Interview with Alpine

Brooke Tunbridge
Jun 23, 2015
2 min read

Photography by Tracey Lee Hayes

Ahead of their national tour, Alpine took some time out to chat to us about getting back on the road with their new album Yuck.

The six piece Melbourne band announced the national tour after releasing the first single, ‘Foolish’, from the follow up to their 2012 album A Is For Alpine. Vocalist Phoebe Baker describes their sound as “variations of pop” as they push their sound to new and often strange places. Musically, inspiration came from this desire, “Most of the music of the songs came from a textural or harmonic idea that I was curious about. I wanted to see if certain things would work in a pop song” comments Christian O’Brien, Guitarist and first time co-producer of the album.

Yuck was recorded in Melbourne at MOOF studios, joining forces with their A Is for Alpine producer, best friend and collaborator Dann Hume (Sticky Fingers, Lisa Mitchell, HOPIUM), who produced the record alongside O’Brien.

Vocalist Phoebe answered a few more questions we had for Alpine:

What have you all been up to since releasing A is for Alpine in 2012?

We toured that album nationally and internationally, had many an adventure, came back utterly exhausted, worked at our day jobs and wrote and recorded Yuck! It's been a busy few years! Now we are getting ready for our national Foolish tour. Costumes are being made, vocals are being warmed up and sets are being refined! So excited to get back out on the road, feels like it’s been a decade, I'll feel like a gran going on stage!

How did the name of the new album Yuck come about?

Yuck is a lyric in the song Foolish, being such a great word it was an easy choice for us to make. Also I think in a lot of ways the word Yuck relates a lot of the emotions that are captured on the album. Yuck is an awkward, uncomfortable, revolted reaction, yet also funny and silly and kind of stubborn. In relationships and in general day to day life, I think Alpine, as a whole, were feeling lots of yuck moments. Who doesn't. It's a cheeky name to call your album. We don't think it's yuck, but perhaps the nerves we have at the vulnerability we feel when releasing it out into the world are yuck. It's very satisfying to say, say it now with gusto and you will understand!

Who are you guys looking forward to seeing at Splendour in The Grass?

BLUR!!! Oh gosh!!

Best of luck/have fun on your Foolish national tour, see you in Newcastle!

Thankyou!! Cannot wait!!

Alpine's 'Foolish Tour' starts tomorrow at The Gov in SA. Check out all the dates below: