O Fracas
By Will RidgeWith O Fracas set to release a limited edition 7" single titled "Zeroes And Ones" on Monday 12th September, Will Ridge spoke to Alex, Ben and Jim to get the lowdown...
The first thing that strikes you on meeting O Fracas is their confidence and enthusiasm. All brim with boyish swagger, and jabber away about the day's purchases and plans - ELO albums and parties. This morning O Fracas are three, rather than the full strength four - bassist Tom incarcerated in Huddersfield. Your humble correspondent is left with singer/guitarist Ben, lead axe man Alex and tub thumper Jim.
These up start scallywags are taking the Leeds music scene by storm with their psychedelic forms of guitar pop. The feeling around the band is that they are coming to something special. "Zeros and Ones" and "What Jim Hears" will be released on September 12 - their first single since 2004's "Fits and Starts".
Ben and Alex are the heartbeat of the band. Life-long friends and great lovers of music, they created O Fracas in its previous incarnation of Very Arcane. Jim was introduced to the band through a work mate of Ben's at Music Ground, and Tom introduced to the mix at the end of a Spinal-Tap-drummer-esque parade of bassists. All four are extremely able musicians and complement one another - the tunes rooted in the syncopated, contortionist drumming of Jim.
The band initially rehearsed in a barn to the north of this fair city. They used to meet up in the evening, drink and rehearse until the small hours of the morning. These sessions would often only be curtailed by the desperate need for sleep. Alex and Ben talk about these days with a misty eyed love: "a good formative environment" Alex opines.
Conversation with O Fracas is littered with musical references - Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Radiohead, Dave Brubeck the list is endless. Conversation is also filled with opinions about everything legendary album Trout Mask Replica is terrible, crap and sounds like it was written and performed by a child, according to Alex. Consensus has developed that OK Computer is one of the greatest albums of all time. The band also spent time pondering the fortunes of their old school and spinning yarns about old escapades.
It is this wide breadth of musical knowledge and opinion which makes O Fracas so compelling - they also discuss experimental classical musical, Bop Jazz, Latin Jazz and African Jazz and all manner of different musical forms. They really are a band which is all about the music (man). This breadth of knowledge feeds into their song writing. When asked what sort of box O Fracas would be Ben immediately answers, "One of those boxes with a hole in the top that you put your hand into and are never quite sure what you'll pull out." To a degree he is right - this band is full of great, big surprises! You never know what you'll get next.
The upcoming single was recorded in January - a psychedelic maelstrom of gorgeous guitar sounds. The band is rightly proud of it. They have worked hard in developing a unique sound; Ben states "we've got a very good relationship with our producers. They're honest, critical and know their music". Having this knowledge and relationship is important for them. They like having 'sonic fun' and have now moved towards developing a symposium of progressive influences. The likes of which is only possible with help and honesty from outsiders.
Alex is of the opinion that progressive influences must not be allowed to overtake the listen-ability of a track. "There are some artists who experiment, but you can't listen to what they produce. We don't want to be like that. We may take some of the ideas and approaches that they do, but these will not dominate the tracks." That said, they would like their third album to be radical, experimental and completely theirs - unlike anything done before. They never doubt that they will reach that milestone - confidence and enthusiasm.
"Zeroes And Ones" b/w "What Jim Hears" (Marquis Cha Cha) can be pre-ordered now from www.puregroove.co.uk.
