Operahouse 'Change Of Nature' Video & Tour Dates
Given the opportunity to describe their own sound before that particular right is taken away from them by an imminent swarm of hyperbole employing critics, Operahouse guitarist and vocalist Alexander Kaines – who shares these duties with his fellow songwriter, Johnny Lloyd – chooses to describe it thus: “A big, epic, sci-fi thing.”
Big and epic is about right. Released by Marrakesh Records (a label set up by the people responsible for unearthing The Killers), the band’s upcoming debut album is a heroic, barnstorming entrance worthy of the Pyramid Stage on a Saturday night. Produced by Richard McNamara from those similarly minded peddlers of BIG anthems, Embrace, the album was made, says Johnny Lloyd, with all of the urgency, passion and craft of a band who know that “you just don’t get a second chance at this sort of thing.”
“If you don't have dreams and ambition,” he says, “what's the point of doing this? We could go and start another band tomorrow and not put the effort in, but only if we were happy gigging at the 333 every night. We’re realistic about where we are. We know we're not the biggest thing in the world. But we want to be.”
Starting again, they hid away in McNamara’s Halifax studio and worked on a vision that’s got wider and more glorious, taking in the off-kilter punk-pop of the Pixies, Britpop sing-alongs, a psychedelic, cosmos exploring Klaxons, the swinging, angst-ridden anthems of Modest Mouse and Bright Eyes, and the ecstatic, soaring songs of Arcade Fire. You simply can’t argue with Johnny when he says that Operahouse are back “sounding fresh, with fresh songs. Almost like a new band.”
But what did Alex mean by “sci-fi thing”? The clue is in ‘Change In Nature’, a song about both climate change and the first monkey to be sent into space. As you might expect from a band with such wild, untamed ambition, it’s not for them the confessional, kitchen sink drama.
With their sights already dangerously aimed at the rock exosphere, you’ll be hearing a lot more from Operahouse in 2009. Leaving the band to talk grandiosely about their future plans – with all the exaggerated hand and arm movements – their peak is a long way off.
Catch them live at the following dates:
23 Oct ’Die Young Stay Pretty’ @ Reading Afterdark Club READING
25 Oct Swansea University w/ THE DIRTY PRETTY THINGS SWANSEA
30 Oct Drift Bar PORTSMOUTH
31 Oct The Louisiana …. BRISTOL
11 Nov Water Rats LONDON
21 Nov Peterborough Met Lounge PETERBOROUGH
22 Nov Moles BATH
26 Nov Eject.Rewind @ The Royal DERBY
29 Nov Skegness Square Peg SKEGNESS
4 Dec The Hub w/ HOT CLUB DE PARIS EXETER
6 Dec University of Plymouth SU PLYMOUTH