In The Bag: Mitchell Museum

The Peters Port Memorial Service

Where, when and with whom was it recorded?

It was recorded at Brown Owl Studios in Glasgow by Andrew Bush. We recorded in September and October and mixed up until just December with the band, Andy Bush {and Chris Connick (formerly of de rosa) {feel like maybe we should give him some props after all}

What can we expect?

Hmmm…. I’ve noticed that a lot of albums that have been coming out recently sound like 10 or 11 individual songs that don’t really relate to each other in a thematic sense. Not that I think that there’s anything wrong with listening to 10 or 11 good pop songs in a row. I’ve just always preferred albums that flow with a real sense of mood and emotion. Not that I’m a massive fan of the “Prog- concept album” as such….hmmm I’m feeling a bit tangled up with trying to explain what I mean…. Radioheads Kid A!! That’s an album that really flows as one cohesive piece of music, but isn’t a “concept album”. We thought about this a lot whilst writing the album. So… (To finally answer your question)-

I think it would be fair to say that you can expect a sort of “traditional” album that works as one big meaty piece of music with linking themes.... emotion…..and weird sound effects…..and stuff.

Were you listening to anything in particular before or during the process that might have made a mark on the record?
 

Like I was saying before we really wanted to make an album that worked as one cohesive piece, and so in thinking about that I spent a bit of time listening to albums that I felt did that kind of thing “Ladies and Gentleman we’re floating space” by spiritualized “Deserter Songs” by mercury rev and of course “Sgt Peppers Lonely Heart club band”…by some band with boys in it. 

Actually, I think I should probably explain that (especially for people reading this that haven’t heard us before!) we don’t really sound like any of the bands I’ve mentioned …well….we maybe sound a little bit like Mercury Rev. It just occurred to me that I wouldn’t particularly want to listen to a band that counted Radiohead, spiritualized and The Beatles amongst their main influences….So yeah…If you’re somebody that hasn’t heard us before I think I should probably say that people have compared us to The flaming lips, Why? And animal collective…I’m just saying that to give you a better idea of what we sound like….I’m sorry I’ve kind of “gone off on one” haven’t I…. 

Any rough or final tracklising drawn up yet?

Totally cemented after much deliberation. Like we said a lot of the album flows from one song into the next so most of this had to be decided before we even got into recording properly to get the mixes and fades right. So as long as they all work it will be:
1. we won 2nd prize
2. warning bells
3. room for improvement
4. the peters port memorial service
5. take the tongue out
6. no.3
7. mission 1
8. tiger heartbeat
9. cut lantern
10. copy + paste
11. bleed the bottle
12. a series of instructions
13. novels and diaries

When's it due out?

Early 2010. We're just finishing up on the mastering but basically as soon as we can because we are really excited about it and we want everyone to hear it. 

When will it leak!?

As soon as my mum gets a copy. She is a terrible bootlegger.

In three (ragged) words?

Big Lovely Clatter