Photo: press
After 20 years together and riding the unpredictable wave of success from cult act to the mainstream and back again, many bands would struggle to have half the fire and imagination as Idlewild. Now they're back, with one of the most ambitious records of their career.
It's the sound of a band rediscovering themselves, and stepping back into the fray on their own terms, with a renewed spirit.
Ahead of Everything Ever Written's release on 9 February, Idlewild guitarist and producer Rod Jones takes on a track-by-track journey of their incredible seventh album.
'Collect Yourself'
"This felt like a good way to start the album and introduce the new band, as it was one of the few songs we all wrote together in a room near the end of the writing process. Andrew Mitchell and Lucci had both joined the band by this point and we jammed a few ideas together in a small studio in Perthshire. The way the new band gelled together so instantly and the feel of excitement in the possibilities thrown up by the addition of our new members just led to this song coming together almost effortlessly. For me, the contrast of sweet vocal harmonies against the abrasive guitar is something that makes this track stand out."
'Come on Ghost'
"As with much of the album, there were several drafts of this song from the original acoustic demo Roddy and I wrote to getting Colin, then Lucci involved. The way it was pulled in new directions each time we added to it gave us the idea to try to build a sort of alternative symphony at the end of the song. Adding a saxophone solo, other brass, strings and a piano played with drumsticks to make a dissonant cacophony to compliment or almost argue with the distorted drums and guitars. I love the contrast of the simplicity of the first half compared to the more ambitious end. One of the most interesting to record and a real learning curve for me as a producer."
'So Many Things To Decide'
"This was one of the few songs on the record to be 'road tested' in that we played a stripped back version on a few small acoustic dates over the summer before recording it. As is often the case, demos of songs have a life to them which can be hard to re-capture when in the studio and so we decided to record this one live. The spirit of the song and its raggedness really came across this way and the looseness really adds to the recording. This also features a recording debut on acoustic guitar by Mr Woomble (this is not the reason for aforementioned raggedness)."
'Nothing I Can Do About It'
"Certainly this could be considered the most 'Idlewild' sounding song in relation to our former selves. It's almost a transitional song to me. One foot in the past and one in the future. Hinting at the new band and where we are going with some interesting keys and harmonies but also very straight and pop. We tried a few times to make it weirder to fit more with the rest of the album but realised that it was just a good song as it was. We've never been shy of a catchy melody and sometimes songs have to be treated on their own merits and less as part of the big picture. Its actually taken on a much more interesting life to me a s a live track now though as we rehearse for the upcoming tour."
'Every Little Means Trust'
"I remember Roddy and myself sat down together to write for the first time in a good few years and within a few hours the bare bones of this song had come together. Being procrastinators, we'll often second guess songs and ideas right up until the end of an album but with this one I think we both knew very quickly that it was a really strong song. Although a very diverse and fairly experimental record, there was a place for a few songs that were more straightforward and just could stand up on their own. Some songs just sound good however they are played whether its with a guitar and voice or with a full band and this just immediately felt like that."
'(Use It) If You Can Use It'
"I'd say this is probably one of my favourite songs sonically speaking. Certainly I'm really proud of the recording and tones. Its a classic mid album lynchpin holding together a lot of the moods on the record and a good example of where our styles and interests meet with the sugary pop chorusses and the more acid fried solo and outro. Nodding to a few influences for me like Wilco, Neil Young and Fleetwood Mac."
'Like A Clown'
"Written and recorded up in Mull at An Tobar initially with Lucci, Roddy and I, it really captures the relaxed and open feel of that time to me. Re-inventing ourselves a little as we started playing together with Lucci for the first time and reacting to the way he played which gave us so many new ideas. We revisited the song during the last session and really felt it needed some kind of drive or beat but nothing seemed to fit. That is until we found the filing cabinet. Skilfully played by Colin."
'On Another Planet'
"Sometimes, however much you change direction and explore other styles and ideas, we still feel the need to just stick the distortion pedal on and write a rock song. As I remember it this just came from us having fun jamming together early on in the writing process and it just had an immediacy and life to it that although maybe not breaking new ground felt like a good punctuation point for the album. Its a catchy alternative rock song. Nothing more, nothing less and I like it."
'All Things Different'
"Where to start with this one. Honestly it began as a more tongue in cheek jam me and Roddy had in Mull. Maybe apparent by my trumpet 'playing'. Strangely, or at least to me, it started to grow on us though as we listened through to the early demos. There was a sense of freedom and abandon that really appealed to me that was maybe lacking in some of our more structured past work. There's something great about the way the chaos of the verses snaps into form with the harmony driven chorus. Elements of Steely Dan meets the Doors I think. I can't imagine a song like this on one of our other albums but it just worked this time and that is what excites me most."
'Radium Girl'
"The last song to be recorded and I hadn't been completely sure about it right up to the end. A last ditch day in the studio when Roddy came in with hardly any voice left but then almost ad-libbed the vocals in a really characterful "croak" which just immediately made sense to me all of a sudden. One of the surprisingly rare (for an idlewild record) pop moments."
'Left Like Roses'
"There's a fluidity and drone almost to this song that I really like. Although it maybe doesn't sound like Krautrock there is a definite nod to that style in the way it sonically stays very consistent the whole way through, relying on melody more for punctuation. The spookiness that comes from the piano (out of tune) and the rhodes (in tune) blending together really makes it for me. I'd love to take credit for the idea but we didn't notice until we'd already tracked the piano. Happy accident."
'Utopia'
"Recorded up in Mull again and this was for me one of the most important moments in the whole recording. We pulled the song apart from the early demo and just let Lucci run with it on his own and then with some atmospherics on the guitar we sent Roddy in to sing. The following take just was a real moment when I remember looking at Kris (engineer) and we both just knew this album was going to be great."
Idlewild release their new album Everything Ever Written on 9 February 2015. To celebrate, the band will also be touring to support the record. Full dates and ticket details are below. For tickets and information, visit here.
26th February - Strom - Munich
27th February - Luxor - Cologne
1st March - Lido - Berlin
2nd March - Knust - Hamburg
3rd March - Bitterzoet - Amsterdam
7th March - O2 ABC - Glasgow
8th March - O2 ABC - Glasgow
10th March - The Institute - Birmingham
12th March - The Ritz - Manchester
13th March - Roundhouse - London
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