Getting To Know... The Preachers

Sydney's The Preachers are one of the bands to watch in 2012. Vocalist/keyboardist Isabella Manfredi talks to BobbySix.com about the band’s inspirations, the future and their home city:

I would describe The Preachers' sound as blues rocknroll with a dash of country.

We take inspiration from The Band, The Stones, The Patti Smith Group, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, The Clash, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Jack Dejonette. We like the old school ethos of production and musical process. People like Brain Wilson and Phil Spektor, George Martin and T-Bone Burnett. Individually our tastes are eclectic and we're definitely not a 60’s wannabe band.

Sydney is its own worst enemy. There's no shortage of talent and ideas coming out of the music community at the moment, but Sydney folk are a notoriously competitive and cliquey bunch. We're always looking at the guy next to us thinking "who does he think he is?". It's a lot easier to be resentful of other bands, especially if there’s an ideology clash there, but, at the end of the day, they've got a record deal and you've got a reputation for being an arrogant cock. Support and respect for what other people are doing builds community in the true sense of the word. Here are some Sydney names that have our respect: Danimals, Domeyko/Gonzalez, Arkestra, Sooners, Hero Fisher, Royal Headache, Jack Ladder, Kirin J. Callinan, The Holy Soul, Psychonanny & The Babyshakers, Step-Panther. We could go on…

I wish The Preachers had written Me and My Woman by Roy Harper. One of the first experiments with multi-track and a serious Opus for anyone interested. I'm also hooked on Sweet Surrender by Tim Buckley (in fact the whole album Greetings From LA is genius) and Keys To Your Heart by The 101s at the moment.

It might surprise people to learn that [guitarist] Jak and [bassist] Thomas recorded and mixed our entire EP themselves. We spent six months amassing the gear and moved it all into an orchestral practice hall in Stanmore [inner-west Sydney]. The EP was recorded there over two weeks using 8-track and a lot of ingenuity.

In five years time we won't still be living with our parents... fingers crossed.

Jack Ladder - Love Is Gone

JACK LADDER
Love Is Gone

It’s been quite a while since I last saw Sydney-based troubadour Jack Ladder play live. Then, he hunched his beanpole frame over an acoustic guitar and performed intelligent yet undeniably sober folk. So I was slightly surprised to discover this, his sophomore album, is a rather jaunty affair.

Filling out his sound with Triosk’s Ben Waples on bass and the wonderful Laurence Pike from Pivot bashing the skins, Ladder recorded Love Is Gone to tape pretty much live over just five days with minimal overdubs. Perhaps best illustrating the record’s upbeat nature is the raw pop of second track, Case Closed. With an infectious vocal melody sung over perky piano, rock ‘n’ roll guitar and harmonies, it’s certainly the jewel in this album’s crown. At the end of its three minutes, you’ll be heading straight for the repeat button. There are nice slower moments too, like when strings weave their way through the contemplative I Love Your Mind.

Ladder’s lyrics are clever and his vocal is a warm baritone with round edges which, while tugging between Cohen and Cave, also sounds ever so slightly like Antony Hegarty. While Ladder’s voice is not quite in the same class as any of these artists (but then how many people’s are?), it is certainly distinctive and intriguing.

Taking influence from early R & B, country-soul and krautrock, Love Is Gone is the sound of Jack Ladder discovering a swagger to his long-legged stride. And it’s a swagger that suits him well.