Inland Sea

Inland Sea are a rare find. After releasing their debut EP Traitor earlier this year the band has only gone on to impress, receiving brilliant reviews from NME and other press alike at this year’s Big Sound Conference. 

The band has just released their sophomore EP Fortune – and there’s no doubt it’s just as mind blowing as the first, if not more. The opener Dead Man’s Left is brilliantly haunting and establishes the record’s rich and diverse sound.

Inland Sea do more than play, they are musicians who know their instruments and craft like the back of their hand – easily blending genres and breathtaking harmonies.

If you like what you hear, Inland Sea are playing a host of east coast shows this October – details here. 

We were lucky to have a chat with Tahlee about all things Inland Sea related... 

At times there’s a carefree sound to the EP, and others it’s a little more somber – what was the thinking behind the name Fortune to tie the songs together?

Fortune is a lyric in the song Dead Man’s Left, but more than that it encapsulates a feeling of completeness. Not in the way that a fortune makes a life complete, but in the way that describes the richness behind the music and the lyrics. We have struck a kind of formula that produces the unexpected when songs are brought to the band. Three different members of the band write the songs on the EP, (Alastair, Jeremy and Beau) and yet they still seem to fit together. I guess Fortune describes the diverse talent we are able to draw from. 

The most captivating aspect of Fortune is it’s ability to slide easily from folk influences, classic pop to breathtaking harmonies almost gospel in nature – do you enjoy experimenting with your sound as a band? 

Experimentation is what makes the song. When a song is brought to the band by one songwriter it has to then go through nine other filters, who all have something a little different and original to offer, to transform it into something wonderful. We have at least five members who write songs. This allows us to stretch our sound and saves us from writing songs that sound the same.

It goes without saying that ten members is a fair amount for a band, are writing sessions a big jam or is there a little more organization involved?

Usually a song is brought to the band and then we work through it together. The writer usually has some idea of what they would like, and we go from there. There have been some instances when a couple of members will write a song together, or get help to finish a song off, but the same process always follows. We have recently created a system that allows members to bring a song on a turn-by-turn basis. This gives songwriters who don’t write as many songs to have a turn to show their work.

How does it feel that your music is reaching a whole bunch of people, who we assume love it as much as we do? Especially after that rave NME review…

That is the dream of any musician, to be able to reach your audience. It is a weird combination of shock and hyper-excitement that people in the music industry also enjoy what we do; NME was one of these moments.

For a little fun, given the chance if you could take to the stage with any artists (alive or dead) who would they be?

I’m sure there is a general consensus running that Arcade Fire would be amazing. Bon Iver or Fleet Foxes would also be on that list. We have ten members in this band who all come from different musical backgrounds, so it would be a lengthy list. Personally I think Fleetwood Mac would be incredible.

Also out of interest, if you could expand that amazing instrument range any further what would be the lucky choice?

I think our manager and sound man would both have aneurisms if we expanded any further, but I would say the next thing (crossing fingers) would be a keyboard, perhaps castanets for Dani.

The title track from the Traitor EP, 

You can get your hands on both Inland Sea EPs at their online site here. 

San Cisco

There’s something to be said of the music that has emerged from Perth our west coast capital and Cisco are no exception. There’s Jordi James (guitar, vocals, keys) Josh Biondillo (guitars, vocals, keys) Scarlett Stevens (drums) and Nick Gardner (bass, keys).

"San Cisco is a place situated between reality & a dream state. It is kind of like a huge cauldron we put all out creative input into, mix it together to make a super explosion of fantastic, wild creations. This is San Cisco."

After releasing Golden Revolver earlier this year, San Cisco has impressed both audiences and critics alike with their unique blend of indie pop. They’ve played a host of festivals and supported the likes of Architecture in Helsinki, the Grates and Jebediah soon to come.

With an average age of 18 and the youngest member Jordi James yet to finish high school, many say San Cisco’s music is beyond their years. I can’t say this really sat well with me. The way I look at it their sound is their years. It’s fresh, upbeat and reminds me of bliss filled summers.

It just goes to show that great music comes at any age, anywhere.

How would you describe San Cisco’s sound?

It has a lot to do with the music I am listening to at the time. As I listen to new music the sounds I make are influenced and sound like the music I have been listening to. For example, I bought the entire Flaming Lips Discography and have been listening to that, which dates back to the early 80’s. Its pretty incredible, the changes they have been through as a band is quite interesting. Wayne Coyne is actually so cool. Listening to The Flaming Lips then led me to listen to a lot of other music that is produced by Dave Fridmann, who has pretty much produced all of the flaming lips stuff. Bands like Mercury Rev and Sleater-Kinney and obviously MGMT, Tame Impala… Sleepy Jackson. Dave Fridmann has pretty much produced most of the music that I love.

How has it been being able to develop your sound in WA - a state home to a unique music scene, not to mention some of Australia’s most iconic bands?

Couldn’t ask for a better place to grow up really.  Mingling with amazing musicians and other musically orientated folk is interesting. It’s a really supportive atmosphere, you can’t avoid learning and improving living in Perth. 

What was the best thing about recording the EP?

Learning about the recording process and hearing the tracks develop from live songs to polished recording is really interesting. Also having something to show for the hard work is nice. 

What’s in store for the rest of 2011?

Another EP recording in July, some TEE exams, lots of education and a number of gigs, it is certainly looking pretty bright.

Given your pick, if San Cisco could take to the stage with any artists (alive or dead) who would they be?

Well that’s easy. The Beatles.         

Ghostwood

 “There’s a great beauty in darkness.” 

This line seems to have stayed with me. Caught between the pages of an old edition of Mojo written five years ago in the wake of Johnny Cash’s death. I am yet to hear a more accurate way to describe Cash, let alone what constitutes great music. 

Maybe then, this is what first drew me to Ghostwood’s sound. The hidden edge behind what seems to me a brightly packaged exterior. I don’t think it was until I saw the band live that I fully understood the gravity of this. 

There was a raw energy that filled the room in King’s Cross. Pent up emotion that only seemed to increase with the soaring guitars and Gabriel’s powerful vocals. Ghostwood’s set solidified what I had thought when speaking to Gabriel previously - this was a band beyond their years.

Since they first began to play music, Ghostwood has continued to evolve. Looking back at their first EP, released through Modular in 2007 Gabriel admits, "We released an EP a little while ago when we were a lot younger. We’ve grown up quite a lot since then and realized things."

"To be honest, I’ve never really told anybody this, but when we recorded it we wanted the EP to sound like the new one now, but we were so young, like seventeen or eighteen, that we didn’t have the confidence to be outspoken.”

 When recording the EP, Ghostwood worked with guitarist Jim Mogonie of Midnight Oil fame.

“I play a Fender Jaguar, which was kind of the seminal surf rock guitar. The Beach Boy’s all used Jags, so that was the sound we were talking to Jim about. It’s funny because he’s now in a surf rock band called the Break… so we connected quite well.” 

Perhaps it was this sound that made way for some critics to reference the band as psychedelic. In saying this, Ghostwood cannot be so simply placed. This is apparent when the guitar is coupled with reverb and at times, haunting lyrics. 

“Projection is really difficult, getting that idea out. When you’re trying to write music or songs people will push you in different directions because they think they understand it. I don’t really think that we are psychedelic. I don’t think the bands we look up to as sort of forefather’s like Radiohead and My Bloody Valentine – they’ve got a broad spectrum of sound,but they’re not psychedelic bands.”

For fear of placing things in boxes myself, it is bands like these that share not a sound, but an indescribable underlying element with Ghostwood. That great beauty in darkness.

 
In a similar way, when it comes to songwriting Gabriel talks of how Ghostwood look up to older bands for inspiration in terms of their approach, not their sound.

"It’s like that age old thing when you at older bands that you look up to and what they did, you don’t want to copy them but imitate their methods. There’s a lot to learn in observation.

I was reading how the Beatles used to record and they’d write each other’s parts. They would all write each part together as a team. I think that’s a good lesson to learn from such a good band. I like looking at how they approach the problem, or the creative process.”

 I can’t say that any of the bands I have interviewed concede that songwriting is a natural process, nor static. The same applies for Ghostwood, “I think patience and the enjoyment comes naturally, from an early age I was really content just sitting in my room playing music. I don’t think writing songs comes so naturally but If you love it so much.”

Tuesday the band will kick of their Stargazer Tour along the East Coast and in the near future release a 2011 EP. When we spoke about the band’s recent successes, it seemed to come back to one thing.

“You’re the luckiest person on earth If you can do what you love doing and bring home the bread doing it.”

The Seabellies

the seabellies are kyle, trent, steph, edward, antony and sean

2010 saw the Seabellies release their stunning debut album By Limbo Lake. Hitting the road the Seabellies began a string of tours late last year, finally wrapping up earlier this month. We were able to ask the band a few questions before they buckle down to work on album number two…

If Limbo Lake was to exist, and who’s to say it doesn’t, I imagine it would be a place brimming with blind hope, passion and well, a little desperation .

As a concept itself, limbo is ultimately a midpoint – it is neither here nor there. Reflecting this, every element of the Seabellie's sound serves to engender this same sense of surreal.

I can honestly say I’ve played this record countless times, finding or feeling something different with each listen. Some of the tracks to look out for include Young Cubs, Board the Apartment and my personal favourite Trans Ending. 

How did your band name, The Seabellies come into being?

The name Seabellies came about through a short story that Trent wrote during his Uni days. It has a bit of a morbid underlay but the story was about a man that he found washed up on a beach when he was younger, the story was entitled “The Seabelly”  which later morphed into the band name.

By Limbo Lake’s sound is lush, layered and at times has almost orchestral elements (Ices: Death and Love)- what goes into creating the perfect mix?

Lots and lots of time and experimentation. Six minds can create a tangle of creative chaos but in the end it irons out into a result that we all agree on and love, which can take a while but we always get there. We try to put in as much variety in our sound to create songs that keep opening up to the listener on repeated listens.

You’ve just wrapped up an impressive set of tours across the country for By Limbo Lake, what’s the best thing about playing live?

The energy and excitement you feel from the crowd, nothing beats a full room of fans singing along to the songs. 

Are there any particular gigs or memories that stand out?

Just recently we played at the Sydney Good Vibrations Festival which was pretty cool. It’s bin a while since we were on a big stage like that so it was fun to have a bit more room to move than usual.

I’m a little in love with all your film clips - in particular the narrative, beauty and desperation of Trans Ending. How do these concepts come about?

The concept to the Trans Ending film clip was developed by Sydney director Tom Noakes. We usually have a rough idea of what we want to be conveyed in the clip in terms of mood and theme. This is pitched to various directors who come back with their treatments and we chose the one that closely resembles our initial vision for the song.

What’s in store for the rest of the year?

We’re all on our way over to Europe to travel for a few months which may coincide  with a few European showcases. Of late we have been busy demoing tracks to a new album of which we plan to record later in the year, then back on the road for more shows to tie it all together.

Given your pick, if The Seabellies could take to the stage with any artists (alive or dead) who would they be?

Any of the following would be an absolute dream come true- Radiohead, Coldplay, Band of Horses, Midlake, The Shins, Mew, The Dears and Doves.

By Limbo Lake is available at all music stores (the album art is great too), and you can also have preview and buy from Itunes.