STACK NZ Nov #57

MUSIC

FEATURE

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Deciphering

With a new sound, a new look and a new attitude, Brooke Fraser is finally ready to unleash her new record Brutal Romantic . She talks to Ricardo Kerr.

or Brooke Fraser, the daughter of All Black Bernie Fraser and one of our country’s top selling artists, becoming a

admits that during the recording of the album she was drawn to some very bizarre music, including, but not limited to, “Eurythmics,

is that Psychosocial was never meant to become a single - it was only released as a teaser for Brutal Romantic to gauge the fans’ opinions. “I really though the reaction [to Psychosocial ] would be a lot more divided. Fromwhat I understand, the reaction has been unanimously positive – which basically never happens. People seem to be excited about the fresh ‘sonic clothes’ the songs are wearing.” On her new album, Fraser has also embraced a varied cast of collaborators, adding extra dimensions and flavours to her already appetising palette. These co-conspirators come from all parts of the world and all walks of life, all united under the banner of Brutal Romantic . David Kosten (Bat For Lashes, Everything Everything) and Swedish producerTobias Froberg were instrumental in the creative process, but they are just the tip of the iceberg. “As well as [Kosten] and [Froberg], I wrote with Kid Harpoon (Florence +The Mwachine), and Matt Hales (Aqualung). Joel Pott (Athlete) is a co-writer on Kings & Queens too. Jason Cooper (The Cure) played live drums and the IDMC Choir from East London are on a few songs as well.” Time will tell whether the new album enjoy the same sort of chart returns as her previous works. However, one of Fraser’s charms has always been her unflappable attitude towards her own success. As a chart-topping artist with three best- selling albums to her name, of course she’s aware of it but never feels as though she’s being held back by it. “It’s fortunate that each of my albums

musician was never a choice – it was a certainty. “I don’t really think it’s something you decide, at least I didn’t,” Fraser explains from her current base of operations in Los Angeles. “I don’t think [being a musician] is something you do, but more like something you are. As a musician you play one or several of many possible roles in society: entertainer, social commentator, pot-stirrer, boundary- pusher, awareness-raiser, comfort-giver, dance-inducer.” Throughout her 11-year career thus far Fraser has been all of those things and more. But it has been a quiet few years from the singer-songwriter, with her last studio album Flags arriving in 2010. Even then, Fraser knew the follow-up might come as a shock to her long-terms fans. “I’m really glad I was vocal about that at the time,” she says. “It was a difficult and fun couple of years figuring out how all the pieces would fit together and what the final ‘image’ would be once it was all complete. Really I’m just doing the same thing I have always done, making music that is super honest and that I love. I think [Brutal Romantic] perfectly encapsulates this moment in my life and my career as an artist.” In many ways, Brutal Romantic is destined to be the album to change audience opinions of Fraser: the title alone signals that it’s a different affair, compared to WhatWe DoWith Daylight and Albertine . “I just really loved the opposing forces of those two words together, she explains. “The juxtaposition, the poetry inherent in the phrase gave me good vibes. Wrestle and embrace.” Sonically, it’s also a long way from the pop- folk vibes of her earlier chart successes. It is the by-product of Fraser’s love of quirky ’80s pop music – and some stranger influences. She

Phil Collins, ’60s French robot disco, creepy ’80s kids show theme songs.”

That would certainly explain how different the first single Psychosocial feels compared to her earlier work. And the strange part

has bettered the one before, critically and commercially,” Fraser says. “But, that can never be the goal – or you end up making a product instead of art.”

Brooke Fraser Brutal Romantic, is released on November 14.

NOVEMBER 2014 JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.co.nz

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