Real Estate - Songs Through Time

When I reach the location that in a few hours will host the third edition of the Contronatura Festival, Real Estate are on stage for the soundcheck. I've arrived well in advance, and in the clearing that will soon welcome the audience there are only a handful of people, mostly staff busy sorting out the last details. I walk up to the stage. Matthew Mondanile (guitarist) is joking around with his bandmates and the sound engineer, while Martin Courtney (singer) keeps his usual composure, somewhere between Stephen Malkmus and Ben Gibbard, part indie, part nerd. They run through the interplay between the instruments and, after a few minutes, once they've got the sound they want, they leave the stage to go have dinner. In the atmosphere of total freedom of movement that pervades the place, I wander through the depths of Sudestudio in Guagnano (Lecce), a spot lost among the vineyards; a door opens onto the garden where the five members of the band are testing out the quality of Salento cuisine, washed down with generous sips of Negroamaro. It's nice to watch them (without them seeing me), smiling and perfectly at ease. And I realize that what I love most about their music is exactly this intimate, friendly quality that gives their lovely compositions warmth and a sense of familiarity. I ask the organizers if we could get an interview. They spring into action right away, and shortly after I'm introduced to Matthew Mondanile, a lanky giant with tousled hair and a pair of big Seventies-style glasses. His agent asks me what the outlet is about. "Ondarock, kind of italian Pitchfork" I reply. Matthew laughs: "Alright, let's start then!".

Only Italian date. Why Salento?

They asked us to play, and since last year, coming with Ducktails, I was captivated by this strange, surreal place in the middle of nowhere, we thought it would be nice to come back here with the full band.

Back when you debuted in 2009, you could easily have been lumped in with the trend of indie-pop bands that blew up that summer, alongside hypnagogic-pop. But while many of those bands have since disappeared, you're still here five years on, and you look set to keep going. What's changed since then?

I mainly think we've gained a certain amount of practice in composing music, writing lyrics, and handling all the activities that go on behind the scenes of making an album. Back in 2009 we were very much into home-recording, and what really came through in our sound was that particular feeling; but over time we arrived at songs that were, in a sense, more universal and not confined to our bedroom. Our songwriting has also become less naive, and more mature and reflective.

Your name here in Italy often doesn't mean much to non-fans, but just whistle "It's Real" and they'll know who you are. Do you think it's possible to bring your sound to a wider audience on a lasting basis?

Sure, with good exposure even indie songs can be appreciated by a wide audience. We play out of passion, without getting hung up on rigid classifications. Our music can easily be enjoyed by a lot of people.

“Days” took a long time to win me over, but now it's definitely one of my favorite indie-pop records of recent times. Do you think your music is a bit like wine, getting better with time?

Yes, I completely agree! I think that's a particularly fitting metaphor.

Your new album, “Atlas”, is marked by a more intimate and melancholic streak. What led you in this direction?

Our compositional approach naturally leads us to sound nostalgic and melancholic, even if that's certainly not our only defining trait. We're simply growing, and that sometimes translates into a more reflective, introspective mood.

You're becoming a band more aware of your own abilities, and little by little the production is also becoming sharper and more polished. Do you think indie-pop can sound “big” without losing its true nature?

On records marked by home-made production, the spontaneity of the sound prevails, but there's a risk that the songs won't be fully brought out. On the other hand, when you go into a studio aiming for high fidelity, you run the risk of sounding too flat or artificial. I think a good compromise between keeping all the naturalness of the sound while also enhancing it with skillful production is the ideal path. Indie-pop can be “big” or “small”, and still convey the same feelings.

Your videos often show you composing, rehearsing in the studio, almost as if wanting to convey the idea of the professionalism behind your work, all done in a very vintage spirit. Do you perhaps long for a return to the old ways of conceiving and experiencing music, say in the Seventies?

We love the Seventies a lot, and most of our favorite music comes from that period; I think the very idea of music people had back then was really beautiful; today we have far more ways to listen to it and share it, but I wouldn't mind if some of that old spirit were preserved.

Plans for the future?

Finish this tour, rest up, and then get back together — why not? — as early as next year.

My time is up, we take a few photos together, then say goodbye. In my mind, the conviction grows stronger that this band is made up of musicians with a boundless love for music; and I also think about how limiting it can sometimes be to pigeonhole every artist as indie/not indie, when the feelings and intentions that drive people to make music are often the most universal there are.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google