Telesplash - Quality is a serious matter

Having enjoyed the third album from this Tuscan band, we were happy to send them a few questions by email. The answers highlight the dedication the band put into making this work.

"Non è più poesia" is your third album, and you're presenting it, among other things, by saying you've changed the way you play. Here on OndaRock we've never covered you before, and I myself had never listened to you, so I'll ask you to explain to me and to our readers what this change consists of, and what we should expect from your previous albums, should we want to listen to them.

Well, this is a more structured record compared to the previous ones. We worked on the arrangements together with Guglielmo (the producer) in a more detailed way in the studio, whereas on the previous records we always recorded the tracks the way they came out in rehearsal, in a more live dimension. This time, on the other hand, we really indulged ourselves with the sounds, the parts — in short, a lot of work went into it even after the pre-production stage of rehearsals.

We hope the difference from the previous records is simply growth, while still keeping the fixed points that run through all our output. Let's say that in the end we'd like whoever listens to this record or the previous ones to pay attention to the good songs, which for us are the most important thing.

It often happens that both bands and critics look for unlikely definitions to explain the musical genre of a record, but in this case I'd simply use the word pop. Do you agree?

We absolutely agree — we hope we're pop in the noblest sense of the term, which in Italy can sometimes be hard to find.

How does one of your songs come about? And has anything changed here compared to the past, by any chance?

Actually, from that point of view, no — usually when one of us has a piece, they bring it to rehearsal, play it for the others, and if it's liked we work on it until we're satisfied. Sometimes it takes 20 minutes, sometimes months; when it's ready we all realize it right away and get seriously hyped!

The album is sung in Italian, but musically it seems to me you're decidedly more oriented toward English influences. Is that right?

Yes, each of us has a different musical background, but it's undeniable that we're all mostly inspired by and drawn to things made across the Channel, and in a way that's something we've always wanted to be: an Italian band that sings in Italian but sounds like it's from Manchester or Liverpool or New York.

Going back to what you just said, I really like the fact that the metre of the lyrics is always spot on, with no forced shifts in word stress (apart from a couple of exceptions in the last song). Is that something you actually pay attention to?

Well, we're very classic in the way we approach songwriting, which means our compositions always come out precise, but yes, it's definitely something we pay attention to.

Melodies, lyrics, but then I also find the harmonies between the voice and the sound really important on the record - I think they make the moods conveyed by the different songs feel more tangible. Again, is that something you focus on? If so, at what point in the songwriting process does that aspect come together?

In this case it's something fairly spontaneous - first and foremost we always try to make sure a track flows well, with nothing forced in our work. Obviously, since we're a band that plays a lot before ever setting foot in the studio, that harmony between voice and sound just emerges naturally during rehearsals. We're the first audience for our own songs, and that means, even without really thinking about it, we're not satisfied with our work until everything clicks into place.

"Chiederò perdono se odio il lavoro" touches on a very delicate subject, because nowadays the reaction to anyone who publicly complains about job dissatisfaction tends to be a chorus of "be grateful you even have a job." I like the way you handle this controversial side of everyone's life with a light touch, but also with realism. Tell me whatever you'd like about this.

The truth is that these days, as you rightly say, it's a delicate subject to talk about, and obviously having a job to get by isn't something to take for granted. But what we're saying here is that you can't pretend everyone loves their job, and that sometimes someone can genuinely hate it, even if it's necessary for making a living, for dignity, and so on. The fact remains that whoever is lucky enough to work at something they love is always the luckiest, and in a perfect, utopian world that would be true for everyone.

I've read a few reviews of the record, and it seems like on one hand critics all talk about "not taking yourselves too seriously" and "no great pretensions," while on the other they talk about "a matter of style" and "a touch of class." Do you recognize yourselves in those words? Or do you think making light, easy-listening music like yours is actually a tremendously serious thing that requires a lot of effort?

Thanks for the great question - we'll answer briefly by quoting you: making good-quality light music like ours is a tremendously serious (and difficult) thing to do, in our opinion sometimes much more so than making supposedly "serious" or alternative music that's actually worth very little. But in the independent scene, it's not always the case that listeners truly listen the way you just did.

How does the album sound live?

Live, we try to stay true to the record - we're more powerful, our live show is a party, you have to see it to believe it!

Your first two albums came out in quick succession, but then, due to line-up changes, this third one took a while longer to arrive. Do you feel stable again now, and are you planning to go back to releasing records at that same fast pace as before?

Right now we're focused on this record and the tour, we're stable, we've got new material, but no deadlines - who knows, maybe it'll take another three years for a new record, or maybe we'll put out an EP soon: we're not putting limits on providence, but one thing's for sure, you'll be hearing about us again.

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