Britpop, Outsiders And Big Fun: Stereoboard Catches Up With Taffy (Interview)
Friday, 07 June 2013
Written by Huw Baines
Taffy are about to make a sizable dent. The Japanese four-piece will release their second full-length, the Britpop-infused 'Lixiviate', on June 17, with its sugary melodies and fuzzed-out guitars the perfect soundtrack to the discerning indie fan's summer.
The band will hit UK shores for a run of dates in July, and we caught up with frontwoman Iris to talk influences, the Japanese guitar scene and their developing sound.
Your new record is all set for release, how pleased are you with the results?
We’re all happy and excited about it. It took quite a while after we finished recording [to get it out] so it feels kind of fresh to hear the album now. It’s like, “finally, it’s out”.
Your debut, Caramel Sunset, enjoyed a good response in the UK and 'Lixiviate' is another record that has a 'British' sound at times. Was that in your mind as you were writing?
No, but I guess it’s just a Taffy thing to sound British. We didn’t really intend to sound so Britpop, it just happened. Things we like, we've heard, something makes that sound. We always just put together whatever fits for the songs. It's one of the mysteries of Taffy.
Has your position within the Japanese scene changed since the release of 'Caramel Sunset', or do you still view yourselves as 'outsiders' to a certain extent?
Actually, in some ways we feel even more like outsiders than before. I guess the people and the scene here are confused, and not sure how to react to the fact that misfits like us actually did receive a good response in the UK. It seems like they are just try to ignore it, like nothing is happening. Or maybe nothing is happening!
What influenced you during the writing of 'Lixiviate'?
Not just on 'Lixiviate', but my everyday life makes my music. Some people are inspired by other artists, but I try not to dig too much into other music so I don’t get influenced in a bad way, you know? In a way, I think I’m influenced by everything around me.
How do you think the album differs from 'Caramel Sunset'?
If I were to compare them, 'Caramel Sunset' has more of rock ‘n’ roll sound as a base. 'Lixiviate' shows some different sides of Taffy. Basically, it’s the pop side and the shoegaze side of me combined. There’s this pop side, which most people expect in Taffy, and there is this mellow and slow side which I feel more comfortable with. I like both sides of me, so I mix them and let them out.
You've included a cover of the Cure's Boys Don't Cry on the album, was it an easy decision to move it from a live to studio setting?
Yes, it was just like playing on stage. I always try to have that exciting moment in the recordings. I want people to feel the excitement you see in live shows. That’s more important than to play the exact note for me.
You're about to hit the UK for a run of headline shows, as well as a couple of support gigs with the Wedding Present. How exciting is that?
We are very excited, and now that this is our second tour, it’s a relief that we sort of know how it’s going to be. Since we will already have 'Caramel Sunset' and 'Lixiviate' out by then, I hope people will be able to enjoy our shows more, rather than not knowing the songs we play. It's also exciting to be able to play with the Wedding Present, we'd love just to see them as fans but this time, we'll get to play with them. It'll be something else, big fun.
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