(This feature originally appeared in issue #65 of Shindig! magazine. For the full unpublished Q&A click over the jump at the bottom of the post)
The
Vicenza-based band have a dark and impassioned take on '60s
Americana. Duncan Fletcher checks out this Italian renaissance.
“Can
you imagine crossing Venice through its canals on a little wooden
boat, late at night while the city sleeps? ... When you see the moon
mirroring itself in the water while a Mexican guy is bringing you,
with his boat, to an after-show party... you know you’ll remember
that moment forever.” So says vocalist Anita Formilan explaining
the inspiration behind the title of the group's second long-player
Wet Moon. Following on from 2015's
Cosmic Pyre, this
latest work contains echoes of US acts such as The 13th
Floor Elevators and The Doors, along with tracks which favour a more
expressionistic, textural approach.
What
holds it all together are Anita's vocals, reminiscent of San
Francisco sirens Janis Joplin and Grace Slick, which spar with the
twang 'n' tremolo guitar of her band-mates. “My favourite singers
are Billie Holiday, Karen Dalton, Diamanda Galas, Nina Simone,
Memphis Minnie. My approach is shaped by different elements - the
golden decadence of jazz and blues, the raw energy of punk and the
smooth elegance of Italian movie soundtracks from the '60 and '70s.”
Along
with the obvious love of American sounds, there's a passionate
Italian heart at the core of their work. Anita explains - “We love
Vicenza: art, architecture, history and events make this area
interesting and alive. Venice, Padova, Treviso and Verona are less
than one hour from here, all beautiful cities. Entertainment and
culture are easily available everywhere.”
The
album was recorded with friend and producer Matt Bordin in his
Outside Inside Studio, where the band made full use of its analogue
sounds and vintage instruments. “Working with him is always funny
and intense. We love recording there, it allow us to retreat in a
hideaway where we can switch off from our daily lives and focus on
what we love the most.”
Wet
Moon is out now on Go Down Records.
(Click over the jump for the full Q&A.)
