FUTURE TALENT #11- The Glass Caves

You may remember we told out about the Futuresound competition with the winners playing at Leeds Festival. 

Well Est.1987 headed down to Leeds Cockpit to catch up with entrants The Glass Caves to see what happened as they competed in the Futuresound 2012 competition.

The Glass Caves on stage in Leeds

How did you get involved with the Futuresound competition? Are you enjoying being part of it and have you done extra preparation for it?

ELLIOTT- A friend’s band played it last year and we thought next year we’ll have a go. Last year we had only just started sorting ourselves out as a band so we weren’t really ready last year, but this year definitely.

MATT- Yeah, I didn’t even think much about it because we haven’t really done a battle of the bands before.

E- We’ve all just finished uni now, so we have more time on our hands to rehearse.

M- Yeah, we’ve got two new songs so we played those tonight and we have a temporary bassist at the moment. Our original one is in America. 

You guys seem really busy with touring and playing festivals? Are you having a fun summer so far?

M- Alongside uni it’s been busy…

E- We’ve always done enough to keep us busy all year and it’s been exciting so far but I think there’s more exciting times. We’re going to record the new songs we played tonight next week, and will be releasing those hopefully by the end of the summer. We played our first festival recently; Crooked Ways with Razorlight and that was good experience. We’ve got a few more festivals coming up in August; one in Malton and Pocktoberfest

The Glass Caves EP "Eboracum"

You’ve been busking in York as well? Was that a one off thing or have you been doing it for a while?

CONNOR- We’ve busked a lot. Especially this week! York is definitely the place to busk.

M- Don’t tell anyone that though!

It’s our little secret!

E- We started doing it really just for a but of pocket money and playing covers but we’ve started playing our own songs and people have been loving those too and buying our CD.

You’ve been compared to the likes of White Lies and Fleet Foxes; who would you say are your influences?

E- I don’t really get the Fleet Foxes comparison really, but a lot of people have said it.

C- No I don’t; it may just be the fact we do lots of harmonies

E- I mean I like Fleet Foxes but I don’t hear it within The Glass Caves. We go for our own thing and take a lot of time deciding what sounds good, and we hope that we’ve got good ears.

C- We never try to be anything. I think it’s the fact that we’re all influenced by different people. When we’re writing everyone puts their own little bits into it.

You’re from Yorkshire; does growing up and living here influence your sound?

E- A lot of good music comes out of Yorkshire and I’m proud of where I’m from.

C- When we first started the band living here influenced us a lot more.

TOM- A lot of people say that London is the main place to be, but Leeds is definitely up there too.

Lead singer Matt on stage

You released your debut EP recently. You recorded it in Peak Studios in Bradford- how was that experience of recording it there?

E- Yeah it was great, and we’re going back there to record next week.

C- It was good, but it was hard work.

E- That was the first time we had properly worked with a producer [Roni Szpakowski] and it’s awkward getting used to someone outside of the band when we have been playing those songs for such a long time.

M- My bottom lip starts coming out when he tells me to change things and I throw a little paddy every time [laughing].

E- We were really happy with how it turned out though, and the general response is that everyone’s really enjoyed it and we’re working with the same producer again. We actually played at his wedding as well!

He must really like you then?!

E- Apparently when he was mixing the EP his wife heard and was like “this sounds really good, who are they can they play at the wedding?” So we did! So we’ve got to know him quite well and have a good working relationship.   

How do you go about writing your material? Is it a group effort or…?

C- The fact that everyone’s been busy away at uni we haven’t all been together for every song. I was doing music technology so knew what I was doing with some software. But it’s like, I’ll write the basis of it, but then we’ll bring it together and bring our own little bits and work on it.

M- It seems to work and I think that because we all have time now everyone will write their own thing and bring it together; but you need something there to start with.

E- It will be interesting when our bassist comes back from America and how he slots in, because he’s very good and got a good music head. So I think it can only get better from here.   

What do you have planned for the next year?

E- Now we’re all free [from uni] we can concentrate on writing; I’m not going to rush to get a job, a Volvo and a mortgage [laughing]. So yeah, just a lot of writing, hopefully a UK tour, a lot more gigs, a lot more new songs and a lot more Glass Caves! I’m excited!

And here’s what happened when The Glass Caves took to the stage…

The Glass Caves at Leeds Cockpit

Having just graduated from university, the boys are throwing themselves into their first battle of the bands, and the stakes couldn’t be higher; a slot on the Leeds and Reading Festival line up. The packed out Cockpit, majority of which are joining in with the songs, proves The Glass Caves already have a strong following. Their blend of harmonious indie rock has already been compared to the likes of Fleet Foxes and White Lies, but The Glass Caves aren’t a band that can be pigeon holed into one category. The more mellow and percussive beginnings of “Crystal Black” makes way for a building finale which soars through the Cockpit. The more melodic “Ditty Do” is contrasted with “I Knew It” which is ambitious in its pulled back verses and electric chorus, showing off lead singer Matt’s raw and gritty vocals tinged with a soulfulness. No detail has been forgotten, from the complex percussive sounds, the elaborate guitar riffs to the multi-layered impressive vocal harmonies.

A confident performance by The Glass Caves this evening; they successfully hold the audiences attention, even with the strong four band bill. Stand out tracks are “Match” with its laid back drums and intricate guitar riff introduction leading to smooth and catchy chorus, and undoubtedly crowd favourite “Eboracum”. The single and title EP track is effortlessly soulful and the chorus is infectious, and the band’s full and mature sound immediately captivates the entire venue. Whatever the outcome of the Futuresound competition it is certain that The Glass Caves are a band to watch out for. You heard it here first!

Stay tuned to Est.1987 where we will bring you all the latest Futuresound news when the winners are announced!

For more on The Glass Caves-
http://www.facebook.com/theglasscaves and to get your hands on the E.P "Eboracum" click HERE