STACK #189 Jul 2020

MUSIC FEATURE

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Lime Cordiale L-R: Oliver and Louis Leimbach

INTERVIEW

OLI LEIMBACH LIME CORDIALE T here are several devices in the menagerie of musical instruments which communicate ‘silliness’: slide whistle, tuba, kazoo. On No Plans To Make Plans – a stand-out cut from Lime Cordiale’s new album leave this world without making a good, positive effect. It’s like this contradictory message… [which]

Read the full interview online at stack.com.au

have on the planet, so they’re learned from way more mistakes than we have. In saying that, I think there’s a lot of people in [older generations] that are definitely backwards. But early on [in the band’s life], when we were maybe feeling some doubts, people our own age would laugh at us, and ask ‘When are you going to get a proper job?’ It was some of the older people who said ‘You’ve just got to keep going at it. Don’t give up.’” It’s admirable maturity coming from a band

I think fits well with a song like [ No Plans ] that sounds so silly. But the song is talking to someone that’s money-driven, and power- driven, and thinking about themselves. The silliness is a bit cheeky, and taking the piss out of that character.” There are a couple of places across the album’s lyrics where we’re advised to “do what [our] mother says” or to “listen to [our] mother”; it’s well-documented that the Leimbach’s own Ma is a classically-

14 Steps To A Better You – we can hear a few of them, popping their muppet heads up alongside samples of canned applause and dollops of trumpet. “I think the greatest thing about Dave Hammer, who produced this album, was that we could just do the stupidest things,” says Oli Leimbach. “The applause, the kookaburra laugh in Screw Loose – we put them in as jokes, and then they sort of just ended up staying in there.” It was a convivial atmosphere for the Leimbach brothers (the other is lead singer Louis) in the studio with Hammer, as the group crafted the tracks that make up their sophomore album – three tracks from which already landed in the last iteration of the Hottest 100. (A fourth, their Like A Version cover of Divinyls’ I Touch Myself , also placed). But the playful arrangements belie important memos the brothers want to impart. “One of the major messages of this album [is] sort of not to take yourself too seriously,” Oli explains. “Do the things you love to do, but also, don’t

who seem all good-time-party on the outside, and made their mark on the live local circuit in their native Sydney. “The main aim was to get people moving and dancing,” Oli smiles. “Because everyone was so drunk and loud, we had to get above the noise – there’s nothing worse than someone with their back to you in the front row, talking to the person behind them!” We forsee vew few turned backs when Lime Cordiale take 14 Steps into the world this month. ZKR At the end of the awesome DyingTo Believe , we hear an automated trainstop message: “We are now arriving at… Orakei.”What significance does this suburb hold for the band? We wanted to use a train announcer voice in the song, so we asked Rose Matafeo to play the role and chose Orakei station. We’re all public transport heads, big fans. When you take

trained musician, and Oli confirms that the bros do take their own advice in that regard. “There’s been a few times we’ve gone to see a band and they [tell the audience], ‘Don’t listen to your parents, do what you want to do!’ And sometimes I’ll sit there and go, ‘I don’t know if that’s the best message,’” Oli says. “I know where [those bands] are coming from: ‘Break free from conservative ways.’ But many people have had many more years than we

14 Steps To A Better You by Lime Cordiale is out July 10 via Chugg Music/London Cowboys.

THE BETHS Auckland foursomeThe Beths are releasing the beautiful ball of melodic fire that is Jump Rope Gazers this month. Frontwoman Elizabeth Stoker answered our questions.

Your melodies are very original: you’re not decorating for the sake of decorating (Mariah- style), but you create some unusual, beautiful shapes. Do you plan things out on piano or sing as you feel? Thank you. I mean, if I could sing like Mariah I would! I find I’m always writing melodies that are just on the cusp of what I could comfortably sing. I think the register you sing something in is

the Eastern Line train from the city, you pass through Orakei along the beach and over a body of water. It’s a beautiful view of the harbour. It’s just got to be one of the best commuter train trips you can take in the world. ZKR

important, so if I come up with a melody in my head, part of the process when I pick up my guitar is figuring out where in my range it makes sense for it to go. But I think the most important thing to me is phrasing. It’s what makes a song yours.

Jump Rope Gazers by The Beths is out July 10 via Dew Process.

Read the full Q&A online at stack.com.au

74 JULY 2020

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