Underground Railroad
Chances are, if you're reading this biography, you've heard of London-via-the-Parisian-suburbs rockers Underground Railroad already. Possibly through the 2007 sawdust-rough demo collection ‘Twisted Trees’ put out as an intro to the French trio to set them on their way. Maybe by catching one of the wall-of-guitar live shows that earned them a reputation as one the capital's most feral live bands, or maybe chanced upon them supporting Blood Red Shoes, Dinosaur Jr or Ladyhawke.
Most likely though it was through 2008's 'Sticks And Stones' album, the Seattle-cut record that propelled them from rugged potential to a band who could confidently mould impeccable alt.rock influences such as Sonic Youth, Pavement et al around their own image.
Reviews glowed – critics and tastemakers gushed and salivated, but more importantly the band earned reams of new fans beguiled by their charm, tunes and unpredictability.
Flying to Seattle to make 'Sticks And Stones' with producer John Goodmanson (Bikini Kill, Death Cab For Cutie, Los Campesinos!, Hot Hot Heat), Underground Railroad's debut album elevated them to the level of the UK scene's most sophisticated yet hard-rocking bands. A period of intense touring began as demand for them shot high, and inevitably, there was burnout.
Always a band to thrive on intensity, the burnout ultimately proved inspirational. Writing alone and communicating via email, Raphael and Marion honed their darkest material yet, their crushing touring schedule and the nighttime adventures and characters their London lifestyles were providing setting the tone.
Sessions started in January 2010 in their Stamford Hill practice room with engineer Ellis Gardiner, and, after an initial purple patch had yielded songs that would end up making the final record, the band realized that they need go no further than their own doorstep to make the album they wanted to make. "The American sound is on 'Sticks And Stones', Raphael outlines, "the overdubbing vocals and guitars, big drums, big bass… after three months there I was even saying 'Hey maaan' to everyone. This time we just felt like we were a London band, so we wanted to do it in London. This record, it sounds more UK."
Indeed, as the songs' subject matter dictated, 'White Night Stand' is more of a London album than any born and bred capital-dwellers could have hoped to make, their outsider status offering them a detached insight into the city's inner workings. Raphael: "I was writing about all these dark bars in London, the weirdness of meeting new people and not understanding someone, or how they function. It's a night-time album, definitely."
For Marion: "My lyrics are all about stories that happen at night, insomnia, wild parties, darkness and confusion, one night stands. The title of the album is a "white night" in French, "nuit blanche" that means when you spend the whole night awake – you can’t or won’t sleep."
There are moments of fitting intensity. Most notably 'Seagull Attack', the album's crescendo centrepiece, that clocks in at over nine minutes with its hypnotic repetitive guitar cascade – a boundary-shoving moment for the band. "I wanted to make it ten minutes long…" Marion mutters, with Raphael revealing Liars' work on their debut album ‘They Threw Us All In A Trench & Put A Monument On Top’ as part of its inspiration.
Then there's the distinctly Radiohead-esque 'Ginkgo Biloba', another album highlight, with Raphael happy to acknowledge the influence of Thom Yorke and co. "Some people have told me that's really Radiohead-y, which I take as a compliment," he laughs. "I never like to be compared to bands, like, 'That's really Sonic Youth, that's really Radiohead…', but there are a few more electronics and I know Radiohead do actually use that guitar tuning!"
Further inspiration across the album came from Twin Peaks and David Lynch – Marion naming 'The Black Widow', 'The Orchid's Curse', and 'Traces To Nowhere' after episodes of the show, and 'Yellow Suit' in reference to his 'Blue Velvet' film. "I just always feel inspired by its ambience," she explains. Raphael elaborates: "The music is a bit more cinematic. The cello [provided by musician Anna Scott, who wrote cello parts for the album herself and joins the band live regularly] - it sounds like you could put it in a David Lynch film where someone's driving on a lost highway, dark, at night."
The album was produced by Underground Railroad and mixed Paul Walton (Massive Attack – “Mezzanine”, Bjork – “Homogenic” / “Vespertine”).
Dark, intense, melodic, exploratory… Underground Railroad have gone around the world then found what's most true to them back where they now call home. It's an intriguing place – we suggest you have a listen.
Contact: ed@popularcompany.co.uk
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Underground Railroad '8 Millimetres' single launch
