Since I last enthused profusely about Last Harbour back in March, their album ‘Your Heart It Carries The Sound’ has been receiving widespread praise from the likes of Artrocker, Uncut, Sunday Times, Blankpages to name just a few. Never a band to rest on their creative laurels, they are back on tour with the intention to expand their sound visually. With the band working in collaboration with visual artist Andrew Brooks, I am certain we can expect nothing short of beautiful. Here I grab 5 with singer Kevin Craig to find out more.
Why and how did Last Harbour get together as a band?
David Armes (guitar) and I had a mutual appreciation of various films and music. For some forgotten reason, we sat around a little 4-track tape recorder one night and tentatively tried recording. Everything started to build from there- we thought we should have more instruments to build this sound we had in our heads. Gina Murphy answered a poster we put up, which was an unlikely thing for us to do. James Youngjohns and Michael Doward just seemed to to fit in naturally, as did new drummer Howard Jones. It’s all been a natural progression from that one night, of trying to capture ‘that sound’.
How has your sound developed and changed since you got together?
I think it’s become much more complex, more precise than it was. I feel that we can say what we want to say in a more direct manner. And I think that we’re probably more open to other influences than we were at the beginning. And David has more pedals. Many more pedals.
What are your main musical influences?
Personally? Swans, Roxy Music, Scott Walker.
And what else culturally plays a part in your music?
I think there’s a whole host of things which effect the music. We’re a fairly cinematic band, that’s the kind of tone we have. So film and cinema are a definite influence, lyrically. It’s difficult to say how much being based in Manchester effects the music. There are certain elements that come through, I guess.
We’re a fairly cinematic band, that’s the kind of tone we have. So film and cinema are a definite influence, lyrically.
Can you tell us about your new album?
‘Your heart, it carries the sound’ was written in a small cottage in Northumbria, over a fairly intense week, under siege mentality, then recorded in a church in Manchester. Sam Lench, who recorded the album, used the natural acoustics of the church, carefully arranging us to create the right sound, that was partly us, partly the building. The theory was that we were creating a recording of these specific songs in a specific space and that the album would be a document of that. And that kind of ties in with the themes of the album. The interior world. The sound.
And what do you have planned for your tour?
The tour is going to be a first for us. We’re collaborating with visual artist Andrew Brooks. He’s a really incredible photographer, who we’ve worked with previously on our single ‘Lights’ and the new single ‘Replacements’. For these shows Andrew will be re-interpreting a selection of songs, mixing specific films live as we play. So each song will soundtrack a different film. It’s an attempt to create a different kind of show for us.
We’re collaborating with visual artist Andrew Brooks, he will be re-interpreting a selection of songs, mixing specific films live as we play. So each song will soundtrack a different film. It’s an attempt to create a different kind of show for us.
Watch the video for ‘Replacements’ here.
For more information about Last Harbour visit their webpage or go to their Facebook page.
To buy tickets for their show on the 24th October at Islington Mill go here.
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Music
