Soda Blonde have announced the release of their debut album ‘Small Talk’ on July 9th with their new single and title track. I caught up with singer-songwriter Faye O’Rourke to talk about the new single, gaining confidence as a band and within herself, how she crafts her poetic lyrics and how Adam O’Regan is a “multifaceted genius”.
Soda Blonde are honing in on their craft, dropping alternative pop gems with each release. All four band members (O’Rourke, guitarist Adam O’Regan, drummer Dylan Lynch and bassist Donagh Seaver-O’Leary) are seasoned musicians who have been perfecting their craft since their teens. The result is the Soda Blonde experience. Title track ‘Small Talk’ gives a glimpse at what the album has in store for listeners.
“I thought Small Talk was a very fitting title for the album in general as it’s a very self-aware title. In terms of what it’s about, it’s about loads of things. Initially when we wrote it, when you’re listening to it you think it’s about a dialogue between two people, but it’s also kind of talking about one’s inner dialogue. I think, especially now, in the times that we live, it seems like we’re beholden to one or two scripts. It’s becoming more and more polarised, and a lot of times it’s all talk and no action. So Small Talk just seemed like a very fitting title for the album as a whole and also for the single.”
‘Small Talk’ is a catchy alternative pop tune with a dark undertone, and this is something we see a lot within Soda Blonde’s songs.In fact, it could be what makes them so enticing. Sometimes it’s a deep bass groove, pulsing synth or mystical melody that tantalises the ears and entraps listeners in the band’s mesmerising sound.
“ We always set out to serve the song, and that’s one of the great things about the band and why the music is so diverse. So yeah, I guess there’s a darkness in the lyrics that sometimes, I feel is countered with the music. We’re making music that makes you want to move, but the subject matter can be quite dark. I’m definitely exposing parts of myself through the music that I wouldn’t necessarily do on a daily basis. I’m probably more honest in my music. I’m exploring parts of myself that I wouldn’t want to discuss with somebody, you know. So I think the music does counter that but also there is a darkness to it as well, I guess, as you said”
I wondered if it was daunting approaching the band with all these very personal, emotional, honest thoughts within her head.
“That’s a good question. No I’m not because we’ve worked together for over 10 years and we’ve been through a lot as teenagers, and we have a very intimate relationship with one another. So No is the answer, I’m well used to it at this point. But I’m still always anxious about their reaction because I respect them so much as musicians and as artists. That’s still a very nerve-racking thing. I’ve gotten better at that over the years. When I was younger I would be kind of shaking because the first time you do expose those feelings is often the most nerve-racking, so I’m probably better at that now. It’s definitely something that I had to get to grips with over the years”
“We’re all very communicative and open. I think a lot of the time, because our lives are so intertwined, they can relate to what I’m talking about or, they understand it. When you expose yourself as a person, I used to see that as being vulnerable or a weakness. I felt like I was giving away parts of myself and I didn’t have anything left for me, but now I’m seeing that as more of a strength because I’m just more comfortable with myself. At the end of the day, it’s me living with myself in my own head. I suppose it’s therapeutic and I feel like I’m achieving a little bit more contentment, in that way. “
Soda Blonde’s music expresses and discusses universal, relatable themes and topics however they also have personal meanings for O’Rourke. A special result of this is fans and listeners can take away something meaningful from the songs. The manner in which O’Rourke crafts her lyrics and how the band creates the backdrop allows listeners to draw their own experience and value out of each track.
“That’s the whole point, especially with this song [Small Talk] in particular and with the album as a whole. I’m never trying to be didactic or tell people how they should live. I think the idea is that people take ownership of it and that’s what makes a good song. That’s what makes it stay with someone forever is If they insert themselves into it and derive their own meanings. So that would be my intention anyway… to open it up to people’s interpretations and for them to find themselves in it”
Catchy melodies seem to be something Soda Blonde are pros at creating. Every song the band releases grabs listeners ears with a bittersweet infectious melody and irresistible hook. I wondered if O’Rourke has a secret recipe to create these and if the melody comes when she is writing the lyrics, or if she writes the lyrics and then puts a melody to it
“I’ve always listened to pop music, and a wide range of everything, I don’t just listen to one genre of music. I think I listen to every genre of music but I don’t go out intending to write a pop jam or something really hooky, it’s just that I wouldn’t be satisfied unless I’m losing myself in it. It’s a subconscious thing and I always make sense of it after I’ve written it, but I feel that’s just my musical sensibility – to write things that are hooky, I guess, I hope.”
“I very rarely do the latter, it’s usually, I’ll sit down at a piano or with a guitar or something and there’ll be one moment or one line or one lyric that presents itself, and that’s usually through the hook or something like that, and then I’m like oh that’s kind of good, I’m a genius for like five minutes and then… my subconscious will begin the exercise, and then my rational self will come in and fill in the blanks after. I think it’s amazing when people can sit down and go, I’m going to write about this and structure out lyrics and then put it to music, that’s an incredible skill, but for me, not saying that I don’t know what I’m going to write about, a lot of times I will know generally what I’m trying to express but in terms of structuring the lyrics, it usually comes out as I’m playing”
O’Rourke is becoming known for her strong and poetic lyrical content. I find there are certain turns of phrase within Soda Blonde’s tracks that hit you when you are listening to them. For example, in ‘Small Talk’, the lyric “Do I suppress everything? Am I just too late to admit that I’m Ignoring myself? “. It’s an honest ponder eloquently expressed in two short lines
“Yeah, I suppose it’s a scary endeavour because I’m relying on something that I don’t have any control over at all and that’s why the guys are such amazing technical musicians. I wouldn’t really describe myself as a very technical musician, I can navigate my way and articulate myself, but musically, it takes me a bit longer because I’m kind of like I know what it’s supposed to feel like, but I can’t remember where this chord is you know. But yeah, that’s the thing, that’s why it is therapeutic and it is spiritual and something that I’m very grateful to be able to do because I didn’t train to do this, I didn’t go to college to do this, it was just something that I was always able to do so, I respect that process. I certainly do structure after. There’s a few parts that come that way but I definitely do sit down and crack the whip and, as you say, the rational brain comes in and structures it in a way that, for me it should feel complete. It has to have a start, middle and end, and there has to be some kind of hard-hitting conclusion for me with songwriting”
Soda Blonde have been playing together since their early teens, with their previous band – the internationally renowned Little Green Cars, whose seminal debut album skyrocketed to number one on the Irish album charts. Soda Blonde stepped in a different direction to Little Green Cars. There is a more indie-folk sound that is enhanced by impressive synth-pop elements and 80’s influences within Soda Blonde. However, this wasn’t a surprise decision.
“Oh no, it definitely wasn’t we’ll give it a go and see what happens. It was kind of like, this is the only thing that I feel we’re geared towards doing and the vehicle of Soda Blonde has been just so rewarding because we can take control of things that we couldn’t do before. Little Green Cars was winding down quite gradually. I think people just see it as one big announcement and I think a lot of people were surprised by how quickly Soda Blonde emerged after that. But it had always been there, certainly for me in some capacity. These songs, they go back a couple years, they weren’t just all written as soon as we conceived Soda Blonde as such, I had these songs in me for five, six years, some of them. So it’s sort of everything really, you know”.
“Obviously we did have such big success with Little Green Cars and we were so young and everything but I think you understand a bit more in hindsight about, where and why those things happen and we were a great band and I think we’re as good a band, as we were then. It’s a different thing. I see them as two different things and Little Green Cars will always be a huge part of me, it’s all of my reference points. I grew up in that band. I do see it as one journey of my life, and I would love to have as much instantaneous success but that can also be against you in a way, I think when you’re working against hype. It’s quite difficult. I think that was kind of an invaluable experience because I understand it now. I understand the hype machine thing and how volatile things are. It’s a very volatile industry and you just have to be able to put your head down and make the things you want to make and push on. So, I don’t think there’s pressure for me necessarily to achieve the same things. I just believe that we will get there, whether it’s fast or slow, doesn’t really matter. I think I’m happier and more secure in myself with this debut. I was a nervous emotional wreck when the band started when we were teenagers and it was hard to enjoy it. Because you just felt like you were an imposter. You felt like you didn’t know where you were, what you’re doing, what you were supposed to say. I remember playing Coachella, when we were 19 or 20 and looking at other massive acts, going, I don’t look like that, I don’t wear those clothes, do I belong here? Do I even fit in here? and I feel that’s all part of being a teenager and part of growing up.I think this time around, I feel very confident and we love our music and we love each other so you know, come what may type of thing.”
The band create a musically rich and diverse sound, with each member injecting their own unique flair and musical talent into the songs to create ambient and gripping soundscapes. From bassist Donagh Seaver O’Leary’s swaggered elastic grooves and Dylan Lynch’s dynamic drumming coaxing you to bop and groove to Adam O’Regan’s virtuoso guitar, the band are the dream team musicians. However, one striking and instantly recognisable aspect of Soda Blonde is O’Rourke’s vocals. She has a wonderful command and ability to create emotion through her vocals.
“I always loved singing, it was always a big part of my life, since I was really small. I think I lost confidence when we were in Little Green Cars a little bit because I was very tense, and over the years I’ve learned to use my voice with a bit more diversity. I was always singing very loud and I’m kind of a belter, that was part of the expression, it was kind of like the pain was coming out through the vocal and through how I was singing, whereas now I can use my voice in different ways. I respect it more as an instrument. I feel I’m more connected with it, if that makes sense…that’s why, when I’m writing I can feel there’s a good version of that song just with me and the piano, or me and the guitar, and I think that’s going back to the songwriting thing, like the standards, it has to be a stand alone thing without all the arranging, it has to sound good with just my voice and one instrument.”
Soda Blonde have an Irish and UK tour starting in August. The prospect of live shows has been a pipe dream as of late due to covid, but the notion that live gigs could come back soon is an exciting prospect for artists.
“ Yeah, I just don’t know how I’m gonna feel, for me, this is life now, because musicians and artists were the first things to go and they’ll be the last to come back. I’ve just come to terms with this new world that we live in, in a way. And we’ve been doing so much visual work, and putting a lot of focus and energy into making visuals, yeah I’m just so excited to do something with people. All the live streams are an opportunity to do something different…but yeah the prospect of actually feeling the audience is just, it’s essential. It is essential to the creative process because a lot of it is so introverted and you’re using emotions that maybe people don’t want to use on a regular basis or in their day to day so the payoff of that process is sharing it and getting that audience connection. So I think it’s been a challenging time for artists in general, because they don’t have that other side of the coin”
Soda Blonde’s ‘Love Me World’ live stream was a real treat, with the band providing a unique and mesmerising visual as well as a standout performance. They made the most of this live stream freedom using various lighting effects to create a dazzling and atmospheric ambience to enhance their enticing alternative pop. Each song moved like a scene from a movie and added depth and perspective to their performance.
“They were what was getting us all through lockdown, and it was really great. I think there was that moment when that was kind of bringing everybody together and especially in the music community everyone was watching each other’s live streams and it was great, but at the same time, we wanted to do something that was next level. It was challenging though. We had no budget, it was just us and two of our friends helping us out, there was no big massive crew, it was just what we could muster. But it was great. I’m really proud of it.”
“Adam and I are big film buffs, but particularly Adam. Since we were kids, he was recording our music and engineering it, I mean like from the age of 15. He directs and the two of us conceptualise but he mainly directs everything that we do so, he’s a multifaceted genius man. He really is our secret weapon when it comes to all that kind of stuff. It’s great, I love being able to explore different mediums, not just music, we’ve learned so much in the last year about so many different things, because we’ve had to”
For me, the unreleased track ‘In The Heat of the Night’ was my favourite from the live stream and I asked O’Rourke if there would be any more singles released before the album in the hope she would satisfy my craving to hear the song again
“Yes, we will have another single out in a few weeks, it’s called ‘In the Heat of the Night’’.
O’Rourke has experienced different aspects of the music industry, from the hype of Little Green Cars and the time of A&R’s to the fast-paced music consumption of modern streaming. I wondered if she had any advice for anyone who wanted to start a career in music.
“You just have to do it for you first of all, and it’s true now more than ever that you have to be able to rely on yourself a great deal, that would be my advice. I don’t think it’s one of these things where it’s like never stop working and you know you got to get your head down and just, be at the grindstone, but liking music, always exploring, looking at other artists, watching as many films, reading as many books and just living your life. I think experiencing life is one of the greatest tools for creating. Just get yourself out there. The landscape has changed so much since we started. When we started, there was A&R guys coming over and somebody did your social media and there was more people in these kind of industry jobs, whereas now it seems, everybody does everything themselves, you have to be able to do multiple different jobs now, so it’s harder in a way, but it’s also great because there’s more of a platform for people at a starting out level to get their music out there. But I think it’s just about meeting people and meeting people that you want to work with and just making connections and having relationships with people”.
“ I don’t have a thick skin, I’m an emotional wreck so if I can do it, anyone can do it, don’t think too much. Just do it, don’t think too much about it. Don’t analyse it, just keep making stuff”
‘Small Talk’ is a masterful tune and an intoxicating appetizer to Soda Blonde’s debut album. This band’s talent knows no bounds. Looking forward to the album.
Stream ‘Small Talk’ below
Author : Danu
