Swiftly connecting to a 30-minute capped Zoom call in the back of a tour van driving through the streets of New York City, a sleep-deprived yet remarkably enthusiastic Radio Free Alice are nothing short of ecstatic to talk about the release of their debut Album, ‘What’s In Between’. This is a slightly bumpy and not-so-roomy ride, so guitarist Jules Paradiso takes the reins on answering for the group. He seems delighted to do so; however, what else would you want to be doing in between back-to-back album release shows?
“Melodic, Enjoyable, Coming-of-age” is how Paradiso would sum up ‘What’s in Between’, an album that could very quickly become a source of comfort: “I think there are a lot of environments where this album would be played, but I think that it would thrive in a solo moment, something isolated. Maybe when you don’t have anything to do, and you’re annoyed by it, and then you put it on, and it fills that void.” Fans, old and new, would most certainly agree. With tracks such as ‘Kick In The Shins’ and ‘Waiting’, it’s clear to see that there’s really something for every fleeting emotion, cinematic and relatable. When reminiscing on the progression of the band throughout the years, Paradiso says, “The band has changed a lot, quite literally. When we put out the first single, it was a slightly different lineup. Our first EP feels like the more legitimate start of the band, and our songwriting has become more intentional and developed throughout the years. There are some aspects to the songs that remain the same; they’re very melodic and immediate and have similar themes of nostalgia, so we’ve retained a lot of similar themes definitely.”
Although most widely known in Australia, the band have been dotted about the world recently, making a name for themselves as one of the most exhilarating live acts on the indie-rock agenda, especially after the positive online response received after their stellar performance at Reading Festival over the summer. Paradiso tells, “We obviously love Australia so much, but we always from the start had this ambition of being able to play overseas, particularly in the UK. We have such a deep love for this culturally historic place for us; all our favourite bands are international. The scene in the UK right now is so good; it feels awesome to be a part of that.” Radio Free Alice are often grouped up with acts such as Keo or Bleech 9:3 in terms of popularity and genre, yet they broke into the UK from the other side of the world, rather than at their doorstep.
Radio Free Alice recently played a gig in a prison in Melbourne, which absolutely shook the internet. It’s not your average stage but weirdly the ideal place to debut an indie-rock album. Struggling to think of other unconventional venues, singer Noah Lermouth suggests an abandoned swimming pool, which everyone agrees would make for a mad night: “In the bowl of an empty swimming pool, I feel like if it wasn't empty, it would probably not be the best idea. But yeah, I like that one, I suppose.” Speaking of live performances, Paradiso says: “We’re proud of ‘Undressed’, and can’t wait to play it live; it’s definitely a potential opener for a tour”. This is a very Interpol-esque track in its darker themes and post-punk guitar noise, which truly sums up the general sound of ‘What’s In Between’, a certain stand-out track. “There’s definitely a Jesus And The Mary Chain element to that song, particularly in the chorus. Throughout the making of the album, we were listening to a lot of Belle and Sebastian, Wilco and Pavement. Those three, for me, were big components.”
In terms of their avant-garde songwriting process, Paradiso admits, “We spend most days jamming in our rehearsal room, and that’s how we write; we try to be consistent. We often record two completely unrelated ideas and sort of stitch them together, which is how most of the songs nowadays come about”. This is when the band began to head through a tunnel, but with just enough time to chat about their ideal collab, which, to nobody’s surprise, quickly Paradiso blurts out as he starts to crackle away into the tunnel, “Fontaines D.C. would be incredible.” It’s any indie band's goal, but one that is so very justified.
Radio Free Alice are set to embark on their UK and Europe tour in early November, the ideal gig to kick off the Winter season.
Amy Porter
Image: Imogene Barron