J
Oe Talbot, known for his bold and commanding voice, begins Idles’ most recent album with a gentle melody and ends it with a soothing hum. This time, he takes on a nurturing role rather than his usual forceful persona, and this is no coincidence. Between the release of their previous album, Crawler, which made the top ten in 2021, and their new album Tangk, both Talbot and primary musician Mark Bowen became fathers. “Becoming a parent puts you in charge of a very delicate being,” Talbot explained. “Suddenly, you’re responsible for someone else’s well-being, and that leads to a softer approach. It also makes you more thoughtful and mindful of your words and actions.”
Talbot is fully aware of his emotions and motivations, and he and Idles have built their reputation on being a transparent and successful band in modern music. Their past four albums have all reached the top 10 in the UK, with one of them, Ultra Mono, even reaching No 1. Their commitment to honesty is evident in Talbot’s direct vocal style, his willingness to share personal struggles with the media, and the band’s outspoken political beliefs. Talbot acknowledges that he cannot hide who he is and has never felt the need to be dishonest.
Despite facing incredibly difficult subjects in his lyrics and interviews, Talbot has been open about his struggles with his mother’s alcoholism, the loss of his first child, and his own battles with substance abuse. However, he has recently chosen to limit the level of candidness in his music. In the lead-up to his new album, he and his wife separated, but when questioned about any potential impact on his lyrics, he refused to discuss it, stating that it was not fair to involve non-band members.
Talbot was somewhat hesitant, but not exactly enthusiastic, to discuss his recent romantic connection. This development led to some lighthearted lyrics on the latest album. He shared, “I am currently in a wonderful place and I am incredibly thankful.”
If you didn’t catch it, he named a track on the album “Gratitude” and another one “Grace”. These two songs act as emotional anchors for the overall loving tone of the album. (During our conversation, Talbot mentioned the word “love” at least 18 times). However, this does not mean that the new album is all soft and sappy. There are still moments of anger and aggression, and Talbot’s portrayal of love is far from simple. He explained, “Some may think they know what a love song is, but these songs are my interpretation of love, which in the past has been dark and tumultuous. I’ve learned to embrace those emotions, which is why I can be vulnerable on this record.”
His singing style has expanded as well, in part due to this. He expressed, “I no longer need aggression as a cover-up.” He can now freely convey sadness, nostalgia, or unpredictability without considering it self-indulgent. An example of this is Nina Simone’s music, where even in her most delicate moments, there was still a powerful force behind it.
The new album has more than just those alterations. Idles collaborated with a prominent producer, Nigel Godrich, who is most recognized for his extensive work with Radiohead. Mark Bowen, who joined Talbot for the interview from the band’s small rehearsal space in Bristol, expressed his desire to work with Godrich ever since he was 13 and listened to OK Computer.
However, the idea of collaborating with an A-list producer was incredibly daunting for them. Bowen expressed, “We held a lot of respect for music we perceived as being at the top level, which we believed was out of reach for us.” He continued, “An album by Radiohead or Portishead, those are for brilliant minds! It takes a special talent that we don’t possess to create something like that. But we discovered that it’s not as impossible as we thought, as long as you put in the effort. We realized that there are no musical geniuses, just hardworking individuals.”
Bowen, who has always had a hand in the band’s production, worked alongside Godrich to hone a variety of new textures in the songs. (The album’s title, Tangk, is meant to be an onomatopoeia for the impact of the music). “It was a bit like going to school,” Bowen said. “I learned a lot about tape loops and the way he uses distortion and reverb and delay. It’s so old school, yet it sounds novel.”
The album, titled Brutalism, maintains the band’s ethos of defying expectations, a principle that has been present since their first release in 2017. It was a musical explosion, filled with sharp guitar riffs, intense drum beats, and powerful vocals from Talbot that left a lasting impact. Talbot expressed their fascination with the intensity of art, whether it be through brushstrokes, typography, or any other form. They recognized its significance.
They recognized a purpose for it – specifically, to combat the dominating perspectives in Britain during that period. “We aimed to utilize our aggressive actions to combat the aggression present in advertising, popular media, and journalism, in order to spark a discussion of opposition,” Talbot explained.
Throughout their journey, the band engaged in discussions about a variety of topics, including white privilege, Brexit, immigration, and class. They also took aim at the harmful aspects of traditional masculinity, drawing comparisons to the early work of Henry Rollins. This use of hyper-masculine elements served as a form of resistance against these societal issues. However, their efforts were met with criticism, as fellow musicians such as Jason Williamson and members of Fat White Family publicly questioned lead singer Talbot’s authenticity and understanding of these topics. Talbot responded, “It’s directed at me because I speak my mind.”
The outcome has impacted the entire group, causing some to attempt to label Idles as a politically-charged band. When asked about his thoughts on this characterization, Talbot initially responded with a blunt “no comment.” However, after a beat, he proceeded to give a comment that lasted for 10 minutes. He passionately stated, “People want to claim us and dictate our identity. I have always been drawn to writing about empathy and unity as a means to challenge the oppressive government we are living under. To me, this is not political, but rather, it is a matter of basic humanity. I despise our government. I absolutely detest them! I abhor every single lie that spews from their deceitful mouths. And I hope they suffer defeat in the next general election.”
While Bowen’s reaction was more level-headed, it was still unwavering. He stated, “Our political landscape is deeply ingrained in our identity, so the idea of something being non-political is abhorrent to us. It is a significant aspect of who we are.”
An equal part concerns the intent behind their protest. While the lyrics on the new album may put extra emphasis on love and support amid the calls for change, Talbot insists such emotions have been central to his message from the start. “I’ve always come with compassion, with self-reflection and love,” he said. “And I’ve always talked about being grateful.”
This time, the notable difference is that his tone more closely reflects these emotions. The song Pop Pop Pop embodies this change. Its lyrics use a term that has gained recent popularity in the media: “freudenfreude”. Essentially, this term means finding pleasure in someone else’s success, in contrast to the traditional term “schadenfreude”, which means finding joy in someone else’s suffering. Talbot expressed, “Schadenfreude is a pitiful thing. It’s prevalent in the British press and culture. It’s rooted in the class system and I despise it. Currently, many people feel vulnerable and unheard, causing them to become sadistic and cruel individuals. With access to the internet and tabloid and broadsheet newspapers, they can transform into vindictive egos on the attack.”
This track on the album was created to challenge the harshness prevalent in society and its title was selected long before a prominent current event in popular culture. Named after the musical duo Hall & Oates, the song is a tribute to the strength of companionship. Lead singer Talbot shared, “My former partner and I used to laugh about how after making love for the first time, the next morning it felt like the birds were chirping and Hall & Oates was playing. I love the concept of friendship having that same feeling.”
The ongoing legal battles between Daryl Hall and John Oates have tarnished their image as role models. However, Bowen and Talbot believe that the public’s surprise at the news only highlights how heavily the duo relied on controversial behavior in the past. Talbot stated, “They’ve shattered the illusion,” and added, “They are two individuals who have every right to go their separate ways.”
In comparison, the band Idles is currently experiencing a strong sense of unity and motivation. In just over six years, they have produced five significant projects and have been actively touring, with a busy schedule that spans multiple continents. This drive can be attributed to a fear of losing momentum. As Bowen stated, there is a need to continuously work and not let opportunities slip away.
When we spoke, it was evident that the fruits of their labor were at the forefront of their thoughts, fueled by the interview setting. Bowen expressed, “When we initially began writing songs in this exact room, we envisioned this moment.”
Talbot’s increased gratitude is accompanied by a subtle intensity. He believes that true gratitude involves recognizing one’s privilege and repaying it through diligent effort. However, for him, hard work does not simply mean repeating the same content every day. It involves pushing boundaries and embracing discomfort in order to create something even more exceptional.
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Tangk is out on 16 February
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On 13 February 2024, this article was updated. The track originally known as “Grace” was corrected to “Gratitude” and the rehearsal studio was found to be located in Bristol instead of London.
Source: theguardian.com
