The internet's pressuring gaze can often give bands an unnecessary extra layer of anxiety in the studio, and the buzz blogs have most definitely been keeping an eye on UK electro-pop trio Chvrches since they appeared on the scene in 2011. Having taken 18 months to complete their debut full-length The Bones of What You Believe, due out September 24 via Glassnote, the band admit that they've been trying their best to avoid the media's pressure.
"I think it would be very easy to feel that pressure, but I think we've been really good, so far, on concentrating on the live show," synth player Martin Doherty tells Exclaim! "In some situations, I can definitely see how that can really mess with your heads, though."
Doherty goes on to admit that, with social media interactions, it's not completely possible to avoid all press, but believes that "good or bad reviews will ultimately have a negative impact."
Together, Doherty, Ian Cook and lead singer Lauren Mayberry have finally completed their debut album, one that they are excited for fans to listen to. Recorded between sporadic tour dates, they found themselves occasionally having to cut a vocal track in a hotel room, but for the most part had the luxury of time and space to finish recordings in their own studio in Glasgow.
"It would be stressful if we were touring more, but this was workable," Mayberry says.
Cook adds, "We finally arrived at something we're very happy with."
One thing Chvrches wanted to keep in mind is preserving the idea of an album as opposed to just releasing singles.
"We don't want to subscribe to the idea that the album format is dead," says Doherty. "It's what we know and we're not ready to give up yet. I don't really like the idea of it just being about singles and front-loading your album with singles.
"We'll get the pressure to do that because that seems to be the way things are going, but we'll try our best to stand up against it!"
Fans can expect more of the bombastic synth beats found and saccharine melodies on their full-length, as they've heard on their previous EP, Recover, but songs on the album will incorporate elements and songs written before the EP, as far back as 18 months ago. Mayberry is intrigued to see how listeners will receive these old and new parts.
"Even the singles we've put out haven't been done chronologically," says Mayberry. "There's a dynamic to the album and it will be interesting for people to hear what else is on the album."
As previously reported, Chvrches are heading back to North America for a new round of tour dates in support of their upcoming album. You can see all those below.
Tour dates:
7/14 Kinross, UK - T in the Park
7/16 Nimes, FR - Antic Arena *
7/18 Milan, IT - San Siro *
7/19 Suffolk, UK - Latitude Festival
7/20 Ferropolis, DE - Melt! Festival
7/21 Benicàssim, ES - Benicàssim Festival
7/23 Prague, CZ - Synot Tip Arena *
7/25 Warsaw, PL - National Stadium *
8/2 Sydney, AU - Oxford Art Factory
8/3 Sydney, AU - Oxford Art Factory
8/5 Melbourne, AU - The Corner Hotel
8/10 Tokyo, JP - Summer Sonic
8/11 Osaka, JP - Summer Sonic
8/16 Hasselt, BE - Pukkelpop
8/17 Biddinghuizen, NL - Lowlands Festival
8/18 Hamburg, DE - Dockville Festival
8/23 Reading, UK - Reading Festival
8/24 Leeds, UK - Leeds Festival
8/25 Paris, FR - Rock en Seine Festival
9/1 Stradbally, IE - Electric Picnic
9/4 Portland, OR - MusicfestNW
9/5 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
9/6 Seattle, WA - Showbox at the Market
9/9 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
9/11 Chicago, IL - Metro
9/13 Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
9/14 Detroit, MI - Laneway Festival
9/15 Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall
9/17 Boston, MA - House Of Blues
9/18 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
9/22 New York, NY - Terminal 5
10/20 Brussels, BE - AB Box
10/23 Cologne, DE - Gebaude 9
10/25 Munich, DE - Strom
10/26 Berlin, DE - Postbahnhof
10/29 Copenhagen, DK - Vega
10/30 Stockholm, SE - Debaser
11/17 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
11/18 Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern
11/19 San Diego, CA - House of Blues
11/22 Austin, TX - Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater
11/23 Dallas, TX - South Side Ballroom
11/24 Houston, TX - House of Blues
11/26 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
11/27 Norfolk, VA - The Norva
11/29 Richmond, VA - The National
11/30 Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
12/1 Nashville, TN - Exit/In
* with Depeche Mode
"I think it would be very easy to feel that pressure, but I think we've been really good, so far, on concentrating on the live show," synth player Martin Doherty tells Exclaim! "In some situations, I can definitely see how that can really mess with your heads, though."
Doherty goes on to admit that, with social media interactions, it's not completely possible to avoid all press, but believes that "good or bad reviews will ultimately have a negative impact."
Together, Doherty, Ian Cook and lead singer Lauren Mayberry have finally completed their debut album, one that they are excited for fans to listen to. Recorded between sporadic tour dates, they found themselves occasionally having to cut a vocal track in a hotel room, but for the most part had the luxury of time and space to finish recordings in their own studio in Glasgow.
"It would be stressful if we were touring more, but this was workable," Mayberry says.
Cook adds, "We finally arrived at something we're very happy with."
One thing Chvrches wanted to keep in mind is preserving the idea of an album as opposed to just releasing singles.
"We don't want to subscribe to the idea that the album format is dead," says Doherty. "It's what we know and we're not ready to give up yet. I don't really like the idea of it just being about singles and front-loading your album with singles.
"We'll get the pressure to do that because that seems to be the way things are going, but we'll try our best to stand up against it!"
Fans can expect more of the bombastic synth beats found and saccharine melodies on their full-length, as they've heard on their previous EP, Recover, but songs on the album will incorporate elements and songs written before the EP, as far back as 18 months ago. Mayberry is intrigued to see how listeners will receive these old and new parts.
"Even the singles we've put out haven't been done chronologically," says Mayberry. "There's a dynamic to the album and it will be interesting for people to hear what else is on the album."
As previously reported, Chvrches are heading back to North America for a new round of tour dates in support of their upcoming album. You can see all those below.
Tour dates:
7/14 Kinross, UK - T in the Park
7/16 Nimes, FR - Antic Arena *
7/18 Milan, IT - San Siro *
7/19 Suffolk, UK - Latitude Festival
7/20 Ferropolis, DE - Melt! Festival
7/21 Benicàssim, ES - Benicàssim Festival
7/23 Prague, CZ - Synot Tip Arena *
7/25 Warsaw, PL - National Stadium *
8/2 Sydney, AU - Oxford Art Factory
8/3 Sydney, AU - Oxford Art Factory
8/5 Melbourne, AU - The Corner Hotel
8/10 Tokyo, JP - Summer Sonic
8/11 Osaka, JP - Summer Sonic
8/16 Hasselt, BE - Pukkelpop
8/17 Biddinghuizen, NL - Lowlands Festival
8/18 Hamburg, DE - Dockville Festival
8/23 Reading, UK - Reading Festival
8/24 Leeds, UK - Leeds Festival
8/25 Paris, FR - Rock en Seine Festival
9/1 Stradbally, IE - Electric Picnic
9/4 Portland, OR - MusicfestNW
9/5 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
9/6 Seattle, WA - Showbox at the Market
9/9 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
9/11 Chicago, IL - Metro
9/13 Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
9/14 Detroit, MI - Laneway Festival
9/15 Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall
9/17 Boston, MA - House Of Blues
9/18 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
9/22 New York, NY - Terminal 5
10/20 Brussels, BE - AB Box
10/23 Cologne, DE - Gebaude 9
10/25 Munich, DE - Strom
10/26 Berlin, DE - Postbahnhof
10/29 Copenhagen, DK - Vega
10/30 Stockholm, SE - Debaser
11/17 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
11/18 Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern
11/19 San Diego, CA - House of Blues
11/22 Austin, TX - Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater
11/23 Dallas, TX - South Side Ballroom
11/24 Houston, TX - House of Blues
11/26 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
11/27 Norfolk, VA - The Norva
11/29 Richmond, VA - The National
11/30 Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
12/1 Nashville, TN - Exit/In
* with Depeche Mode