Brisbane pop band Cub Sport has gone through many transitions over its quickly developing career whether it’s name changes or shifts in sound. Needless to say, the four-piece group has come out more definitive than ever with its recent release of the EP Only Friend and the anticipated release of the LP This Is Our Vice, which is quick on its heels.
The LP is due out in 2016 via Nettwerk, but in the meantime, we’ve interviewed Cub Sport’s frontman Tim Nelson. Nelson breaks down the band’s new sound, production methods, and what we can expect in the upcoming year. And for whatever strange reason, I find intense joy in the fact that he, too, admires Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker.
Only Friend:
The track “Only Friend” expresses the feeling of being overwhelmed and largely misunderstood, bringing to mind questions about Nelson’s relationship with his fellow band members as well as his solo recording process.
Nelson: While we were creating This Is Our Vice we had a few hurdles; we started to get the album mixed and it just sounded dead, so we had to go back to the drawing board which ended up delaying everything by months. There were lots of factors that were completely out of our hands and it made me so anxious; I started to question if this is actually what I should do with my life. As a band, we really supported each other. They’re the ‘only friend’ I wrote about, but I don’t think the song would have the same impact if it was “Only Friends.”
Shifts in Sound:
The EP Only Friend exchanges a less lighthearted and pop-driven flow for a darker, moodier tone.
Nelson: I think the main cause for the shift is that I started recording songs completely alone. I was able to try lots of different (sometimes weird) things that I never would have done before. I got into the habit of recording as I was writing – I think there’s something special about those first recordings capturing the energy of the exact moment you write lyrics or come up with a melody. We ended up keeping lots of the vocals and synths from my original demos for the final recordings for the Only Friend EP and This Is Our Vice, which I think is cool.
This Is Our Vice
What should we expect from the new album?
Nelson: There’s more to This Is Our Vice than anything we’ve released before. The songwriting is more honest, the sound is more mature and diverse and I think there’s a step up in production too. We’ve always strived to create catchy pop music with something more and I feel like that’s still the essence of this album, except this time round there’s more to get out of the music. It’s more personal and I hope that connects with people.
Album Art
The album art for Only Friend employs both nostalgia and an aura of mystery. What’s the story behind it?
Nelson: The cover art is by an artist from Florida, Angela Deane. I stumbled across some of her work on Tumblr and I loved the mood of it. Across her art there’s a really happy-and-sad-at-the-same-time feeling about it, which I feel matches up with the overall sound of our album…
