Every great record can be traced back to its dynamics. Of dark and light, soft and loud, complex and simple, gentle and brutal. And it takes something special to be able to gather those vital elements and craft them into the album of a career.
It also takes special people to be able to draw out those elements. And these four best friends from Perth – singer/guitarist Daniel Sanders, guitarist Zoran Trivic, bassist Brad Campbell and drummer Rob Nassif – have nailed it on their third album, Breed Obsession.
It’s dark, light, brutal, gentle, melodic, intense, personal, intricate and, above all else, packed with the passion stemming from the four accomplished players behind it. “It’s our third album and so many bands get to their later albums and they water down what they do for various reasons,” says Nassif. “But our aim was to be really adventurous and I love the fact that this album is challenging. It’s not an easy transition where people will pick it up straight away.”
Breed Obsession’s beauty is in its subtlety and complexity. From the standout piano-driven first single Snakeskin, to the intricate electronica-tinged 1981 and personal, anthemic Australia, Gyroscope push far beyond the infectious and intelligent pop-rock of their breakthrough 2006 album Are You Involved?.
Recorded at Elevator studios in Liverpool with Dave Eringa (Idlewild, Manic Street Preachers), and mixed at Livingstone in London, the 12-track set was largely recorded live to capture the energy and soul the quartet always deliver on stage.
As a singer, Sanders has never sounded more confident and versatile, and as songwriters, the four show just how accomplished they’ve become at crafting great songs.
After recording Are You Involved? in Hollywood with acclaimed radio-rock producer Mark Trombino, Gyroscope looked across the Atlantic for both a different sound and challenge. At the end of it, they found their perfect foil in Eringa. “We loved Dave because he did the Idlewild records,” says Nassif. “Dave was so inspiring to all of us; if anyone was having troubles, he was so encouraging and just fantastic.”
Also inspired by Liverpool and its incredible musical heritage, Gyroscope pushed themselves to the limit after eight months of writing – and 29 songs – to emerge with their dozen finest and most important pieces of music.
“Before we started, we all sat down and we all promised each other that we’re all committed to the band and that we’d all do our best,” adds Nassif. “And that’s the greatest thing about Gyroscope: the dedication and passion we have for the band and for each other. For the last 10 years the same four dudes who are best buddies and that are always there for each other to talk to and tour around the world with. And we’re still interested in becoming better musicians and better songwriters.”
Track by Track
Snakeskin
The first taste of Breed Obsession signals the brave new world being embraced by the quartet. Written and arranged on piano, Snakeskin is dark, aggressive, melodic and razor sharp.
“I think this track sums up the album as a whole,” says Trivic. “The light and the dark, the mild and the heavy, the simple and the complex.”
All in on One
A blistering stadium-worthy rock song featuring an irresistible foot-stomping rhythm and Sanders’ confident vocals and fearsome delivery. “This was one of the most enjoyable songs to record,” says Campbell. Expect it to be a powerful addition to the band’s live arsenal.
These Days
Built around a killer guitar line from Trivic, These Days is a fantastic example of the band’s newfound ability to work the dynamics within a song. The haunting guitar melody and an infectious groove, paired with Sanders’ rhythmic and versatile vocals and Nassif’s intricate drum work, make this a standout.
“We took a lot of time and care recording this one, as we wanted to make sure it was stamped with that proper English guitar tone,” says Sanders.
Australia
An inspiring, soulful anthem that takes Gyroscope’s songwriting to new heights. Instantly engaging, with pared-back acoustic guitar and Sanders’ intimate delivery, Australia soars through Nassif’s strong marching-band beat and the lush melodic arrangement with perfectly placed orchestral flourishes.
“This was a really fitting song for the album,” says Sanders. “It was essentially written about myself leaving England as a tot and coming to Australia, and then growing up here, appreciating and embracing our culture and heritage and falling in love with it all.” Bright, wondrous and full of life, the song captures the essence of its inspiration.
O.K.
This dark, brooding rocker sees Sanders on a sinister tip, slipping into the role of a stalker (“You know that window in your basement?/I used to sleep outside it/Now I’m inside hiding from you”). A simple guitar rhythm keeps the spotlight on the words as the tension builds, before opening up to one hell of a chorus. And like a good stalker, the chorus melody will haunt long after the song is over. “Coming up with a chorus for this song was one of the bigger challenges,” says Campbell. “We wanted it to make an impact, so we asked ourselves, ‘What would Nirvana do?’ We hit the distortion pedals and went for it.”
Weapon. Enemy. Friend.
Gyroscope push the envelope, in terms of both style and arrangement. Their heaviest track yet, the foursome deliver a fierce and energised performance but strike the right dynamic balance; despite a meaty bass line, complex tempo changes and a chorus of angry guitars, there’s still plenty of space and light weaved in between. “A song Daniel and I penned to really challenge our playing and also to blow the heads off people live,” says Nassif.
Polyphons
With a light, smoky groove paired with Sanders’ equally cool delivery, this song shows the maturity and confidence of the four players behind it. It was also one of the few songs of the first 11 penned for Breed Obsession that made it to the finishing line. “This started as a muck-around hippie-reggae song as a result of a late-night jam between Daniel and myself,” says Campbell.
The River Between
A melodic midtempo pop number with a splash of country rock for good measure. Breezy, easy and instantly likable, it’s a great counterpoint to a song like Weapon but no less engaging. “Sometimes songs present themselves to whoever is around at the time – and this is one of them,” says Sanders. “I didn’t set out to write it, but I ended up demoing guitars, vocals and even drums in a manic few hours. It just sounded right.”
Her Design
A perfect partner with The River Between, the laid-back pop swagger shows how handy Gyroscope are with taking their foot off the pedal and making great melodies shine. Simple, sparse and effective, the “campfire song” was sketched out in just 30 minutes by Sanders, perched on the end of his bed.
“This was our salute to the Beatles and Liverpool in general,” says Trivic. “The lyrics are romantic and the song is a happy one. It sheds some new light on the happy times going on – in and around our band and its members.”
1981
The song blends a pacy electronic beat with Nassif’s astute drumming, and almost shifts the guitars into the background for one of the more surprising tracks but one of the best on the album. Tight, frenetic and toe-tapping infectious, 1981 wouldn’t feel out of place on the Danielce floor. “I penned this very early in the writing stages,” says Trivic, who was born in 1981. “As we went along, the song seemed to mature. I love the electronic element to this song, but it still sounds exactly like Gyroscope to me.”
Silver Heart
A catchy three-minute indie-rock tune that pays tribute to the likes of Weezer and Pavement, some of the more quirky bands the boys grew up listening to. The highlight comes in the last 20 seconds, with Sanders delivering the last few lines with almost no accompaniment. Expect it to be a favourite crowd singalong live. “The little indie song that could!” says Sanders. “It’s fun to sing and we played some cool guitars while recording it. We blew the drums out and distorted them a bit to see what happened.”
Time
The melancholic piano line is a perfect bookend for Snakeskin, while the wide-open space makes it a fitting finale to a wonderfully diverse set. The song stems from a demo penned before Are You Involved?, with a piano line originally mapped out by the band’s good friend and musician Fergus Deasy. A strong, dark and evocative Pink Floyd-inspired cut that effectively closes the curtain on Breed Obsession. “The vocals were recorded sitting down with Daniel holding the mic in his hands, with a bunch of cigarettes and booze by his side,” says Campbell. “This song is the soundtrack to our band, for me. It takes me to every memory I’ve had with this band.”
