Music: Lau
Jeff Hemmings talks to Kris Drever of folk group Lau
Musically adventurous and featuring three of the finest players from these Isles: Kris Drever (guitar, vocals), violinist Aidan O’Rourke and accordionist Martin Green, Lau have released three acclaimed albums, and have already won Best Group at the Radio 2 Folk Awards three times.
They also like to dip their toes into less-traditional waters, particularly on their adventurous new album Race The Loser. Earlier this year they teamed up with Cream’s legendary bassist Jack Bruce and folktronica’s Adem. “We were doing the rehearsals [with Bruce] and it was like watching some guy do a stadium rock gig, and he’s 70! An incredible guy, a treat to work with. Adem is also a fantastic man,” says Kris Drever, perhaps the most well known of the trio thanks to his solo work and various collaborations.
With Lau it’s all about playing together and working up some magic. “We spend a lot of time sitting in a room and making music,” says Chris It’s recorded live; it’s the only way to get a performance, otherwise it can be perfect but lacking any ‘light’. The new record is the most successful at replicating what we do live.”
Race The Loser was produced by Tucker Martine, husband of American musician Laura Viers. “He has the people skills! Within 15 minutes of meeting him he was in the band, and created a great atmosphere for us to work in.”
Lau’s music veers fluidly from the sombre to the cheerful, from the gentle to the energetic, with their often hypnotic musicianship delivering a warm and enveloping sound that this time around is embellished with touches of ambient electronics, psychedelia and nu-folk here and there. “I listen to a lot of contemporary music, keeping an ear on what others are doing, to see what we can use… It’s good the purist camp exists though, to remind you of how it was. The purist isn’t about just a delivery or a performance, but it is about the oral tradition. I don’t poo pooh the purist!
“There have been some big changes though – folk has been the hottest thing the last few years. But I feel the number of ukulele owners in the UK has reached a critical mass!”
Lau, Proud Brighton Ballroom, Wednesday 14 November, 8pm, £14
