Pop-rock band Boston Manor are due to release their record Datura, on this week via Sharptone Records. The record showcases an array of electronics that meshes with strong rock-tones bringing a bold sound to lights.
We had the chance to talk with lead vocalist Henry Cox about the new record, its scenic sound and more.
Your new record, Datura, embraces synth-driven melodies draped in rock hooks. It’s been mentioned that 2020 was a reset for the band musically. How do you plan on carrying out this new era of the band after the release of this record? Will you continue working on this refined sound?
I think 2020 was a reset for most people; it gave people some much-needed perspective on their lives and their work and allowed everyone to stand back and look at themselves from a position of objectivity. For us, it meant having a break from writing for a while. For five years, we’d been touring and recording nonstop; it was time to do a bit of catching up on life.
Lived experience is what makes music great! I always think about those huge rock bands from the ’70s and how when they got to album three or four, all they had done was live on tour buses and do the same thing every day for a decade, so their lyrics were just about going on tour. That to me is so boring! I also think the break also allowed us to look at our body of work with a bit of honesty about what we felt has worked and what hasn’t.
In terms of chasing a ‘sound,’ I’ve started thinking that can be a bit of a pointless exercise. If there is a certain type of music you’re desperate to make, then you should have the ability as an artist to channel that and make it; otherwise all you’re really doing is establishing constraints based on things like branding, aesthetic, and current trends. If you’re writing music to spec, then that isn’t really art, at least not in my opinion. In reality, art is messy and imperfect, which is what makes it amazing.
There’s lots of songs that we’ve written that people love that I really don’t like anymore; they were written in a certain time, when we were feeling a certain way and they came out naturally and are a reflection of such. The fact that that stuff doesn’t align with my tastes today is a good thing! Because it means we’re constantly growing and changing. As it happens; I do think a lot of this record aligns sonically with some of the music on our last two records, some of it comes from a place that is brand new. But that, in my opinion, is circumstantial. We are in a really exciting stage in our career; we’re focused and really excited about the stuff that we’re making. I’m excited to try new things on the next record!
You’ve said that you’ve broken up the recording process for the album; how would you say expanding the writing process helped inspire your creativity when making these tracks?
I think it took some of the pressure off, which let us be a bit more free and explorative. Typically, we’d fly to America and hole up in a studio for six weeks, and whatever we left with would be the finished album, whether it was ready or not! Splitting it up and recording more locally has meant that we can listen back to mixes of songs we’re working on and see what we like and what we don’t like.
We could pop down to the studio for two days here, three days there, etc. You still have to be a bit disciplined because this isn’t (Guns N’ Roses’) Chinese Democracy, and we don’t have an unlimited budget, but in a way, it kind of saves you time (and money) because a lot of the editing is done off the clock when you’re at home listening to what you’ve done. Then when you come back to the studio on Monday, you can just crack on with the work.
Lyrically, the tracks feel cohesive while tackling different subject matters. What influenced the topics explored on Datura?
It’s a really personal record. I find it quite hard to share my feelings with the world, with today’s online culture, it can make you feel very vulnerable. But I wanted to write a record that was honest and genuine. Once I wrote the first few songs, I started to find it easier and easier. Although it doesn’t sound like it, I think it’s quite a sad album.
But it comes from a place of positivity, me realizing I’m a little bit not OK, and I need to stop being so self-destructive and spend some time fixing myself, which is what the record became in a way, a way to self-analyze. It was quite therapeutic. Sometimes you don’t realize the scale of the problem until you spit it out on paper, stick it up on the wall, and stare at it for a while.
It’s been noted that you want fans to connect with the themes produced on the record, how do you specifically connect with the tracks?
I suppose I preemptively answered this question in the previous one, but I would like people to be able to find solace in these songs as I’ve done. Anyone that’s feeling like their life is spinning out of control or that they don’t have a solid grip on themselves or their choices, you are certainly not alone in that; I think everyone can feel a little bit small and a bit lost in this world today. Me writing this album, the support of my band mates and my wife, has really helped me realize that I can be better, and I do feel better. Talking to people doesn’t always help, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.
If you could direct listeners to one song on the album that really showcases the entire aspect of Datura, which one would that be?
I don’t mean this to be a cop-out, but I honestly don’t think I could. I really don’t mean this to sound as pretentious as it’s almost certainly going to, but the reason this album is so short is because each song is part of a puzzle that told the story it needed to tell concisely and in 7 songs. Each bit is a part of a larger whole. If we had added to that, it would have just been filler. People’s time is precious, and I don’t want to waste it on something self-indulgent and unnecessary. To that end, if you can spare the time, anyone reading this, I’d love for you to listen to the album front to back in order. We really appreciate your time and hope that you get something out of it.
You played with new storylines with this record, creating a scenic soundscape within songs such as “Shelter From The Rain,” which made you decide to pepper that into this album.
Thank you for noticing! I really love when an album feels lived-in and immersive. The record takes you on a journey from dusk until daybreak; we wanted to create this feeling of drifting through lonely streets at night, hearing traffic go by, people talking as they pass by. The rain on awnings of shops and bus shelters, etc.
I’m a big fan of diegetic sound and atmosphere and what it can do to help tell the story. The sounds in Shelter From The Rain,” such as the sounds of cars and people passing by, were recorded by me when I was walking through the city late at night. That song in particular is a bit of a palate cleanser, but it serves as the low point in the record, when everything feels a bit dark, and you want to go home. It was inspired by video game soundtracks like Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding.
Do you have any plans to support this Datura that fans can look forward to?
We have tours booked; we’re doing some HMV in-store, acoustic performances and signings on the Alexisonfire tour. We also have some extra media that will be coming out around the album. I should also add that this is also only part one of a two part concept, so there’s still that to look forward to! A big thank you to everyone that’s supported us this far and bothered to listen to me being so self-indulgent!
Image courtesy of Boston Manor
