Tags: Dan Swift, Meretto, Street Talking, Stu Bell
The word on the street says Meretto are a band on the rise. After delivering their debut, ‘Chainsaw Art’, four years ago, the Berkshire lads are back with another slice of indie-punk goodness in the shape of a new LP, ‘Street Talking’, along with a single, ‘Devotion’.
And since Meretto are a band with a clear fondness for chit-chat, if their album title is anything to go by, we thought we’d have a few words with their founding members, vocalist/guitarist Stu Bell and bassist Matt Burgess.
Hi guys. How would you say your new LP ‘Street Talking’ differs as an album from your first?
For a start it is a lot less proggy. We wanted to make it a little slicker and craft the songs a bit more, but still keep the Meretto sound. There is definitely more of an emphasis on rhythm and keeping the groove.
Was there any particular blueprint or concept in mind while you were writing the new album?
It’s about some of our experiences in London and the falsehood of moving to the city bringing prosperity, and that it is very easy to get caught up in the daily grind and to forget about your aspirations. [It’s] really about the nuts and bolts of life taking over, leaving less room for the more enjoyable things.
You worked with [Snow Patrol/Biffy Clyro producer] Dan Swift on ‘Street Talking’; how was that and what did he bring to the process?
Dan joined us in the mixing stage of the album, so it was only very brief. Good chap; really provided some energy to the mixes! Would be interesting to work with him again.
Actually, most of the album was recorded at the Outhouse in Reading (our mate John Mitchell’s studio). We like the studio and get on well with John; he has helped us a lot over the last few years in developing our sound.
The new single, ‘Devotion’, has quite an uplifting sound; is this representative of the new album as a whole?
Yeah, there is an air of optimism in some of the tracks, especially with ‘Devotion’, in that we can do better with our lives. [Then] there are some darker, grittier moments like in ‘A Method of Urban Survival’ and ‘Caesium Baby’.”
Your music has been cited in various publications as reminding reviewers of artists such as, the Manics, At The Drive-In, Joy Division…how does it feel to be compared to bands like these; is it something you are conscious of in your music?
It’s nice, we like those bands a lot; but the writing is not by design. We just get on with it and if it floats our boat at the time then it makes the cut. I suppose anything we have listened to will translate into our own songs, so no, [we’re] not that conscious of it.
What are Meretto’s plans for the future? Are there any ideas floating about already for the next album?
We are currently writing at the moment and hope to have some demo tracks recorded by Christmas. Everything is quite stripped down in terms of arrangement; [we’re] just trying to get the melodies right at the moment. Then if finances permit—Meretto is at present a self-funded project—we can go ahead with the next album in 2010.
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About the Author:
SimonFuller has been trying this freelance journalism lark for almost eight months now, but often finds himself giving up and listening to more music. As well as lapping up everything from electro-pop to symphonic metal, he also enjoys plotting convoluted novels and drinking decadent variants on coffee. He lives in Bedford.
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