There’s difficult listening and then there’s Narrow Lands. From the opening note on their 2013 long-player, Popular Music That Will Live Forever, the Sydney outfit stake their claim on a furious brand of industrial-strength aural brutalism that recalls the best of Shellac, early-Earth and Boris.
Fitting then that they’ll be opening proceedings for the second of Boris’ two Sydney shows on Friday, May 29. We spent a couple of minutes with frontman Alan Power to find out what’s new.
Describe your music in five words or less.
Toxic sludge with occasional choruses
What’s going on in the world of Narrow Lands?
We recorded an EP late last year which was then accidentally shipped (literally, on a boat) to England when our bass player moved overseas. So we just got that back and we’re in the process of deciding whether it’s shit or not. And also we are freaking out about supporting Boris.
What motivates you to make music?
Pretty even mix of the horrors of everyday life + a desperate and childish desire to impress people.
What have been the high and low points of your musical experiences so far?
Low point probably the whole first 3 years of the band where we weren’t very good.
High point probably YIL/NL, where we teamed up as a 7-piece with fellow Sydney noise-punks Yes I’m Leaving and somehow played a coherent(ish) gig without exploding the PA at Black Wire.
What music are you listening to at the moment?
Low Life.
If you were stranded on a desert island, which member of the band would get eaten first?
Probably me, Alan. Mutiny. I’ve been a tyrannical frontman these years, they’d turn on me pretty quick. Plus I’m diabetic, so I’d be the first to die anyway without my insulin. They wouldn’t even have to make the decision. Too easy.
Here’s an opportunity to bitch about something, whether music related or not. What really pisses you off?
Hard to pick just one, but I’m gonna go with zxcvawergbr gret78675u6 @#4!!!#$ (that’s my brain exploding trying to focus all hate on one thing). Probably the way this country treats asylum seekers, and the way most of the population is apparently fine with it.
You’re putting together your perfect gig featuring Australian artists. Who would you get to play and where? Feel free to include acts/DJs/bands/venues that no longer exist.
Jeez, ok. I’m going with Mere Women, Low Life, Zeahorse, No Art (RIP), Tanned Christ, Nun, Yes I’m Leaving, Danyl Jesu, Total Control ’cause they hardly ever play and I’ve never seen em, Burlap, Forces, Multiple Man, Snakeface, Bone, Making, and for the token nostalgia band maybe ‘90s era Dirty Three so we could see Warren without his beard. Beardless Warren could be the MC as well. This would be held at the Lane Cove West Bowlo ’cause it’s about 150 metres from my house.
Narrow Lands join We Lost The Sea in support of Japanese noise titans Boris at the Newtown Social in Sydney on Friday, May 29. That show has sold out, but tickets for the Thursday, May 28 show at Newtown Social — along with the rest of the Australian tour — are on sale now through lifeisnoise.com.
