Eddy Current Talk Album #3
News posted Wednesday, December 16 2009 at 01:00 PM.
Related: Eddy Current Suppression Ring.
Their Australian Music Prize-winning record 'Primary Colours' was described as more ’82 than ’77, so what do Eddy Current Suppression Ring have in store for its much anticipated follow-up? PATRICK EMERY finds out.
With their second album, the Australian Music Prize-winning Primary Colours, Eddy Current Suppression Ring sniggered at the “Difficult Second Album Syndrome”. For their third, they’ve ignored the temptation to bath the recording process with the trappings of success – the big LA studio, mountains of Panamanian cocaine and a big name (albeit psychologically volatile) producer – choosing instead to head down to Revolver Rehearsal Studios in Melbourne early one evening in August. Six hours later, the band walked out from the studio with third LP, Rush To Relax, in the can.
Sitting in the Elms Family Hotel on the northern edge of the CBD, guitarist Mikey Young and his brother, drummer Danny, are typically enigmatic about the recording process.
“The songs were pretty fresh, we hadn’t played many of them live,” says Danny. “Some of them were song-ish,” adds Mikey. “They had a bit of a structure, so we just thought we’d see how they went. It turned out to be surprisingly easy. We didn’t think we’d end up recording a whole album. We were just messing around with ideas.”
After the release of Primary Colours, Mikey contrasted it with the band’s eponymous debut as “more 1982 than 1977”. He locates the third album midway between those reference points, in around 1979. So is it influenced at all by Fleetwood Mac?
“Yeah, that’s it – mountains of coke!” he laughs. “I feel we’re a lot more at ease with doing whatever we want do without thinking too much about it. If we want to do a seven-minute song, then we’ll do a seven-minute song.”
It’s not that Eddy Current have every felt compelled by external forces to do anything other than follow their artistic inclinations at the time. However, for Mikey, some things have changed – the desire to play longer songs, for instance.
“I reckon I’d have had to push you hard to play a seven-minute song a few years ago,” he challenges his older brother.
“But look at that first recording – there’s a 20 minute song,” counters Danny.
“Will you put it out?” Mikey asks.
“Yeah, I reckon we should. That’s why I listen to it the whole way through. There are no mistakes,” Danny says.
“I don’t want to just sit around listening to Saints records every day. I totally want to listen to The Cars and Duran Duran.”
The pair agree that there’s more depth to the songs on Rush To Relax, than on the band’s previous records. But, says Danny, the album’s loose structure might “annoy” some fans. “There’s one song that has no structure to it, and has never had a structure to it, and then there are songs that are really short,” he says. Mikey describes the seven-minute track as influenced by Krautrock. “It never starts the same, or finishes the same,” he says.
Moving past the album’s sonic qualities, Eddy Current have belatedly embraced album art, splashing out considerably more cash on its design than the cost of the recording itself. As for its title, Mikey says it derives from a tune that was left off the record.
“With the cover and the first single [‘Anxiety’], it’s not like it’s a concept album, but there definitely seems to be a common element of stress and holidays in the songs. But that’s been an accident, really. We just wrote that song, and we had an idea for a film clip and a cover for the single, and then we realised it was a good name for the album. It was just accidental. There’s a bunch of stuff in the middle that doesn’t really tie-in.”
The pair don’t feel inhibited by any sense of expectation deriving from the success of the first two records. However, Mikey is bracing himself for some critical commentary on certain songs from Rush To Relax. “There’s one song on this record that I think, ‘I dunno what dudes are going to think about this one,’” he laughs. Danny agrees. “If it was on the first record, people wouldn’t have thought twice about it because it would just be there.”
So is the band consciously trying to make a different album?
“I suppose maybe unconsciously,” adds Mikey. “I want to gravitate towards something different. It’s just like my record collection. There’s a whole lot of different records: pop music, African music, whatever. I don’t want to just sit around listening to Saints records every day. I totally want to listen to The Cars and Duran Duran.”
Rush To Relax will be out through Shock in March.
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why is there this constant fascination about the length of time it takes them to record an album? so they went into the studio and 'messed around' and 6 hours later had an album?....b^llshit..... by album number 5 they'll have it down to 10 minutes
p.s. i actually like this band, this recording bit just annoys me
as they say, the proof will be in the pudding.
No one says that.
Results 1 - 10 of about 1,180,000 for ''proof will be in the pudding''.
must you naysay all my post, block?
The proverb, ''The proof of the pudding's in the eating'' (often erroneously shortened to ''the proof is in the pudding'')[2] dates back to at least the 17th century.[3] The 17th Century saying translates .... for whatever the ingredients, let the final-sweet taste alone be judged.
OK so people say it but are wrong. Carry on.
erroneously quoted, perhaps, but the sentiment remains. evidently i don't remember the 17th century quite as well as you, Sir Trevor of Blockston.
If you can remember the 17th century, you weren't really there.
So what does the cover actually look like?
Recorded in August, out in March. Wouldn't it be great if instead just released an album every year.
arrggh! too long a wait
Prince, I reckon it's fair to discuss how long was spent recording. It says a lot about the process, how the band works, how much is live versus tracked, etc. Especially when recording an album in a day is genuinely rare nowadays.
It's been a talking point for many albums, time and price. Husker Dü did an album in a night, or something? Bleach cost fuck all to make? What it insinuates is that the band's performance skills are so awesome that they can record a whole album in one take.
For a certain breed of music lover the statement conjures up images of a kick-arse band with tonnes of raw energy.
Where does that 'messed around' come form?
''why is there this constant fascination about the length of time it takes them to record an album?''
it also says how little the band is in debt. a band in serious debt is at the mercy of the label. a band in little to no debt is free to make the music it wishes......
Thats a load of crap Mickster.
That grumpy old dude in Sydney who loves Transvision Vamp and Rob Younger is going to be pissed.
err, junkie phil, you trying to tell me ECSR are in debt?? too many oz bands overspend $$ in the studio and never, ever, have a chance of getting in front financially.
No, as if.
You've made out a band in debut can't make the album they want too, which I think it a load of crap.
Only a shit lable would 'make' a band put out something they didn't want to.
And being that Eddy are on their own lable to some extent, as if this was ever going to happen to them.
i reckon if you chart out a bands career, the more in debt they become, the worse the music they make becomes
suprised nobody has said oh noes! and that a chorus of others haven't said yeah man new influences! paradox alert!
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Meredith set was great! I think the only new song I remembered was second guessing?
Thanks to the person who gave me a beer during as well - meep
Most of the takes on MBV's Loveless were first takes. That album nearly bankrupted creation.
Has anyone remarked how little there is in the article? It's paucity is obvious.
They totally ruled at Meredith
It will be out in February. Recorded in august,(yes in 6 hours, thats just how long it took) some people like to know, Mikey leaves it for a bit then mixes it, choose songs, times etc to fit vinyl first, mastering, organised a prop, took some photos, artwork, Xmas, test press, production, distribution... hope this explains why it takes awhile. not holding out at all.
Single get's a 7/10 from Pitchfork too!
can't wait oh man oh man oh man
needs to wee dance
I really just dont get ecsr. sorry.
URIS!
The international double pack of the first two albums got 8.1/8.2 on Pitchfork.
There’s an ECSR interview up on the UNBELIEVABLY Bad blog for anyone interested/bored enough.
Love, Danger xxxooo666
ah shit, link didn't work.
It's at: http://www.unbelievablybad.com/?p=747
xxxooo666
cool interview bad sounds like less time for oogas :(
rush to relax LP chart prediction? how many do they need to get #1? Will Kirk Pengilly play n the album #4?
Every talk more shit about time and recording!
i know, it gets pretty old doesn't it. is that really the most interesting thing about them?
Anyone spot the spelling mistake in the Rats ad in street press this week: ''Mikey Young from Eddie Current''? Nice one, haha!
I just heard this record. I like it. A fucking lot.
i'd like to read an interview with brendan.
The interview in Mountain Fold Issue 1 is with Brendan.