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with Georgia since she was about 16 or 17.”
Caleb admits extra motivation also came from
one of the many artists with whom Little has
collaborated – Ellie Goulding – who recently
provided a new arena in which Broods could
test-run some of Conscious’ material live. “We
trialled a few on the last run in the States and
stuff,” Caleb says of Broods’ support slot on
Goulding’s 'Delirium' tour. “It’s cool when you
get a great response, so that was awesome. It
was good to watch [Goulding], watch her band
and take notes, and put them back into your
own performance.”
“But I can’t wait to play the rest of the
album to everyone,” he says warmly. “It’s so
exciting.”
T he album title (and its cover art, which looks just like the grammatical
device) suggests a stretched stillness or a state of pause – but the
songs on Ellipsis, Biffy Clyro's new record, are grandly propulsive. This is
an album you can hear from one tippy-top end to the other and not find a
single disappointing track. The guitars are harder than your average bear's,
but absolutely controlled, and Simon Neil pushes his voice into inspired
melodic patterns; it ends up that there are so many cracking ideas to this
dynamic, artfully syncopated release, it's unmissable. 'Mon the Biff.
Daniel Johns and Elliphant among others – to
expand his knowledge. “A big part of it was
watching Joel, and listening to what he would
do to certain things,” Caleb begins. “But also…
someone asked Broods to do a remix, and
my manager [asked me], and I’m like, ‘I have
no idea what I’m doing but yeah, sure, I’ll do
it.’” He doesn’t mention the artist who sought
Broods out; while plenty of electronic musicians
have stepped up to the plate to mix the Notts'
tracks (most choosing break-out cut Bridges),
the song Caleb alludes to is CharlieXCX’s huge
2014 hit Break The Rules.
Perhaps it was a mixture of the confidence
gained from experimenting with such a popular
track, along with the long friendship the
Notts have held with Little, which provided
the catalyst for Broods’ boost in exploration
and research for Conscious. “He’s one of the
closest buddies we’ve got, especially over
here,” Caleb says of Little, and LA. “I’ve known
him since I was 20, and he’s been working
CALEB NOTT
BROODS
Not all siblings can boast the kind of gifted
alliance shared by New Zealanders
Georgia and Caleb Nott. Vocalist Georgia and
her multi-instrumentalist brother Caleb have
been performing together ever since they
were tackers, and have turned that creative
partnership into the internationally-praised
musical duo Broods.
The new album Conscious follows the NZ
#1-charting debut Evergreen (2014), and its title
is as deliberate as can be. “I guess with the
first album, we just made an album because
we needed to make an album; we needed to
put some songs together,” the softly-spoken
Caleb explains to STACK. “But this one’s been
a longer process. A lot more thought has gone
into it. Both Georgia and I have developed
as songwriters, and my production side is a
lot better. I should say, I’ve got one now,” he
chuckles. “So I think it’s a little bit more true to
us, maybe.”
It’s true the production side of things has
seen a metamorphosis, with Caleb looking
to Conscious’ producer Joel Little – who has
worked with Lorde, Sam Smith, Jarryd James,
BIFFY CLYRO
Ellipsis
by Biffy Clyro
is out July 8
via Warner.
visit MUSIC NEWS
04 JULY 2016
MUSIC
Marilyn Manson’s saturnalian
revelry in general controversy
was at a high in 1997 when the band
began writing its third record. The
group’s eponymous frontman began
to develop the idea of a sensitive,
sexually ambiguous alien character
named Omêga. Photographer Joseph
Cultice, designer Paul Brown and
prosthetic effects company Screaming
Mad George crafted the foam latex
groin piece and breasts, and digitally altered hands (there are six fingers)
Manson sports as Omêga in this cover image. The three largest music
retailers in the US at the time – Target, K-Mart and Wal-Mart – refused
to sell the album; the former two acquiesced when additional wrappings
were devised to hide the art. Mechanical Animals still reached #1 in the
States, also topping the charts in Canada and Australia.
WHAT'S THE STORY?
We have a look back at the fascinating tales behind some
of our favourite album covers.
INTERVIEW
continued
Conscious by Broods
is out now via Universal.
This month: Mechanical Animals, Marilyn Manson