Convention and expectation mean very little to Bombay Bicycle Club. Just over a year after the slow-burning success of their indie-disco filled debut they unplugged their guitars for Flaws, an enchanting acoustic, folk record. Unpredictable and innovative as ever the London four-piece have returned with A Different Kind of Fix - flecked with subtle electronics, inspired by jazz samples and graced by the voice of Lucy Rose, it marks the latest chapter in the band’s ever-evolving story.
BBC have spent the last three years taking risks and experimenting, touring and recording. And they’ve barely put a foot wrong. Two top ten albums, an Ivor Novello nomination and a sold-out UK tour this autumn show how far they’ve come since recording in front man Jack Steadman’s bedroom.
Reflecting on the rise bassist Ed Nash describes the release of A Different Kind of Fix as a turning point. “We released the first album and I don’t think anyone really knew who we were,” he said. “Then people got into it. Then ‘Flaws’ came out and it wasn’t really announced so that threw everyone off. Most people thought we were a normal guitar band and we did something very unexpected. Now I think everyone knew it was coming and which direction we would be going in to some degree.”
While their latest effort is as eclectic and upbeat as their debut A Different Kind of Fix is more expansive and varied than its predecessors. Owing in no small part to the contribution of Lucy Rose. Having sung on Flaws Nash says the Warwickshire born singer was always in their plans. “Her voice lends itself nicely to Jack’s and it adds a different dimension to the music we didn’t really have on the first album,” he explains. “I don’t know if any songs were written with her in mind but we always hoped she would be involved.”
Following a handful of festivals this summer BBC have hit the road and Nash admits that the samples and electronics means “it’s harder than it used to be” to settle on live version of their new tracks. “It used to be three of us on guitars and Suren on drums and it was a straight forward set-up. But I think we’ve pulled it off, without having to use too much backing track and feeling too removed from the live performance and how we did it before.” One of the most problematic tracks has been Still - the sparse, haunting, piano lead album closer. “You would think it’s quite simple but we haven’t worked out how to do it yet,” he says.
BBC toured Flaws exclusively in churches and small theatres but they have no plans to play songs from their second album in the bigger venues they will visit on their 13 date UK tour. “It feels like a different side of the band and I don’t think it would work if we played them with songs from I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose. If we do play anything from Flaws it will be Ivy & Gold but we don’t have plans to do any others,” Nash said.
After the release of three albums in three years BBC look like they’re giving in to convention at last. “We are going to spend some time touring this album. We haven’t spent any time, in comparison to other bands, touring our other albums. We released them, did one or two tours and then went straight back into the studio and made another. This time we will go down the conventional route - go to the States and Europe and get as much out of it as we can,” the bassist said.
“If we put out another album out by this time next year there would be nothing left of us,” Nash laughs. “We’ve talked about it briefly but nothing is set yet. We were joking around saying we were going to do a big guitar-riff album or something like that.”
One things for certain, when they do return it won’t be as you expect.
Published in the Daily Echo, Saturday 15th October 2011.
