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THE LOVELY EGGS
DIY indie duo inspired by books, witchcraft and our perplexing times
Holly Ross has trouble with her voice. ‘It’s fucked. It’s been fucked for a bit, that’s why the new album sounds like it does!’ she laughs heartily. ‘No bad thing.’ It’s been a landmark year for the band: the release of i fth album This Is Eggland in February brought a run of sold-out shows across the country, with the duo (made up of Ross and drummer husband David Blackwell) making new fans at every turn, while remaining staunchly DIY. ‘Sometimes no one else will fucking help you,’ she says, ‘and you either stop or you fucking get on. We’ve always got on. We’ve never let anything get us down, we stand up and i ght.’ That infectious spirit of self-reliance is a near- constant presence in our conversation. ‘People sometimes should stop moaning and get on with it!’ says Ross. ‘If you want to be in a band, keep doing it for the love of doing it. If we didn’t love doing it, we’d stop it immediately. If no one will release your stuff, fuck it – do it yourself.’
After four self-produced albums, the Eggs
decided to ask Dave Fridmann (Tame Impala, Sleater Kinney, MGMT) to produce This Is Eggland based on their admiration for the Flaming Lips’ classic The Soft Bulletin. ‘The production on that album is absolutely exceptional. We thought if he can do that, imagine how amazing it would be to work with him.’ Fridmann’s studio trickery has made the Eggs’ tunes louder and more in your face than ever before. Shifts in tempo and bursts of distortion envelop Ross’ trademark surreal lyrics, inspired by children’s literature, witchcraft trials and our perplexing times. If the wordplay makes you laugh, know that Ross isn’t trying to be a comedy performer. ‘It comes from a much darker place than you could ever imagine,’ she says. ‘Sometimes life is so shit that you have to laugh. It’s just our way of dealing with it, to take the piss.’ (Craig Angus) ■ Beat Generator, Dundee, Thu 11 Oct; CCA, Glasgow, Fri 12 Oct; Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Sat 13 Oct.
1 Sep–31 Oct 2018 THE LIST 73