Wednesday 27 June 2012

Broadway Sounds



The Melbourne dance scene loves a winter. The colder it is, the hotter it gets on the tiles and this winter looks to be no exception. Some big tunes coming from bands like The Bamboos, World's End Press and some big disco nights around town. You can keep your crappy summer dance festivals, winter disco is all about the dance-floor in M-Town.

So, it's nice to see a new crew step to it. Any band that lists their major influence as "The Robert Mitchum Calypso LP" is going to be alright by me. And indeed, this band is alright.

Coming out of a Melbourne winter, Broadway Sounds have just the right feel to them. They're an 8-piece jam, blending pop with summery beats and gentle rolling rhythms. Soulful without spilling over into schmaltz, groovy without giving over to the mainstream. Not-quite afro-beat boogie-funk. This is how Lost Animal could sound if they learnt how to smile. How Miami Horror could sound if they came back home. It's what you need to play as you drive down the Eastern Freeway at 5:27pm in the rain on the way home with a bottle of wine for you and your baby. Forget the Barry White mixtape of luurrrrrve. Put this on!

With their new EP; "WIldflowers" just released, I got the chance to ask  Andrew -- singer/ guitartist/ keys/ percussionist (yep, the guy has talent) a few questions.

With the release of your new EP,  how would you best describe the sound that you're going for?
For this EP, soulful was the encompassing word. Essentially we are a pop band making pop songs. The sounds and presentation vary from song to song, but the overall emotion and feel - that comes from within and that is the thread that holds this whole thing together.


How long have you been playing around Melbourne? Broadway Sounds are quite a new band, were you involved in any other musical pursuits before this?
We just started playing a few months ago! We've done a couple of shows and they have been soooooooo fun! I've spent about ten years working on finding my voice and learning to write songs that best reflect me, and now that my friends are on board we are something different altogether! I guess before I got myself into this I was in other projects that didn't really make it out of the house.


Tell us how you put this EP together.
The EP was pretty much a record made in my bedroom. At that time the band wasn't together, it was pretty much made by me with friends playing and singing on certain songs. Simon Landid and Emmanuela Degery sung on 'Sad Song For Easy Lovers' on the EP and are in the live band. They are both so amazing. The legendary Dave Evans played accordion on 'Wildflowers' and is in the live band when we can get him! Same goes with Adam Simmons, who played saxophone and flute on the EP - he is one of the best jazz musicians I've ever heard.

Aaron Shanahan (of Miami Horror) co-produced and mixed the EP. He's one of my best friends, and pretty much turns anything into amazing - so I feel very lucky to have him on board with making records.

When the EP was finished, Clinton Tokona (bass), Philip Jones (drums, vocals and percussion), Otis Chamberlain (keys) and Jen Bishop (sax, vocals and percussion) all came on board and turned it from being a bedroom project into a fully fledged band. I have known Phil and Clint for years and are super sweet guys. I feel like I've known Jen and Otis for just as long too. All of those guys are amazing musicians with a huge depth of knowledge about music and performance; and are great friends. It's a pretty sweet situation I find myself in.

And then there's King Marong! Say no more.

We're planning another EP for summer, and it will be a band effort. I can't wait.



And I understand you do some DJing, too
I love dj'ing! its the perfect outlet for me to showcase records that I've found over the years and sharing them with drunk people. The music varies, sometimes I play a mish mash of different styles, other times I focus on a genre and stick with that for the night. Depends on the situation and what I get myself into. When I dj, it pretty much reflects the band and the EP. It's all related and relevant.


So, when can we catch you guys?
We are playing at The Liberty Social Club in Melbourne, Friday July 13th! I also DJ there on a monthly rotation on Thursday nights. Step to it!




We've got a Soggy Disco Biscuit Exclusive here! A free download of the new single "Over and Over and Over Again."



And you can get the whole EP here



Oh, and here's some Robert Mitchum singing "Coconut Water". Why, well why the hell not?

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