Greenthief
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Greenthief

Melbourne psychedelic rockers Greenthief have just released their second album, Tremors. After a long and arduous process, frontman Julian Schweitzer admits to feeling a strong sense of relief now the record is finally completed and out there in the world.

“It was a big and scattered process, but all in all I’m really stoked with it,” Schweitzer says. “I think it’s marked an honest place and time for us, for what it represents and where we’re at. I couldn’t be happier.

“We started tracking it maybe a year and a half ago. We did all these takes, and during that process we got a new drummer. I think we went in a bit early. We listened back when it was getting mixed and it just wasn’t gelling as well as we’d hoped. So we deleted the whole thing and started again from scratch,” he says.

After much re-working and re-thinking, the band’s second recording attempt yielded more satisfying results. “Most of the songs changed. It turned out to be a different record, which is cool, and I think it came out stronger as a result of the restart,” says Schweitzer. “But it was definitely one of those processes where, by the time we’d got there, we were definitely ready to get it done.”

Not only did the three-piece scratch those entire initial sessions and start over, but the finished product was eventually recorded across several locations using a variety of personnel. “We used lots of different studios with different people mixing and engineering it,” he says. “One of the tracks was recorded a year ago in Brisbane as a single. Then we did two songs with a producer by the name of Steve Schram, which were both released as singles in the lead up to the album coming out. Then there were lots of different people mixing – I think about four different people mixed the record.”

Ultimately, Schweitzer feels the long and disparate process in the lead up made the record what it is today. “There was a lot of faith in the mastering that it would glue the whole thing together, and I think it did, but I think it’s a scattered record, and not necessarily in a bad way. It just comes back to what I originally said – it marks a moment in time for what it is. I’m not embarrassed or ashamed to say that.”

Despite the diffuse nature of the recording and mixing of the album, the reaction to the music and its diverse content has been decidedly positive.

“We’ve had heaps of cool feedback. Critics have seen that there’s a lot of variety on the record. I think someone referred to us as like being in a food court, where you can pick and choose your favourite food,” says Schweitzer. “I’ve always liked records that do that. I think there’s been a lot of transition within the band, like when I moved down to Melbourne three years ago. New lineup, new people to play with, and the record reflects that.”

Written by Rod Whitfield

When & Where: The Loft, Warrnambool – July 8, The Workers Club, Geelong – July 22 & the Musicman Megastore, Bendigo – July 23