If we had to describe London's The Clientele in one word, it would be "dreamy." Their gentle, sad, and beautiful songs give life a Sunday morning's full of blurry edges and recollections when they're playing. The band have struck a more upbeat note on new album God Save The Clientele, but it's still a matter of degrees, as the signature sounds of the group remain intact. These songs are still made for headphones, long walks alone, and autumn evenings. We recently spoke to Alasdair MacLean of The Clientele about visiting Austin, influences, and British-American relations.
Your new record God Save The Clientele is decidedly more upbeat than the others have been. Why?
I don't know. A sudden and inexplicable feeling of happiness for about three months when I was writing the songs? Maybe also watching Spoon play when we toured with them, and seeing how they overawed their audiences, who were rather less receptive to the sort of arty dreamy torpor we were doing at the time. Maybe Strange Geometry did that slightly gloomy mid-tempo thing to death. But don't worry, the next album will be so depressing it'll have people jumping out of windows. If anyone buys it, that is.
of the degeneracy which comes with the end of empire"
The Merge website mentions the Monkees and The Byrds as big influences on this album. We're also hearing some Burt Bacharach. Are we crazy?
You may be. But Mark (our drummer) loves Bacharach, and I have a sneaking respect for him. I love that really square 60's stuff, some of it is the darkest music ever made. And try and play his stuff, it's not as easy as it looks!
Mel Draisey has joined The Clientele as a "multi-instrumentalist." How does that change your sound?
We now have a lot more tuning issues.
The band has toured quite a bit in the US despite being based in London. Is touring internationally like this liberating? Frustrating? Depressing?
It's fine, and I'm grateful we have an audience away from home. I'd be a bit of a miserable bastard to moan about it.
Do you find that British stereotypes of Americans hold up, i.e. we're too loud and consumerist and xenophobic, or do we ever surprise you for the better?
None of the stereotypes hold up. The first time i visited Austin, I was amazed at all the co-ops and the communal yellow bicycles (tell me you do have co-ops and communal yellow bicycles and I wasn't just hitting the drugs a bit too heavy that night!) I promise you, the Americans I meet are the intellectual future, they'll be reading the same things and thinking about the same things as the European kids, but with enthusiasm, without irony or any sense that it's all futile. Back home, people have this sense of lassitude, of the degeneracy which comes with the end of empire, or starting to drink at 18 rather than 21 or something. This can make Americans eminently bright eyed and slappable to Europeans, but in the final analysis, the future's in the USA.
Have you ever spent any time in Austin during SXSW or otherwise? How did you find the experience?
I've had a few days there, and I love it. That hot sauce shop near Emo's is incredible.
Finally, you're playing here in Austin at Emo's with support from the lovely duo Beach House. Do you know them, and might you play with them?
No, I've never met them. I hope they're nice. I like their music, so as far as playing-with goes, never say never.
The Clientele play Emo's on Saturday, May 19th with support from Beach House and Ralph White. Tickets are $10.45 and are on sale now through TicketWeb.
Image via The Clientele's official site. Photographer uncredited.
add to digg
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
email this
add to facebook
add to del.icio.us
Dreamy is definitely the right word for the Clientele. Check out my review of their recent concert at Emo's:
"Last weekend in Austin, bands at the 'Chaos in Tejas Fest' pumped screamo-rock into the ready ears of over a hundred teens clad in black t-shirts and decorated with chains and tattoos. Inside the same venue, Emo’s Lounge, a completely different vibe was brewing. Fans of The Clientele swayed to tranquil, nostalgic..."
[read the rest at www.iVorytowerz.blogspot.com ]
Dreamy is definitely the right word for the Clientele. Check out my review of their recent concert at Emo's:
"Last weekend in Austin, bands at the 'Chaos in Tejas Fest' pumped screamo-rock into the ready ears of over a hundred teens clad in black t-shirts and decorated with chains and tattoos. Inside the same venue, Emo’s Lounge, a completely different vibe was brewing. Fans of The Clientele swayed to tranquil, nostalgic..."
[read the rest at www.iVorytowerz.blogspot.com ]
Dreamy is definitely the right word for the Clientele. Check out my review of their recent concert at Emo's:
"Last weekend in Austin, bands at the 'Chaos in Tejas Fest' pumped screamo-rock into the ready ears of over a hundred teens clad in black t-shirts and decorated with chains and tattoos. Inside the same venue, Emo’s Lounge, a completely different vibe was brewing. Fans of The Clientele swayed to tranquil, nostalgic..."
[read the rest at www.iVorytowerz.blogspot.com ]
self-promote much?
yeah...I don't wanna see any band whose fans sway to the music.
Hey so sorry about that ol'pappy and mcdreamy- that was a tech mistake on my part- not a deliberate attempt to pat myself on the back. i'll be more careful in the future