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Interview with
FOUR IN THE MORNING

(27th August 2021)

Interview by Dave Bruce

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How would you describe your sound? Why do you think people resonate with your music?
We often describe our music as sad songs for insomniacs. But it’s a lot of things for us: quiet songs to play loudly, stressful songs to sit and drink alone with, songs to walk the dog to, songs that ask you to fall into the speakers, and songs to help you feel a little more human. Musically, we’ve been described as cinematic — which I like. We try to build these beautiful soundscapes around the lyrics and stories in the songs. I think the music resonates with people for the same reason it resonates with us — it’s therapeutic, it’s a chance to reflect and, if we’ve done our job right, it’s a little unexpected.

Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today?
Oh so many. The National, Phoebe Bridgers, Radiohead, they all inspire us sonically. From a career point of view, Ainslie Wills has been such an inspiration. She’s made an impressive career playing the music she loves and really helped mentor us throughout last year. In terms of a performance, well I defy anyone to watch this live recording of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and not want to start a rock band. Though this latest EP is maybe a little more reflective, when we play live we try to channel some of that frenetic energy — we bring the house down.

Your new single has just been released! Describe its origin and evolution.
Keep It Together was written at some point in the middle of lockdown last year. As the first line says, “I hadn’t been sleeping”, and I poured all that anxiety into the song. It’s been everything from a solo piano ballad to an indie banger. We reworked it a lot over lockdown — sending files back and forth — until one day we created this weird drum loop. We then slowed the song down and embraced the weirdness. From there the whole song clicked. When it came to putting it down in studio with our producer Jono Steer (Angie McMahon, Greta Ray, Leif Vollebekk), we worked to push it even further. We wanted the climax of the song to go somewhere different, but to be more interesting than a guitar solo. In the end we leaned into creating layers of noise that reflected the themes in the song. This was particularly exciting to create — there’s a mishmash of instruments, effects, synthesisers… I think at one point Jono was hitting a shed door with a shovel. We still don’t know exactly what we did, but it somehow got us exactly where we wanted.

Is there an EP or Album on the drawing board?
There is indeed! Our EP, Stress Dreams, is out August 27th. We’re super excited to share it with the world, especially after the positive reaction that the single’s been getting.

Any tours or events coming up soon? What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?
Eh…sort of? We’ve lost count of the number of postponed and cancelled gigs at this point, but as soon as we can safely get out and tour we will — we cannot wait. We’ve been writing a lot of new songs (we actually can’t stop…), and already we’re reworking the EP to bring it to life live. Fans can expect big, fun, noisy gigs that will reflect our eagerness and excitement to get playing in front of people again.

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If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why?
Sister Rosetta Sharpe. She was playing rock and roll a decade or two before anyone else. She pretty much invented the whole thing but has been totally overlooked. Sharpe had such an impressive stage presence and brought unparalleled joy to her playing. I’d love to perform with her, tap into that experience and go right back to the birth of it all.

Do you have any long-term aspirations as a music artist?
To just keep making music, playing gigs, and getting better and better.
We’d love to record an album sometime soon, maybe once it’s safe enough for restrictions to ease and we can actually make enough money to fund the damn thing!

What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? What’s been the career highlight so far?
David Byrne speaks a lot about how live music is one of the only pieces of art that’s truly transient. It goes in one ear and out the other, forcing you to be in the moment. That’s the best thing about playing to a live audience — when everyone is just in the same moment. Whether it’s the silent pause after a quiet song before anyone applauds or everyone belting out a chorus as you blow the roof off a joint. Everyone sharing that same moment is what makes live music so special. And we thrive off that energy and each other in those moments. There’s nothing better than twisting songs and pushing them to their limit in front of a live audience. A career highlight so far was definitely playing to a packed out room at the Northcote Social Club. It was just such a joy to have a room full of people open themselves up to our little songs.

Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album – Graceland by Paul Simon
Artist – Bob Dylan
Movie – Gladiator
Place to visit – Right now? Ireland (home).
Venue to play – The Gasometer
Food – Lamb madras
Drink – Redbreast Whiskey
Person in History – Julius Caesar, a megalomaniac but a fascinating one a that.
Tattoo – (If you don’t have one, what would you get?)  I don’t have one, but I’d get Kurt Vanhoutten’s drawing of dignity.

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Follow FOUR IN THE MORNING
Facebook – Soundcloud – Instagram – YouTube

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AMNPLIFY – DB

Press Release 27th August 2021 (below) HERE

FOUR IN THE MORNING
share new single
‘GOOD LOVE’

LISTEN TO SINGLE HERE

STRESS DREAMS EP
Out Today

STREAM HERE

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AMNPLIFY – DB