The Music, The People, The Interview
» The Big O - Queensbridge Hotel, Vic - February 26, 2009
» The Music - Metro Theatre, The, NSW - July 31, 2008
It’s been some time now since we’ve heard a peep from Brit rockers The Music. And if, like me, you thought we may never hear from them again, you weren’t very wide of the mark. “We had several large discussions, some of us seriously thought about going separate ways”, says lead guitarist Adam Nutter. The lads really were that close to oblivion. “We really just needed to do normal-people things for a while.” And it seems to have worked; listen to the new album Strength in Numbers once through and you’ll be struck by a band veritably chomping at the bit. Unlike anything the band has given us previously, this record is an intense personal account of trial, tribulation and test of character. “We really wanted this to be an emotional journey, but full of energy.”
Everything that is different sonically about this album, compared to previous efforts, makes sense once you understand that creating an emotional journey was the band’s objective. Robert Harvey’s voice is higher in the mixes and more expressive; we really need to hear what he is saying this time. There’s a greater emphasis on grooving bass rhythms and pulsing beats, giving the impression of movement essential to a journey. There is also a tension and release approach to song structure; the band’s rumination on the dynamic nature of life and emotion. It all subtly adds up, and the result is a brilliant realization of the band’s vision. “It’s definitely our best album, by far.”
The excitement in Nutter’s voice is almost palpable when we discuss the band’s new writing prowess. “We’re a much, much better writing unit now,” he states. I can hear his smile down the phone-line. He has taken a greater responsibility on this record, both in writing for instruments other than just his guitar (synth layering and texturing features heavily on the album) and also in the production of the music. So, understandably, he's pleased with himself.
But what of the subject matter tackled on Strength in Numbers? “We learned to use our experiences as inspiration, to really draw on them to make something people could connect with.” Never clearer is this truth of this comment than on album closer Inconceivable Odds. It was the first track written for the album, a delicate ballad about the challenges that then lay ahead of them. “Robert (Harvey, lead vocals) and I sat in my bedroom and wrote that track together. It was one of the few times I’ve really been involved with the lyrics… I just really wanted it to describe how we felt at the time”, says Nutter.
And so the theme runs. It’s a heart-on-your-sleeve album; the entire record is permeated both by a shattering sense of vulnerability and a teeth-gritting solidarity, delivered with a sincerity that cannot be faked. Strength in Numbers is proof that learning to love your hard times can be a liberating experience; whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger, right?
Still, after such an extended break, the lads could have been forgiven for being a touch anxious, if only for the cobwebs, about heading back into the studio. But the reality was the just the opposite. “Getting back in the studio was the most amazing feeling…we’d been writing for this record for about a year, and by the time we got in the studio, [pauses] I can’t describe it. We just really want to start writing again.” “When?” “We’ll take a little break while we tour, but we’ve got so much more to say.”
So what can Australian audiences expect from the lads when they arrive on our shores for this year’s Splendour in the Grass and a handful of much-anticipated side-shows along the East coast? “I think the energy from the new tracks translates into the live shows…we can’t wait to get them out to new audiences”, says Nutter enthusiastically. Well, as enthusiastically as a Manchester United fan can, after being up all night celebrating his team’s victory in the Champions League. Right, music magazine. Got it. So, as a band, you’re all good mates, ready to get on the road together? “Yeah, we’re a really solid unit now”, states Nutter, distinctly inferring that there was a time when that definitely wasn’t the case. But the past is the past, and the future is the future because of it. And the future is brighter than ever for The Music.
