Alfie are loose in magic melody-land

Let’s glance at the present musical marketplace: ‘Pop Idol’ in one corner of the commercial ring, the rock-escapism of The Darkness (Europe-cum-Spinal Tap?) and fast-fading Metallica-likes in another, the third is occupied by the ephemeral dance scene and the fourth is the one attempting to fight for rock ideals, either by retro or other means: The Strokes, The Coral, Interpol and Alfie… The fact is that Alfie’s third disc, ‘Do You Imagine Things?’, makes The Coral’s sophomore release ‘Magic & Medicine’ sound rather ordinary.

The Manchester-based Alfie released two albums on the Twisted Nerve, as well as backing their label boss’, Damon Cough a.k.a. Badly Drawn Boy, on his Mercury Music Award winning ‘The Hour of Bewilderbeast’. The band that supported Coldplay and Sigur Ros among others, with a major recording contract in their pocket, are realising an album that is full of… Well, Alfie’s single ‘Stuntman’ was considered “too-out” for the alternative radio station Xfm, even!

Vocalist Lee Gorton and guitarist Ian Smith represent the five-member outfit; the former starts our conversation with observations regarding approach to the new album…

“We were determined to do as well with this one as we could,” the singer is the main mouthpiece of the band, “because the situations used to be suppressive… As soon as we realised we had this opportunity, bigger budget and being able to be in a studio as long as we wanted to be… We then put a pressure on ourselves, which we didn’t used to, we’d just write songs and roll through things, have a great time doing it…”

“We wanted to really try hard and do something special,” Gorton continues, “and we could do it… We never had time to remix, or re-record anything… On the last album we had to pick ten songs and record them and it would come out regardless of how they turned out. This time we wrote and demoed 30 songs and then picked 15 which we recorded.”

Redolent antidotes

Alfie came together as the last century was turning into our dystopian society, having been influenced by such a variety of acts that a shrink would view as ‘schizophrenic taste’ that leads to personality-displacement. ‘If You Happy With You Need Do Nothing’ (2000) and ‘A Word In Your Ear’ (2001) were just the stepping-discs to this futuristic sound. An album that lends itself to repeated listenings before giving up all its secrets.

“Let us hope that people keep listening to the record repeatedly,” Gorton voices his hope, “and it would be thought-provoking… What we want as a band is to have strength and depth and to make really good albums that has little features on them that people have to discover over time. Such qualities are not valued in the world anymore in the way it should be.”

“You can only stick to your guns,” Smith confirms, “that’s what we think a band should be… We have hardly toured because there was never a budget and we are looking forward to hitting the road, getting few breaks and trying out things.”

“I believe our album is pop music,” vocalist pronounces suddenly, “it’s got melodies, little songs, a lot of variety…”

A little bit more symphonic, a little more adventurous, a tad weird, a wee vintage soundtracky, an air of showtunes and musicals, a swirl of psychedelia…

Alfieville’s twisters

The band’s line-up includes a cellist (Matt McGeever) and does all own orchestration and arrangements. In parts it gets very complex, somewhat progressive, partially atmospheric, mixing the 1960s psychedelic underground acts such as the 13th Floor Elevators and Krautmeisters Can with their love for ELO. But some songs on the new album such as ‘My Blood Smells Like Thunderstorms’, it was called ‘Slowy’ on the advance-CD, “Matt’s work,” Gorton shrugs, will hardly ever make it live because it is completely on the edge of cosmic. ‘Isobel’ is a deadringer for Gregg Lake-period King Crimson.

“The alternative station, Xfm,” Gorton points out, “told us that our single is ‘too weird’, and that’s the alternative station! Everything is become about money! There are good bands out-there but people don’t know how to find out about them. There are less and less options in life…”

Do they need them? Is there any use in propagating beauty, innovation and quality when all the Faliraki generation wants is oblivious, bonking and kitsch times?

“You can’t just give in or up,” Gorton argues, “and have to strive to find quality. Any underground scene is ripped off before it can get into fashion! We might be awkward on purpose not to be categorized but we are not, we are honest, we are not just being pedantic… I don’t think we are really that weird.”

Claiming that ELO is one of your influences is – weird and kinky!

“But there were great, don’t you think?” Gorton replies enthusiastically but finds no support. “OK, they based their career on The Beatles catalogue but made some incredible records! ELO are well-liked band among musicians, Super Furry Animals love them, Grandaddy, we’ve met plenty of them.”

“There is a secret admiration society,” Smith interjects jokingly, “and one of the Manics is in it!”

“Other great bands that we really love,” Gorton continues, “are Flaming Lips, Syd Barrett (original Pink Floyd member, subject of ‘Crazy Diamond’), Beach Boys, The Circle, obscure and beyond… Imaginative, inspiring, mad.”

“Anyway, we sound closer to what we wanted to sound like on this album and it is going to evolve.”

By the way, Alfie claim to have named themselves after a computer in the ‘Barbarella’ flick.
*

Tour dates: (with Athlete):

07 October – Academy 2, Birmingham
08 October – Waterfront, Norwich
09 October – Leadmill, Sheffield
10 October – University, Manchester
12 October – Northumbria University, Newcastle
13 October – Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh
14 October – Garage, Glasgow
16 October – Met University, Leeds
17 October – Academy 2, Liverpool
18 October – University, Bristol
19 October – University, Cardiff
21 October – University Lemon Grove, Exeter
22 October – University, Southampton
23 October – Concorde 2, Brighton
24 October – Shepherds Bush Empire, London