Music Under Fire

The sophomore album from Hamilton, Ontario's seven-man crew has over the course of the past few weeks driven something home. Everyone All At Once by The Rest emanates the kind of abandoned beauty that elevated Fleet Foxes to one of the top albums of 2008, so perhaps the same degree of success could follow.

In preparation for their followup album, the members of The Rest - Adam Bentley, Anna Jarvis, Blake Bowman, Dwayne Brydon, Jordan Mitchell, Matty Buzanko, Steve Jones - headed into the thicket to surmise and congeal a crafty accompaniment to their 2007 release of Atlantis, Oh Our Saviour.

Now that the album is finished and ready for release on April 21, we were able to catch The Rest's Adam Bentley for some in-depth analysis of the album and the happenings of the group.


For your newest work, you escaped from civilization to focus on your music. You escaped in a way, but with seven artists, was it really that simple?

I think it wasn't about escaping and living in the woods surrounded by nothing, but having the time to connect with each other without being interrupted. When we went up to the cottages (they were more like three small buildings) you knew that music was the only focus. Aside from the occasional nightly excursions, nothing else mattered. I literally would wake up, eat some food, run up a hill and across a path that led to the "music room", then I would get started on some ideas, maybe solidify some lyrics, and slowly everyone else would trickle in.

All of us had been playing together in different musical groups between 3 and 10 years, but this process amplified our chemistry with one another I think. Mainly, it was inspirational knowing you were going to a place that was only about music and relaxing with you friends.

What was the biggest instrument you brought into the wilderness and who had the responsibility of moving it?

The biggest instrument was a Rhodes piano, which wasn't too bad too move in retrospect. What was much worse was at the beginning of our second trip our van got stuck in the path leading in from the road. We would usually head north right after everyone got home from work, and the drive was just over 4 hours, and it's incredibly hard to find the entrance to the cottage in the middle of the night, so everyone would arrive around 1am or 2am. We could have been there much earlier, but one of the cars would always get lost. So the van got stuck around 2am, and we couldn't see, so we left it in the path. When we awoke the next morning we just couldn't budge it, so we had to unload all of our gear, which is quite extensive, and walk it a few hundred metres to the first cottage. Then we had Steve's little green car(I know nothing about cars, so the brand eludes me, it's small and green) push the van out of the mud, this is after we had shoveled the mud for about an hour. It worked, but we definitely earned the right to play music that day!

In one word, how would each of you describe your wilderness music experience?

I doubt anyone else would have a problem with me saying...

Clarity

"Modern Time Travel (Necessities)" seems too deep for me to attempt to explain and eventually fail at. Where did this song come from and what does it mean?

The song actually sprouted from one of the few disappointing days up north. No one was particularly getting along, and we weren't agreeing on some of the ideas that had been brought up, so finally someone (can't remember who) suggested we take a break. It was a beautiful day, and the sun was shinning bright into the room, so everyone decided to go down to the lake. I started strumming a few chords, and instantly the melody to the beginning section came into my head. Everyone left, and I continued to play around with these chords, and then from one part came the next, and then came the next.

I had an idea for lyrics (I'll get to that in one second), and within twenty minutes I had 90% of the song finished. At this point I was terrified that I'd forget the song! It seemed to come so quick that I was getting paranoid it would be a fleeting memory. I just kept playing it over and over again, until Steve came into the room, he then heard what was going on and rushed to get Jordan to record what I had.

We had been listening to Roy Orbison when we were setting up that week, and I think I was inspired, not to write a song that sounds like Roy Orbison, but the idea of quick melodies in a short package. I'm not sure if anything has ever come to me so quickly, from there the band added part after part, which I think are all amazing, but that took place over the next 6 or 7 months. The day was no longer disappointing for me.

The meaning behind the song, or at least the original objective, is about trying to escape from one moment in time to another. Not necessarily to the past or future, but maybe to another present. I know that sounds confusing, but if you don't look at time linearly(the way we perceive it), and imagine it as happening all at once, you may understand what I'm saying. Simply, I think the song's heart lies in the desire to change for the better, even if obstacles lie in your path.

When you returned from your brainstorming in the woods to record, what proved to be your biggest obstacle?

Keeping the momentum going. Everyone had full time jobs, but we wanted to get together 4 or 5 times a week to keep working on the songs. Every week you had to try and balance a life around the band. I think the band beat up the life pretty good, but I think we all had such a great understanding of the songs that it was worth it. We were also able to write a great deal of songs, and only use the ones we felt were as good as the next. The idea of having an album without filler was a goal from the very beginning, and when people ask me what my favourite song, or what our best song from the record is, I have great difficulty.

Your album name, Everyone All At Once, sounds 'busy'. When and how did the name arise?

I guess it comes from how we like to approach arrangements to songs.. sometimes, with all of us finding our place, but still playing together or "all at once". The name came pretty early, I think I had it kicking around for almost of year before we started recording. It seemed to fit with the lyrical ideas I was working with too. I could try to explain that last sentence, but then I'd have to verbalize something that's only a bunch of thoughts in my brain, and I'm pretty sure that would sound terrible. The name has different meanings to different people in the band I think too, just like a song can be interpreted many different ways.

For indie artists from Ontario, what other Canadian artists have jumped out to you most recently?

I'm really liking the new Bruce Peninsula record, I've played that fairly frequently recently. Our friend Electroluminescent put out a record called Measures on vinyl, and it's kick ass. And Gasoline Gathers Hand, Gather Friends and Goatfooted from Hamilton are two groups to look out for. Also, we played with Timber Timbre a few months ago, and he was great. If we're talking about all of Canada the list would be huge, and I feel I should add some more bands to this list, but those ones above are great!

I've only noticed a few show dates on your calendar at the moment, including London. When do you expect to release your album and begin touring for that?

There's a few dates we haven't announced yet, but we're going to try to keep to about a show a week starting in April, and build from there. We're releasing the record on April 21st through Auteur Recordings, and we're going to start taking pre-orders on March 10th at www.auteurrecordings.com.

We're wanting to tour in the summer and later in the year. We really want to travel!

Lastly, which country would win in a rocks, papers, scissors contest - USA, Canada or Mexico? Why?

Mexico, because they have nothing to lose in this particular battle.


For more on The Rest, check out their MySpace or page on Auteur Recordings.

MP3: The Rest - Modern Time Travel (Necessities)

In anticipation of their release of Blue Lights on the Runway, which hits U.S. stores on March 3rd, we were able to sneak in a few questions to Ireland's Bell X1 (Bell Ex One) during their enormously busy press week.


I've heard to prepare for your recording sessions, you have played many of your new songs live. How did this technique work out for you when you actually recorded? Did this make or break any songs?

Well, we had most of the recording done by the time we did the shows, but it gave us a clearer idea of how to mix I think – what the more important parts were, and how the song should flow. We also added or re-did a couple of things having rehearsed and played them in front of people. There is no substitute for this.

Your Irish background has been said to influence your songwriting, how did that play a part in your upcoming album?

I’ve never thought that our being Irish was particularly reflected in the writing, though I suppose it’s hard for us to be objective about it. I do think you grow up in Ireland in the choppy seas of a strong oral tradition, a playfulness with words and stories, so you do pick it up by osmosis.

You've also had about three years to prepare for your newest effort - What has changed for you guys since Flock released in your hometown?

A lot.. The band has become a hub from which all kinds of side projects have sprung - we’ve all become involved in making music with other people and in different ways. Brian, who’s been with us since the start, got studioitis and has become a full time producer and movie soundtrack guy. And we now have our own label, BellyUp Records.

Your music shifts from rock to soft rock with ease, where do you most commonly draw your influences from?

Toto.

I read that being friends with your band members first has made the band gel together so easily and making music that much easier. Does your friendship within the band still play as strong a role?

Yea, I think we’ve become more intuitive with each other with each record. We don’t need to stop and explain ourselves as often. Friendship is important when you’re spending so much time with people, in far off climbs.

Paul, you used to play drums years ago and transitioned into a full-fledged singer for Bell X1. Did you find yourself going back to the drums at all for your recent effort?

I still play drums with whomever will have me, I love it. Will play for food…

You were able to make two rounds in the US on tour last year, did that come as much of as surprise you had so many people wanting to come see your shows?

I remember when we were starting out being amazed and thrilled when people started coming to shows that we didn’t personally know…and it still gets me when we go somewhere we’ve never been and a crowd shows up. Orlando, Florida? Athens, Georgia? Madness…

When we first played shows in the States a couple of years ago, before any records came out, we enjoyed the very modern phenomenon of everyone knowing the songs having found or traded on the internet.


Guys, thanks for taking the time to interview with us and good luck with your album.

Bell X1 is composed of Dave Geraghty, Paul Noonan and Dominic Phillips. Blue Lights on the Runway will be their fourth album, following Flock, Music In Mouth and Neither Am I. For tour dates, check out their MySpace page.

Morning Tide from The Little Ones has truly been a great addition to our collection this year. We did post about them at the end of October, but we wanted something for ourselves as well as our readers. Fortunately enough, we readied a few questions for the LA lads and they were more than happy to answer.

Hello Edward, Brian, Ian, Lee and David- it's great to finally get some words across to you guys- just listening to your music puts me in a good mood despite the constant cloudy days of the cold months on the East Coast. So California is a sunny place, but where did the cheer in your sound come from?

The cheer that's in our sound is a result of us all being really good friends that try to have as much fun as possible when playing together.

I understand you guys are pretty close. How do you all know each other?

Edward and Ian met in college and played in a band together. When that band ended, Ian and Ed went on to start writing new music and looking for new people to play with. Ian brought in me because I was always interested in playing music with him and we had met through his sister, who I date. Now the band had become 3 but we needed someone that could bass and it turns out Ed's brother Brian was in the room. All that was left was we needed a drummer and that's when I called long time childhood friend David who completed the five piece.

The name Little Ones immediately made me think you guys were all short. Where did this name come from and how did it stick?

The name came from Ed's two pugs and we needed a name so we could play a show. We didn't want to think to much about the name and after the first show it stayed with us.

Just a few short years removed from your 2006 release of Sing Song, but now you have a new label and your first full-length record, Morning Tide. Where have The Little Ones been and how has time affected your approach to recording?

After the Sing Song EP we started writing while on the road for Morning Tide. We were touring a lot in the UK so we actually spent two weeks recording part of it in London. After all the fun and hard work we had put into it we were dropped from our label two weeks before the record was about to be released. We were all shocked and it took us a little while to recover, but now the record is out with the help of our friends and label Chop Shop music.

Your sound has a folk-pop sound (just made that up) to it that clearly comes from many years in the sun and multiple genres. What artists have influenced you the most?

We are influenced by a lot of 60's pop bands like the Kinks, Zombies, and Beach Boys. Music from Brazil is also a big influence- Os Mutantes and Lo Borges.

Who is playing in your stereos these days and who would you highly recommend?

I think it's safe to say you can always hear one of us blasting some Mo-town stuff. We all really like the latest Elbow record, it's one of the best records that came out this year.

What are the tour plans for The Little Ones in the coming months?

First we are going to take a little break for the holidays and then probably do something early next year.

The day after the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series, you played a live session at Y-Rock on XPN. Did you catch any of the celebration during your time here?

Yes, Phillies fans are crazy! Congrats on the win, poor Dodgers.


For more on The Little Ones, check out their web site, MySpace and Last.FM pages.

The Shore, with their psychedelic rock, remain on top of our lists of favorite bands since 2004. Influenced by many sounds of the 60s, including Buffalo Springfield and The Beach Boys, the California foursome have had us repeatedly going back for more since their infectious, self-titled debut. We were delighted to hear of their news not more than a month ago of their new album, Light Years, which was released digitally on October 13th.

The band, consisting of Ben Ashley Wayne Faler, Kyle Mullarky and John Wilmer, were kind enough to give us some feedback on their current status, what went into their latest album and a few other meddling questions. Aside from the questions below, we strongly urge you to go out and buy Light Years, The Shore's second album on iTunes or give them a listen on their MySpace page. They are sure not to disappoint.

Since the release of your last record and your eventual departure from Maverick Records, what has happened with The Shore? Why such a long gap between records?

Well... A lot has happened. We left Maverick, which eventually was dissolved, a couple of us had children, management changes, etc. We were also searching for direction as a band.... I'd written about 60+ songs, which were eventually distilled down to what ended up on "Light Years". Plus we only release our albums in Olympic years!

Your new album 'Light Years' released digitally on October 13th, what is the significance of this album name?

I'd taken that title from the James Salter novel of the same name... basically about beautiful lives frayed over the course of time... which seemed to be a bit of a theme while writing the album.

You were once again working with Rick Parker (Sugarcult, Dandy Warhols), how did having him back in your corner help with completing this album?

Well, Rick's very good at reigning us in. Perhaps we would go way off course into some really abstract psychedelic stuff otherwise... He's able to produce in a way that isn't intrusive but more so inspiring in that he gets really great tones and sound.




Were there any setbacks making 'Light Years'?

Only in the time it took to actually get into the studio. We had the songs ready, as well as the vibe of what we were hoping would be translated in the recording. Once we actually got in to the studio everything flowed quite quickly.

Four years later and we're thrilled to hear your second album is ready for the public. Much has happened since then, how does 'Light Years' differ from your 2004 self-titled album?

I'd say some of our other influences perhaps are more relevant on this one... there's a lot of sitars and mellotrons and whatnot. Also I think the theme and vibe of this one is maybe a bit closer to how we are as musicians...

We at MusicUnderFire were quite fond of "Hold On" from your last album. What particular song off of your newest work are you most excited about?

I really dig all the songs on this album... but if pushed I'd have to go with "Wandering Light" or "Showers You With Love"

If you could go on tour with another group right now, who would it be?

Fleet Foxes are doing some great stuff right now... Or perhaps My Bloody Valentine or Oasis.

Besides the obvious CD release party with tons of champagne bottles popping, how are you going to celebrate your new album?

Hopefully by touring soon, and writing another masterpiece!

Anything else you would like to add?

Just thanks to everyone for hanging in there and believing in our music! Now go pick up "Light Years", and enjoy!!

About a month ago, I received a copy of Priscilla Ahn's debut album, A Good Day. Needless to say, I was playing "Wallflower" and "Astronaut" until the lyrics and melodies hummed in my dreams at night. After some added research I found out Ms. Ahn grew up in the same city as myself (Reading, PA) before pursuing her lifelong dream as an artist.

MusicUnderFire thanks Priscilla for the opportunity to ask her a few questions amid her blossoming dream.


Your new album is titled A Good Day. Where did you came up with such a positive sound while your life has been so hectic?

Priscilla Ahn: Well, fortunately, my life up until June 10th, has been pretty quiet and chill. I thought I'd name the album A Good Day after the last track on the album. While we were recording it, I loved it so much, and I also love the positive message it gives, that I just sort of yelled out --"this is gonna be the title of the album!" Whenever I think of a good day, in the past, or having one, I feel a little happier.


You have mentioned that your song "Wallflower" refers to you generally being alone at parties when you first arrived in L.A. Now that you have settled in, how have you adjusted to your new life in the city?

Priscilla: Yes, I have. Also, I don't go to those kinds of parties anymore. And if I do, I'm usually with really good friends, or my boyfriend, so I'm never really alone anyway. The social things I'll go to now are either shows, or dinner parties with close friends. it took me a few years to find these people though. They are what make L.A. home to me now. I'm very lucky to have them.


When away from the crowds and the bright lights, what do you do to stay sane?

Priscilla: I love my "alone" time. After I play a show, I need to chill out for a minute. Even though my shows are pretty mellow, I find myself being exhausted after playing. It's a lot of standing, and also, a lot of energy I'm giving out to the audience. So afterwards, I like to sit by myself and take a few deep breaths, and sometimes write in my journal. Then I'm re energized to go back out there and sign CDs or whatever. Also before shows, there's usually a lot of down time, so I like to walk around whatever city I'm in, and maybe get something to eat. It's very peaceful.


I'm particularly fond of your song "Astronaut". To me this is a dreamier song than "Dream" or "Lullaby". What is your favorite song on your album and why?

Priscilla: Thank you! That's very cool. I think my favorite song is "A Good Day". I love the sound of it. It's very simple, but at the same time, sort of not simple. We threw the song into reverse, and put pieces of it in backwards, here and there, which gives it that backwards effect.


Going along with the theme of dreams, if you had any other career besides a music artist, what could you see yourself doing?

Priscilla: Maybe being a therapist, or a school guidance counselor. I think people are very fascinating. Other than that, I could see myself traveling a lot, having kids, painting or something.


What is up next for Priscilla Ahn and where can fans catch her this summer?

Priscilla: I'm about to do a show here in West Virginia in about 20 minutes, opening up for Jakob Dylan. And then I'm gonna hit the road in a few weeks, doing some of my own shows, and then some opening up for Amos Lee and Willie Nelson, which I'm pretty stoked about! I think I'm doing a show at the Tin Angel in Philadelphia very soon too! I hope you can come!


Thanks a ton again, Priscilla.

On her website, Priscilla Ahn's tour dates, blog, store, music and other neat features can be found. If you like what you hear support her by buying A Good Day.

The trio from New York City, The Diggs recent release of their sophomore album Ctrl-Alt-Del has been making some noise for the band. Along side one of our favorite songs of the year thus far, "Recovery Forever", their latest is chock full of great songs. We were lucky enough to get a few words from the band about their progression, recording with Rudyard Lee Cullers and what Ctrl-Alt-Del is really all about.

People always are intrigued about band names - your name, The Diggs, seems somewhat straightforward (to us anyway). What are the biggest misconceptions you get based on your face value?

Robert: Oddly enough I didn't think that the name "The Diggs" was ever going to be the permanent. We were never crazy about it, but decided we could live with it for the time being and it just stuck. This was late 2003. After the first EP (2004’s Parahora), we just kind of stopped thinking about it. Now when people write about us, they often apply some sort of pun to the name (which is fine).
Timothy: The name is definitely straight forward and we chose it for that very reason.
Charlie: That we're a hipster band with a gimmick, when we're really just a straight ahead rock band.

How did your debut Commute affect your approach to your second album Ctrl-Alt-Del? What has been done differently this time around?

Robert: I guess we wanted to do something a little different. But really we just started working and writing and Ctrl-Alt-Del is what came out of it. Rudyard Lee Cullers produced the record this time around and I know that helped really set it apart from Commute. We just didn’t want to make the same record twice. Our ambition has always been to progress and grow as a band.
Timothy: The tracking for Commute was way more “These are great songs, lets record them,” while Ctrl-Alt-Del was “Okay, how can we make these great songs really fucking great?”
Charlie: The songs on Ctrl-Alt-Del are much more emotional and draw from some very deep experiences.

Did you find it easier making your second LP once you got your first under your belt?

Robert: I think in some ways. We knew what we wanted and what we didn't. But it’s always hard. You labor over it and obsess over it.
Timothy: For me it was way harder. To begin with, when you are the only guitar player and the only singer on a rock record, you are going to be the one who is in the studio for the most amount of time. Also, when working with a producer who is as hungry and as driven as the band is you are going to be pushed hard. Rudyard Lee Cullers had so many incredible ideas and we tried them all. It was exhausting but I'm thrilled with how the record came out.
Charlie: Yes. It becomes much more fluid.

Your album name Ctrl-Alt-Del is "a way to start over when everything gets messed up or stuck." Were there specific reasons you decided on this album name? When was the last time you wanted to just reboot?

Robert: I think we all had our own personal reasons. For me there were a lot of big decisions I had to make and a lot of things I had to come to terms with in order to make them.
Timothy: For a while I wanted to name the record Brightness Falls after a book that I had read and loved. Ctrl-Alt-Del was the working title of a novel that a friend of ours was working on and we thought it suited the energy of the record perfectly. We stole it with permission.
The last time I wanted to reboot was probably before I started The Diggs when I wasn't writing and playing these songs.
Charlie: I think everyone does either at the end of the day or at some major point in their lives. We all want to move away to the mountains when we realize that we made bad choices.

For a three-man band, you put out quite an energetic, yet sophisticated intermingling array of melodies and rhythms - have you considered picking up a fourth member to expand you possibilities or do you feel you are where you need to be?

Robert: I definitely think we are where we need to be. I think we enjoy the challenge. It is both more complicated and simplistic at the same time. Besides, we get a kick out of playing with a 7 piece band and blowing them out of the water (just kidding).
Timothy: I remember seeing a Yeah Yeah Yeahs show (Bowery Ballroom NYC February 2006) right before Show Your Bones came out and although it was a great show, it bummed me out seeing that they had acquired another guitarist even if it was just for their gigs. We just wouldn't be the same band with a fourth member. I love the simplicity of being in a three piece. Bands have gotten too large in numbers. If you ask me, it’s funny when we're just as loud as they are.
Charlie: No. We like it small and strong. This band always has a few tricks up their sleeves as far as looping and layering goes.

"Brigante" and "Recovery Forever" are two of my favorite tracks from this album, both are equally moving, driven by all three band members equally - where do you see your strengths as a band and what are your personal favorites?

Robert: I think our strengths are that we are all very experienced musicians and really good friends. We all have strong musical personalities and we give each other the room to explore them. As for our personal favorites, they change from week to week but “Recovery Forever” and “Brigante” are always up there.
Timothy: We know how to let music breathe right and we all know what should happen in a song. “Carpal Tunnel” and “Ctrl-Alt-Del” are my favorites on the record.
Charlie: My personal favorite is "And In The End Shoot Back." It's just a beautiful song that builds accordingly. I like how the band automatically orchestrates its parts without any unnecessary doubling (no one steps on anyone’s toes).

I read in an interview from about a year or so ago, that you (Timothy Lannen) were into the "Seattle thing" in the 90s, which made you miss out on all of the popular music from that period. What bands stuck with you and helped you grow as musicians from that period?

Timothy: The thing is those Seattle bands I liked were popular in the nineties. I should have been listening to The Stone Roses first record, The Verve, Ride, and The Pixies. I still listen to Nirvana though.

What have you been up to recently?

Robert: Writing new songs and supporting the new record around NYC. We’re still kicking around the idea of a brief US tour, but only if the situation is right. We’ll be doing a WOXY Lounge Act in the near future which we’re really looking forward to.
Timothy: We're really excited about music these days. We’re considering recording an EP over the summer that would consist of really loud straight forward guitar songs. We’d like to put it out quickly on a site like RCRDLBL or something like that. We just debuted a new song at a show last week at The Delancey in New York City and it went over really well.
Charlie: Working on getting my MA in percussive studies and writing film scores.

When you're not playing music, what do you find occupying your time?

Robert: Making out with my wife.
Timothy: I work at a cafe, read books, cook, and hang out with my lady.
Charlie: I enjoy reading, cooking, cycling, and learning and writing new music.

Thanks again guys for taking the time to answer these questions and best of luck this year.


MP3: The Diggs - Ctrl-Alt-Del (buy)

Check out The Diggs on their MySpace page, buy their album on iTunes or just visit their Official Page.

When it comes to music, the Irish rock scene has much to offer, particularly with Director, the 2006 sensation whose We Thrive On Big Cities captured the attention of avid rock-seekers abroad. Whether their matter-of-fact approach pulls you in, or if you're merely looking for a solid rock group to build your music library on, Director fits the mold.

Now that they've been back in the studio working on their next album for a few months, Music Under Fire is pleased to pull some thoughts from guitar lead Eoin Aherne about the band's current status and what to expect on their upcoming album.

First off, where are you all originally from, how long have you known each other?

We're all from Dublin. Michael, Rowan and I are all from the same town Malahide. It's a fairly small suburb, a seaside town. It’s become a little more cosmopolitan in the last few years (it now has a Starbucks etc.) but it’s mostly quiet with a few schools, a few pubs, a couple of churches a video store and increasingly a lot of women’s clothes shops. I went to national school with Michael and then secondary school too so I’ve known him for about twenty years which is usually a phrase only old people are able to use. Rowan was at the same secondary school and we were friends mostly – all quite into music but not in a band. The three of us finally got it together around the end of school and started playing at school shows and that kind of thing. We started to get much more into it once we started college and started doing our own songs but we still didn’t have a drummer and were playing our shows with quite a crappy drum machine. We weren’t having much luck with drummer auditions until Michael met Shea. They were both studying Music at college and Shea was up for abandoning his classical guitar to fulfil his Dave Grohl/Stuart Copeland ambitions. It was great to get a really musical drummer and we all have the same sense of humour which is always really important. It worked pretty much from the start.

What made you choose the name Director for your band?

It wasn’t really an epiphany moment. We wanted something that was one word, something that looked good on a poster and not to be a ‘the’ band. We played under the moniker of ‘Business’ for a time but it was taken by about a million others. I do think that in a way just the sound of the word Director or what it conjures up in your mind suits the type of music that we play. It’s authoritative obviously and that can only be a good thing. Most importantly if you say, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen…Director’ it doesn’t sound lame.

We Thrive On Big Cities has undoubtedly been a great step for Director. Your album reached #2 on the Irish album charts within its first weeks back in 2006, how has this changed your careers leading up to 2008?

We haven’t had to get real jobs would be the main one. We’ve been able to play shows around Ireland consistently with people always wanting to come and see us play. We hadn’t really been on the ‘scene’ much before it came out so it put us on the map in Ireland straight away. We moved from never having done an interview or having been on television to people ringing us up asking would we do stuff for them. It’s just so much easier to try and do something, get people interested in your band if you have an album under your belt. Obviously you guys are interviewing us because you like the record. If you try and tell one of your friends about a band you’ve just discovered the first thing they’ll ask is if their album’s any good? We’re really looking forward to its release internationally in the Summer. Hopefully it’ll be a slow burner while we’re recording or just get people interested for the second record.

We understand you've been back in the studio as of late, what have you been up to?

We recorded two tracks at the beginning of the year with a guy called Tom McFall who is Jack Knife Lee’s engineer. It was nice to be back at Grouse Lodge Studio where we recorded the first record. We weren’t really sure what the plan for the songs would be – whether we would go with one of them as a single or if they would be the start of the new album. I think mostly we were interested in trying to work with someone new to see how that process worked out. Tom had just finished recording R.E.M.’s new record in the same studio so he had a lot of experience in using the studio to its full potential. We realised after the session that we weren’t ready to push ahead with the rest of the album and needed more time to write. The writing’s gone well over the last few months and we plan to start recording the new album at the beginning of July but still haven’t made a final decision as to who we will be recording with.

Have you been experimenting with anything new?

We’ve been working a lot more with harmony and extra vocal lines. Big Cities has almost no backing vocals on it at all and Shea and I are singing a lot more which is opening up the songs more in ways we used to not try at all. We’ve also moved away a little from our policy of working on the songs just as a band in the room, making them work with just what we were playing there and then. In the beginning it was what we always did so we would never be faced with having to make a chorus ‘work’ in the studio by layering and layering or ‘fancy’ production and then have it sound weak live. We would always have the different parts speak on their own terms. I think we’re more open now to the possibility of adding keys or extra percussion as integral parts to the songs even if we’ll have to find a way around it live.

What are your biggest influences as an artist?

As a guitar player I love melodic guitar playing and guitarists. I’m a fan of guitar lines you can sing and can easily hum you any number of George Harrison solos. I love the fact that people like The Edge or Matt Bellamy or Josh Homme have their own sound – an identifiable sonic quality that when you hear them play on any number of different songs and different parts you still know it’s them. That’s something I would definitely strive toward. In the bigger sense of being involved in something creative I’m a huge admirer of people who are engaged in a craft, something that you have to work at. I’ve just finished reading Andy Summers from The Police’s memoir and despite being a massive rockstar and all that goes along with it the amount of time he talks about just practising his guitar by himself, for years before they ever made it is quite inspiring. I read a lot and admire the late Irish writer John Mcgahern for his very measured prose, carefully worked out and gone over again and again until it feels right. Someone like Nick Cave seems to subscribe to this mantra as a songwriter, just going and doing it everyday until you finally get something you’re happy with, and the whole band and Michael as a songwriter would definitely go along with this idea. Some days we’ll only make one bit of progress, one little change in a song and it’s only when you compare what you started with with what you have at the end that you can see all the progress you’ve made.

While you're not making music, what do you find yourself doing in your freetime?

I would like to say playing guitar; the idea of the musician who always has an instrument to hand but it’s nowhere near the truth. I’m a bit of a square and just do completely normal stuff like watch tv or read or go to the pub. We all have the same group of introverted friends pretty much from school but as it has happened none of us have real jobs. We’ve all ended up in a different band or as an actor or dj or journalist so we just hang out or go to gigs or to see movies. Michael has a passion for making weird home movies with another friend of ours so sometime we get roped into making small appearances in those but heaven forbid if they ever see the light of day.

If you could visit any place and play a show, where would it be?

For me I’d love to go and play shows in the States. I’ve never been over and I’d love to match up all my expectations from the countless American tv shows and movies and news with the reality. I really hope we get to some touring there with the new record. I think the further you get from your home with your music the more progress you feel you are making as a band so I think travelling to America would be both one big holiday and one big step for the band.

MP3: Director - Reconnect (buy)
MP3: Director - Big Cities (buy)

For more videos and info on Director, visit their Official Site or visit their MySpace page. Support Director by buying We Thrive On Big Cities through iTunes.

Maybe the complex sounds catch your attention. Maybe it is the mask behind which they hide that draws you in. Whichever reason you choose, Stars and Sons should at least be seen as an artist for the sheer innovation they bring to the table. With the assistance of Mike Lord from Stars and Sons, we were able to get a few answers on the happenings and thinkings behind this artistic exploration.

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MusicUnderFire: When/How did the concept of Stars and Sons first come about?

Mike Lord: Well basically I finished university last summer and went back home to work at Colchester Zoo. I spent 4 months selling melting ice-cream to satanic children. I remember seeing a sign on a particular enclosure which read “Do not be concerned, the orangutans may look sad, but they simply do not have the muscular ability to smile”. I realized how fitting this was of my current situation. Everything was turning a bit emo. Every week my boss would ask me when I needed to leave work to start the new university term. Every time I would explain “Look, I’ve finished, this is it for me now. Please don’t make me go and find another terrible job”. In October they realized I was still coming to work and they let me go. I spread my bruised wings and moved back to Brighton with aspirations of dole payouts and music making. Stars and Sons was formed as a bit of a retreat from this dull identity forged at the zoo over this time.

MUF: The atmosphere you create with your music comes across as something that a motley crew of guys would be playing at an old time saloon? What do you see Stars and Sons as?

Mike: I would like to think of Stars and Sons as unreliable, vague, unsettled, elusive... though in reality we’re just a slightly odd pop band. I’m a big fan of pop but I often feel that its presentation is a tad… safe? It is too easy for bands to settle for convention and simply do what current trends are prescribing in order to be successful. I’m not saying that Stars and Sons intend to be particularly GROUNDBREAKING but I’m hoping we can remain slightly unpredictable in our presentation. Basically, it depresses me when I watch George Lamb introducing a video exclusive of The Feeling live at the V festival complete with focus-group approved smiles and waves. A music school down the road from me in Brighton blasts out Kooks look-a-likes by the dozen. They spend 3 years pretty much learning the definition of “safe”.

MUF: Where does Stars and Sons get their creativity from?

Mike: Hmmm… well it’s hard for me to admit but I seem to have spent a large part of my childhood listening to Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals. My brothers rescued me in my early teens with their Elliot Smith and Ben Folds Five albums. I literally couldn’t believe how good this stuff was, but it was too late to rescue me from Webber’s icy-cold clench. I would be doomed to a lifetime of writing slightly theatrical, escapist pop music. Worst things have happened I guess.

MUF: The face that you guys have depicted all over your myspace page and your press releases, what is this face trying to tell your audience? Are you guys hopeful, happy, surprised- what are you guys feeling with this one picture depiction?

Mike: I’m just trying to make people ask questions. And then I’m gonna refuse to answer them. I can’t get enough of intrigue. Can you?

MUF: How secret are the faces behind Stars and Sons that aren't being revealed?

Mike: They are as secret as you want them to be. Be prepared for a lot more masks though; the cast is increasing, (though my printer is running out of ink...)

MUF: How long did the composition of The Goat Show EP take?

Mike: The EP was written and recorded over a period of about 3 months. We haven’t played any of it live yet so it was a really interesting experience... no artifact existed before the bedroom recording. Sometimes it was a case of write the lyrics, and then record them before you forget them. Then maybe double them up with some funky glockenspiel. We hadn’t refined the songs over a grueling yet ultimately rewarding tour schedule, and we never wrote this one during sound check in Atlanta so its sounding pretty raw. The songs aren’t about the road, they are about the bedroom, as well as the sofa. The bass lines were recorded in between grueling bouts of watching Garry Rhodes on daytime TV. Rock and Roll!!

MUF: When and where will people be able to catch Stars and Sons perform?

Mike: We are hard at rehearsal at the moment. We’re just making sure that the sound can be as full live as it is on the recordings, no cutting down to the meat and veg of the song. I want glockenspiels! tubular bells! trumpets! choirs! wheres my choir dammit!!

Mike: OK so maybe we will be using backing tracks for the additional instrumentation. But I don’t think it would even look particularly good having a million people on stage. I prefer to see a focused entity. I saw Arcade Fire at Brixton Academy a couple of months back and it just looked slightly confused to me, what with about fifty people competing for your attention. I like watching stuff like Cornelius, Deerhoof, Les Savy Fav, Gogol Bordello, people who really understand the best way to present themselves. Cornelius in particular. What a show!

MUF: What's up next for you guys?

Mike: Well at the moment we’re making a video for a new song. We’ve hoping someone will want to snap it up to release as a single. Its called In The Ocean and I’ve borrowed my Dad’s video camera so that me and another masked comrade can make it on a tasty budget of £zero. Its going to be a Michel Gondry inspired trip-out fest featuring a cast of salty celebs and aquatic pin-ups, bound together by some woefully discount/ultimately incredible video techniques. Woo!

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Check out Stars and Sons myspace page and get their free Goat Show EP. If you like what you hear, donate at their myspace.

Blended with three parts Irishmen and one part Canadian, Angel Pier carries a witty touch to their "melancholic" rock. With a new EP (Sacrifice) on the way and a North American tour illuminating their horizon, the guys from Angel Pier certainly pepped us up when they agreed to answer a few questions.

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MusicUnderFire: When did you first get into the music scene? Solo or as a group?

Luke: At age 14. About 6 Months after I picked up a guitar I started a "band" with other kids who had instruments and so on. Eventually it all evolved.

Darragh: Personally I've always been making music of some sort since I was a kid, from dance tracks thrown together with samples from anywhere and everywhere to banging furiously at the piano in my parents house I was always creating some sort of noise I considered music. The first real original music project I undertook was my one previous band, Random, where I learnt a lot about every aspect of being in a band, from learning to play guitar & write songs to how individuals relate to each other in that situation. I also learnt from this that the best way to write the music within the band is to let is grow naturally & democratically, and that's what we've all done within Angel Pier as best we can. Angel Pier came together very naturally, I was looking for musicians to work with & Mark came along, we needed a guitarist & Luke had been in touch, we began looking for a bassist & Vinny was the first person we thought of. I'm extremely grateful for each of the guys in the band and couldn't ask for a better bunch of musicians or a nicer bunch of guys. It just feels like it was meant to happen this way.

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MUF: You refer to yourselves as Angels a bunch. Tell me a bit about why/how you became Angel Pier and the significance of this name.

Darragh: In the previous band I was in I produced the artwork and angels always featured somewhere in the design, not always prominently but definitely there. My sister, Dawn is a great ideas person & is always interested in the music I'm working on, and at Electric Picnic (large Irish music Festival) one year she suggested naming the as yet unformed band "Something Pier". So both her and I wandered off trying to figure out what the something would be, and a couple of weeks later I was chatting to her about it & suggested "Angel" as the first part of the name. She had been thinking exactly the same thing but was afraid to suggest it, so that became the name. When we looked into the name a bit further, we discovered that there is an "Angel Pier" as part of Strasbourg Cathedral which depicts the Last Judgement from the Bible. This fits right in with our lyrical content which often utilizes religious imagery.

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MUF: I've seen the terms 'melancholic melodies' and 'gothic groove' used to describe your sound. What is this sound and where did it come from?

Mark: The sound is a compound made form many different personalities. What comes out is musically quite dark and but also has a danceable element to it coming from the rhythms that are created between the various elements which make up our sound.

Darragh: It comes from our original plan to put together a band that creates melancholic songs with an upbeat edge. I personally find melancholic music to be the most powerful and as a result the songs that come out tend to be leaning in that direction, but we also didn't want to create music that was depressing in any way or too laid back, so the heart of the music would have to have a driving edge, a groove so to speak. Marks influences in this area would be along the lines of The Cure & the Stone Roses amongst others, bands that always had an upbeat edge backing up the songs. With Vinny & Mark working together on creating a solid backing behind the songs we coined the "gothic groove" term to describe where we were coming from, & the "melancholic melodies" term describes the layers above this, the interplay between the guitars & the layers of vocals... It also helps that we all come from different musical backgrounds in terms of influences, it's the 4 separate personalities within the band that creates Angel Pier's sound, the whole being greater than the sum of it's parts...

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MUF: Why did you go with the name Sacrifice for your newest EP?

Darragh: It's not obvious on first listen that the lyrical content tends to be quite dark in places, just like layering melancholia with upbeat rhythms we like to have uplifting music placed against darker subject matter. It's important when naming tracks & EPs to suggest where the songs may be going just by reading the title. The lead track off of our Bullet Holes & Broken Sectors EP, Sprites lent some lyrics to the EP title, and in our minds was an apt title for what came within. Similarly, Sacrifice suggest the lyrical direction while providing continuity with our first EP title. "Sacrifice" is also the first track off of the new EP, and will be released as a single separately.

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MUF: When should we expect it to be released?

Darragh: We're currently looking at a June release for the new EP, and the "Sacrifice" single will be released as a lead up to the EP.

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MUF: How has working with the very experienced Leo Pearson on this EP been?

Luke: Very good. Quick, to the point and very professional. He provides good guidance without butchering your songs. Just adds/suggests little things that 1) will sound better 2) will sell more.


Vinny: Pretty much what Luke said, you gotta put faith in Leo, trust him.

Mark: Great. He works fast and gets good performances from people... not necessarily the most technical one but the one with the best energy. He also helped us to push ourselves in terms of arrangements and harmony.

Darragh: Leo was great in many ways. His studio is based in the heart of the Irish country and is right beside a very welcoming & relaxed little town (Thomastown) that has a great music scene. It was great to be away from our usual environs to get some additional perspective on what we're doing, sometimes it's too easy to remain so close to what you're doing that you can't quite form a subjective opinion on what it is you're producing. Leo's studio is based in an old barn on two floors, with a great live room downstairs with really nice natural reverb, especially good for recording drums, and far enough away from urban life that you can crank the amps for the best guitar sound. Leo was great at getting a good almost live performance from each of us when recording and didn't dwell on elements for very long. We went down with the intention of recording, arranging & mixing 4 tracks in a few days, and without succumbing to the usual working through the night methodology we achieved what we set out to do. It was all very relaxed yet professional, and of course we had a few beers as well, helped to keep us warm while living in the nearby caravan (trailer)... (indie) rock 'n roll...

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MUF: Final question. Your band is part Irish and part Canadian- which gets served more, Canadian beer or Irish whiskey?

Luke: Since it's hard to get Canadian beer in Ireland it's all about Guinness I guess. But that will change once we are in Canada for the tour. Canadian beers all the way.

Vinny: Grandpa Simpson: " A little from column A, a little from Column B. I reckon I've drank more Canadian Whiskey than Canadian Beer, thanks Luke ('',)...

Mark: Canadian Whiskey!

Darragh: When Luke arrived back from Canada it was Canadian whiskey all around. I like my whiskey, but it doesn't like me... We hit Canada March 4th...

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Angel Pier just launched their user-friendly web page on March 3rd, so check it out. Their debut EP Bullet Holes & Broken Sectors released on iTunes on January '07. "Sacrifice" and their older songs can be heard to at their myspace page.