Tag Results: bowlegs
Bowlegs Interview: Chelsea Wolfe
Forget what you’ve heard before, Chelsea Wolfe’s latest, Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs, has stripped away the layers, closed all the doors and delivered a set of intimate and delicately devastating music. We caught up with Chelsea to find out how the album came about.
Bowlegs: A Collection of Acoustic Songs sounds like a record of outtakes, demos, songs without a home? Is that the case? Why the need for the ‘acoustic’ clarification in the title?
Chelsea: It’s a group of songs that includes ones I wrote years ago, performed live but never recorded for a release, as well as new acoustic songs. All the recordings are new though; I felt it was important to approach the older songs in the way that is relevant to my style as an artist today. I typically don’t stick to one genre or style of music on an album, but this one is predominantly acoustic instrumentation, analog or a cappella so I wanted to classify it as such.
Bowlegs: We’re a world away from tracks like Demons from Apokalypsis. Was it a more personal experience – these songs obviously feel more intimate. Did you ever have to stop yourself piling on additional instrumentation?
Chelsea: I’ve always written minimal songs and I’ve always written songs that have lots of layers and atmosphere, so it was more about choosing the right songs for this album. I do think that the tone of these songs is more personal though, yes. I haven’t always been open to sharing my more personal songs but felt I was ready to start doing so.
BOWLEGS: The Fang Island - Interview
We recently described Fang Island’s Major as a straight up, sometimes sideways, slice of proper, sweet, heart on sleeve, riff-laden pop and rock – which roughly translated means we love the shit out of it. This group know their way around a good song, they fire riffs off like they’re going out of fashion, drop melodies for fun and rock the fuck out whenever the mood might take them. It was clearly time to track one of the three-piece down – thankfully guitarist Jason Bartell stepped up and provided the answers.
Bowlegs: This album has more vocals. Was it liberating to give a little more narrative to your music? Did you have more to say or was it more a case of what seemed right for these particular songs?
Jason: A little of both I would say, in both cases. It has been liberating to have more lyrics, but also kind of scary, and I definitely try to follow what the song seems to be demanding. Riffs like the rhythm hook in Sisterly just beg for lyrics and vocals, so I followed that need. I had been kicking that riff around for a good year before finding the right vocal hook for it.
Bowlegs: While writing and recording do you all instinctively know when a song is working or do corners occasionally have to be fought? Were any songs won or lost while recording Major?
Jason: I think we all kind of instinctively know when a song is working in Fang Island, it’s usually when a riff or idea makes us laugh and smile. When I walk around singing fake lyrics to a silly riff I know we’re on the right track. Theres not too much fighting in this band ha.
