hopefully, it helps others. I write albums to supplement therapy.

How did you feel about doing your release show virtually?

It was okay. I’m grateful that it was even possible. I would have preferred to do it live. Maybe, when the quarantine is over, I’ll do a release show for the vinyl.

Do you have a pandemic playlist?

No, it’s five playlists for my breakup to match the five stages of grief. I usually create new playlists every month as a way to archive memories.

How do you keep your music fresh?

I haven’t practiced as much because I’ve been so busy. One way is changing up the way I play my songs, speeding them up or slowing them down. It’s almost like playing a cover of my own songs.

How do you see playing live in the future? What do you think it is going to look like?

Hopefully, I would love to continue to play with my brother and Sydney. I want to play with a full band, play the acoustic guitar and piano. If I got to a place in my career, I would love to tour with a full piano if I’m lucky to make something happen.

If you could play anywhere safely, where would it be?

Anywhere! I would kill to play a Rebel Lounge (Phoenix) show now or Madison Square Garden. Whatever!

No Place is available now digitally; vinyl copies can also be pre-ordered via Danielle’s website.

Interview by Jennifer Mullins
Photos by Eunice Beck

8th February 2021

Bringing a Lynchian twist to their darkened dream pop, Robbie & Mona release their debut album into the world this month and propel themselves straight onto the ones to watch in 2021 list. The couple behind the band are Ellie Gray and Will Carkeet, both also members of consummate Bristol collective Pet Shimmers. We asked them about their music, what they’ve been listening to through lockdown and the cinematic value of trampolines…

How are you both doing, where are you right now?

Ellie: We are in Bristol, in Easton, in our bedroom. We’re both enjoying the Saturday sun, listening to / watching a funny old performance by a band called Butch Willis and the Rocks.

Your debut album EW comes out at the end of the month, how has it been recording and promoting it during lockdown?

Will:  We finished recording EW back in March in the first lockdown, but its been a bit of a rollercoaster, waves of frustration in terms of not being able to gig and properly show it to the world. But Spinny Nights have been very great at promoting it for us and being so supportive.

Tell us about the songs, is there a running story throughout the record?

Ellie: The songs have been opportunities for us to have fun going into a world of automatism and surrealism. Will makes his production potions that always get me going and are perfect foundations for me to freely dance with my thoughts and voice across it.

Will: The majority of these songs were written and recorded as we began seeing each other, we look back and kind of realise they were our attempts at impressing each other!

EW album artwork 

Your latest track Queen Celine packs a lot into a minute and a half, was there any temptation to make it longer or was it always meant to be a short, sharp hit to the senses?

Will: You find the track always tells you how long it wants to be and this one stopped very abruptly and it felt right being as short as it was, any more and we would have upset the song.

The video is like a little burst of film noir with added trampolining – it’s beautifully shot, what was the thinking behind it and who was involved?

Ellie: We saw some work by Max McLachlan and thought he had the perfect twist of humour and doom. He had this idea of trampolines, which felt great, then Arthur from Spinny Nights’ mum and dad ended up being star bouncers in the video. It felt like a really seamless collaboration where everything fell into place, all the right personalities came together. It’s a really satisfying feeling when two different artists get together and their mediums really expose and compliment each other.

You recorded a set for Rotterdam’s Left of the Dial Festival a while back, it looked like they were due to have a great line up – how did you get involved in that?

Will: We played with them in October 2019 with our other project Pet Shimmers, and then when we were on tour they kindly put us up in Rotterdam and invited us to a little gig on a boat. They are so hospitable and giving, since then we stayed in touch and when they heard mine and Ellie’s new stuff they were keen to get us involved. They are great human beings.

Realistically, live music isn’t getting back to how it was pre-Covid any time soon, how do you see it looking moving forward?

Will: From this pandemic I would hope that when things return to ‘normal’, that people approach it more ambitiously in the sense of not just playing a standard venue and standard support act, questioning the traditional way of how a show is constructed.

Who’s been on your lockdown playlist and what have you been watching to while away the hours?

Will: Drake – Dark Lane Demo Tapes, Butch Willis and the Rocks – The TV’s from Outer Space, the Notting Hill soundtrack, Jessica Pratt, Lou Reed – Coney Island Baby album, Yellow Man – Lost Mi Love…

Ellie: Leonard Cohen Various Positions album, Connie Converse, Brian Eno & John Cale, Cindy Lee,  Sean Nicholas Savage, Playboi Carti – @ MEH, Le Tigre, Beverly Glenn-Copeland , Peggy Lee…

Been watching Surviving Death on Netflix, a slightly cheesy but addictive series about near death experiences and life after the physical body, Unexplained series presented by the wonderful Tony Robinson talking about the Cathars and some spooky premonition stuff with amazing early noughties style dramatisations, Jan Švankmajer animator film-maker DVD set, John Cocteau’s 1946 La Belle et La Bête, and Breaking Bad, to which I was a virgin pre-lockdown.

If there were no restrictions and you could take us on a tour of your favourite places around Bristol, where would we go?

Ellie: We would take you to Greenbank Cemetery and give you the task of finding the most elaborate headstone and reward you with a hot flask of mulled wine.

And what’s next for Robbie & Mona?

Will: Kick ass second album on its way.

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EW is released on 29th January via Spinny Nights and is available to pre-order now – catch up with Robbie & Mona here.

Interview by Siobhan
Header photo © Ellie Gray

19th January 2021

Like a magpie collects shiny gems, Sen Morimoto has dipped into a treasure trove of genres and influences, fusing together jazz, hip-hop and soulful undertones on his new self-titled album. We asked him about his early experiences with music and how the record came together…

How are you doing, what’s life like in Chicago right now?

All in all I’m feeling grateful. Or at least always trying to feel grateful. Chicago’s Covid cases are spiking again, so we’re preparing for another lockdown. Today I’ll stock up on groceries and try not to leave home for a while. While as a country there’s been a brief sigh of relief after the election, Chicagoans are still protesting. The city government has made it clear that its loyalty lies with the police, and not the hundreds of thousands of protesters asking to defund the police and remove them from schools. It’s a big hill to look up at because these pleas are really only the bare minimum but the City hasn’t budged, and has instead consistently responded with violence. All that being said, everything is so uncertain these days that I remain grateful for what I have and the safety and wellbeing of my friends and family.

You’ve been playing music since you were a child, what are your early memories of hearing music at home or with family and friends?

I’ve always loved to sing, although for most of my adolescence I was too shy to try it in front of anyone so I used the saxophone. I remember singing Jackson 5 CDs straight through in the car at the top my lungs when I was really little. My siblings hated it. I did the same with the theme from That Thing You Do!. As I got older my dad’s CD collection became a treasure map of interests for me, and a kind of bible of music to study. I had obsessive phases with a lot of records, mostly stuff from the 60s and 70s. Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Neil Young, Carpenters, Kate Bush, and on and on. I taught myself piano and bass learning as many Stevie Wonder songs as I could. Super grateful for those CDs, they definitely shaped not only what I play but what I enjoy hearing in new music too.

Your latest album was released at the end of October, how long has it been in the making and how does it feel now it’s finished?

After my last record touring, my own music and others’ projects kept me pretty busy for a couple years. I would write lyrics or record voice memo ideas on the road and glue everything together whenever I was home. A lot of times when I sit down to record I’m just exploring sounds to come back to and use for a song I write separately, so it ends up feeling like I’ve been working on each record for years but it doesn’t usually start really coming together until a bit before it comes out. Some of the tracks have elements that I’ve been tweaking for years before I released the previous record even. It feels amazing to finally have it out in the world. My favorite part about releasing a body of work is how free I feel to make something completely different right after.

It’s hard to categorise your music but it feels like the soul/ jazz/ rap fusion holds lots of crossover appeal for listeners who might be less attracted to one of those elements on its own – do you get good reactions from a wide audience?

I think because the music I’m inspired by is so varied there’s something for everyone in some of my songs. But I also feel like that’s becoming more and more common in new music. We have access to so much music and art to draw inspiration from, and are exposed to so much of the same stuff online that it feels more and more like all new music is a combination of a few different genres. It’s something that I am actually pretty excited about. It’s like if all the genres that exist now are elements that have been discovered, then the only way to create new elements is to combine the ones we have. The tricky part is doing it gracefully so your music chemistry set doesn’t explode in your face.

What’s the best or worst review you’ve ever had?

The other day I was with some friends and someone put on Man Of The Woods by Justin Timberlake and said, “You ever notice you kinda sound like him”. Don’t get me wrong I love so much of his music and he’s obviously a legend but to say it while that song is playing and not like… idk Cry Me a River or ‘Pushaaaaa looooovee I’m just a Juj-juh-juh-juh-Junkie for your love…’ I was still flattered though, I’d say that was the best and the worst in one.

Tell us about the collaborations on the album, do you start these with a clear idea of the outcome or just see which direction things take?

I definitely let the song lead the way. I leave a lot of room for error and experimentation because some of the best ideas come from mistakes. With collaboration I like to maintain a similar looseness. I never ask collaborators to use their voice or instrument in a certain way, I just ask them to listen to the song a few times and try something that feels natural to them. We go back and tweak things afterwards that we mutually agree on but I try not to let myself get in the way of their expression. I think the other way of doing it where musicians become kind of instruments of your own expression can make for great art too but for me it’s about our minds kind of turning the Rubik’s cube around together.

You’ve mentioned that you had vivid dreams whilst writing the album – did these make their way into the songs?

Definitely, there’s a lot of reference to my dreams in the lyrics. Some are descriptive of the things I’ve dreamt of, like in The Things I Thought About You Started To Rhyme where the lyrics are almost all supposed to feel like a dream, or You Come Around and Nothing Isn’t Very Cool where I talk a little bit about how these dreams affect my waking experience.

Take us on a tour of your neighbourhood, what should we know about that’s not in the guide books?

There’s a Puerto Rican sandwich joint around the corner called Cafe Colao that I’m at more mornings than not. Their café con leche motivates me to rise in the morning.

You’re receiving an award for the album, who gets a mention in your acceptance speech?

I’m definitely hitting the Cuba Gooding Jr. Jerry McGuire Oscar win speech “EVERYONE INVOLVED I LOVE YOU”.

And what’s next, what does 2021 hold for you?

Honestly I have no idea. I’m excited for a couple projects I’m helping put together on the production end and with my label Sooper Records here in Chicago. I want to make as much music as I can and use this time off touring to think about how I can help people more and continue learning.

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You can keep up with the latest news from Sen here. The album is available to buy digitally and in physical format on vinyl, CD and cassette on Bandcamp, through Sen’s own label Sooper Records. Watch the video for Woof below.

Interview by Siobhan
Photo via One Beat PR

17th November 2020

Having recently discovered the sultry sounds of Ostrich with the two sharp singles they’ve already released, we’re very much looking forward to hearing what comes next. In the interim, we spoke to the band about their music, living through lockdown and their local haunts in Liverpool. There may also have been mention of brandy and ostrich racing…

Hello, introduce us to Ostrich – who’s involved and what’s the story behind your name?

Will McTaggart: Hello Breaking Glass! So we’re Ostrich, a five piece from Liverpool. We have Stuart Wilson on drums, Lydia Thomas on sax and keys, Will Bowman on bass, Leo Watkins on guitar and myself doing the crooning. Sadly, there’s not really an interesting story in regards to the name ‘Ostrich’, apart from that I look like one with my long legs. 

You started performing together last year, how did it feel when things came to an abrupt halt in 2020?

Will McT: It was a real shame to be honest. We played our last show in March and I’m sure it was our best to date. We were getting really tight as a band and had quite a few dates in the pipeline. Not to worry though! We’ll keep ourselves fresh, ready to go again!

Lydia: It feels like we jinxed it with that gig! I really miss rehearsing as a band. Luckily, Will McT’s been churning out tunes and sending us demos. I can’t wait to work on them and add some saxy bits. 

You’ve taken the opportunity to release two singles this year, that can’t be so easy in current conditions, how did you make that happen?

Will B: Way back in the distant past – 2019 I think it was – we flew to Prague and recorded 4 tracks in 4 days. It was wild. We drank more Old Fashions than any humans should, became regulars at the local jazz club, and razzed around on scooters ‘til our hearts were content. Those were the days, and listening to these tracks really brings it back. We really want to go back to record some more, but given that we’ve not been able to do that, we decided to release some of them instead. Releasing was a lot less fun than recording, but hey ho, it kept us occupied through lockdown!

The tracks both have quite a different feel, I love the 80s electro leaning on Inside Out (Got No Doubt) and the change up to One Man Band – do you set out to make a particular sound on a song or just see where it takes you?

Will B: I’d definitely agree – Inside Out is all mellow and warm, whereas One Man Band is bitter and angsty. I wouldn’t say that we ever start out with a fixed idea. For us, it’s definitely a case of getting the bare bones of the song, feeling it out a little bit, and then building the sound around that feeling. 

Despite restrictions, you’ve picked up a solid amount of interest and airplay – how does it feel hearing your songs on the radio?

Stuart: Hearing Inside Out on 6 Music was a surreal moment for us; we all listen to 6 constantly and weren’t expecting it at all. It’s a shame any interest we have can’t be translated to gigs yet, but we’ll wait as long as it takes…

How are things with you currently, what’s been the reaction to Liverpool being back in local lockdown?

Will B: At the time of writing, fleets of army vehicles are rolling up the M6, coming to swab each and every one of us. A total, mass test of the Merseyside region. A UK first! News outlets herald a new technological breakthrough, but we fear something more sinister this way comes. We’re the last Labour stronghold and BoJo hates us for it. And we can only wonder – why us? What does he want from us? Is it our DNA? And then what next? Will he build huge steel walls around us, cut us off from the mainland, and strip us of our freedoms and our citizenships? We hope so, because quite frankly, this country’s gone to shit anyway.

Lydia: … my Animal Crossing island is thriving.

Tell us about your home city in better times, there always seems to be loads going on creatively, where are your favourite places to go?

Leo: In ‘normal times’ Liverpool is just the best place. It’s small, but there’s a lot happening, so it’s super concentrated. 24 Kitchen Street remains probably the best venue still going in the city, despite becoming surrounded by faceless student accommodation, it champions diversity and supports local causes. The Grapes on Roscoe Street is probably my favourite pub in the world, it has live salsa infused jazz on Sunday nights. Petit Café du Coin is just round the corner if you’re feeling fancy (their boozy Irish coffee is liquid crack). We’re also blessed with some incredible art galleries: The Walker and The Tate to name but two. Other than that, get yourself out of the city centre. Sefton Park is completely unique, and huge, and always inspirational to me.

Whilst none of us are likely to be popping off to a desert island any time soon, what would your picks be to keep you happy if you did – favourite albums or anything else you couldn’t live without?

Will McT: I’m a bit obsessed with Joni Mitchell at the moment, especially her album Hissing of Summer Lawns. I’m just in awe of her songwriting. I’d take a few of her records and a massive bottle of brandy. 

Lydia: I feel the same about PJ Harvey’s album, Let England Shake. 

Will B: I’ve recently taken to obsessively refreshing the BBC News app, drinking lots of brandy, and crying. It really does get me through the day and is not something I would recommend under any circumstances.

Can you plan ahead right now, have you anything in the pipeline for more new music or playing live again?

Will McT: We’re sitting on a couple of singles that are ready to hatch once the time is right. Just seeing how things go with the Covid situation. We should have a video coming out for One Man Band in the next couple of weeks too. At the time of writing I’ve been filming something that involves an overhead projector, jars of beetroot, and shower gel – so I’ll leave that to your imagination. 

And lastly, because it feels important to end with a serious question, in some countries people race each other on the backs of ostriches – if you were the ostriches who would win the race and why?

I think about this all the time. I’d say Will McT, he’s already got the hang of those lanky legs. Then again, Stuart has a real competitive edge… it could get messy.

Catch up with Ostrich here and have a listen to the singles below

Interview by Siobhan
Band photo © Daniel de la Bastide

5th November 2020