Q&A by Curt and Tom
Tell us about your new single/album/tour?
‘A Night of Contemporary Feedback Music’ started with myself and Curt needing an outlet for a few too many acoustic songs. When the Low Frequency Modulator went to America for service, we decided to record the album. Rhys had just joined the band and like us had a heap of songs that suited the twisted spiritual vibe.
How would you describe your sound in food form and why?
Gruel, or a white man’s attempt at curry, for the dense layers of instrumentation and clashes of Eastern and Western culture. With a squeeze of sour lemon for those citrus vibes.
Which song resonates most strongly and why?
It changes from day to day, it’s hard to pick a favourite. But today I suppose ‘Dear Ivy’ would be one.
Any on the road anecdotes?
This one time when we were in Sydney, we had a pretty wild evening after playing at this huge house party sort of thing. The whole band ended up separated. Anyway, our drummer woke up at the house and couldn’t find anyone. He decided to walk back to where we were staying, but walked in the wrong direction for about three hours. He also crossed a river and discovered new land. Curt (who at the time was so sick with some virus he could barely function) had to go on a lengthy drive to collect him.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I find I am increasingly inspired by literature and try to interpret ideas from other art forms and movements. I’m going back to a lot of the music that originally turned me on and trying to figure out what I got from it and why it works. I think it has a huge impact on the way I’m writing songs at the moment. But I believe that you’re influenced by everything in both negative and positive ways. Its just a matter of what you choose to let through in your work.
What’s next for you?
Rubbing ourselves down with butter. Sam and I are currently finalising the mixes for our 6th album ‘Are They Still Here?’ which we recorded in a disused 60s butter factory in rural Victoria. This will be pressed to vinyl by the end of the year. So peel your ears and purge your musical colon of all the other sounds that have been infesting your tummy space cause this will be the cure for all your innermost ailments. It’s a revolutionary Metamucil for the whole family to enjoy! Butter up baby.
What’s your scene?
We don’t have a scene. We try, but we burn too many bridges and don’t have many friends… I don’t think we really fit with one group or another. We do our own thing and try and make music that differs from album to album, so it’s hard for us to sit well with many bands. But that being said, there are some local bands we love playing with. Melbourne’s live music culture in general is more important than any specific scene; it’s a great environment for bands so we’re pretty lucky.
About the Citradels
“After their first Vinyl release in late 2014, The Citradels are back at it again with their latest release, A Night of Contemporary Feedback Music. Which, following the trend of its namesake, does not feature any feedback whatsoever. It was almost entirely recorded and produced in Tom De Vries’ bedroom during a hiatus period, while members were away traveling and quickly became an opportunity to dig up long awaited stylistically different acoustic tunes from each of the members. For album number five, the band wanted to avoid the use of drums and electric instrumentation as much as possible, resulting in a showcase of the bands acoustic repertoire and song writing flair.
A slow-moving creation, the album came together day by day, piece by piece, song by song over a period of four months, gradually growing to become its own entity, parallel to the to the rest of the bands catalog.
The album consists of 14 songs featuring quirky sitar, storming harmonium drones and sparse percussion amongst both careful and booming vocals. With clear influences of Indian folklore & late 60’s psychedelia throughout, ANOCFM ranges from the soothing Henrietta, to the Byrd like harmonies of Dear Ivy, to the relentless narcotic bad dream of Thank You For Coming.
Listen: https://thecitradels.bandcamp.com/album/a-night-of-contemporary-feedback-music