Anais Mitchell - Interview
by Jonjo McNeill
published: 19 / 2 / 2009

intro
At a gig in Newcastle on their recent European tour, Jonjo McNeill speaks to singer Yuke Chikudate and guitarist James Hanna from New York shoegazers Asobi Seksu about touring, songwriting and their just released third alabum, 'Hush'
New York shoegazers Asobi Seksu flew into Britain in February to show us their dreamy third album 'Hush'. Pennyblackmusic caught up with synth playing singer Yuki Chikudate and guitarist James Hanna for a no-nonsense chat about touring, songwriting and drunks. PB : Tell us what's different about 'Hush'? JH : We just tried to go for very different textures, tried to clean a couple of things up - try not to rely so much on reverb - and do something a little glassier, a little glossier. Something that isn't so overwhelming all the time. You can see through the layers. It's just what we felt like doing. PB : Thematically what's happening on this record ? JH : There was no concious choice behind any change in theme. YC : If (incredible second album) 'Citrus' was like a spring or summery record, this one is a little more wintery. PB : And how have people taken to the songs on this tour? YC : We approach things differently for the live show - it's a lot more physical, more visceral, whereas the album is a bit more subdued. JH : It's more overwhelming. YC : We want to create a different kind of tension from the album when we play live. But we still bring the noise live. PB : It does sound like your melodic elements have been pushed more to the front of this record. Going back to the tour, how has it been? JH : It's been varied, venue wise. Some have been in clubs, some in smaller places. London and Glasgow were bigger places. This is our first time in Newcastle though. PB : Have you noticed any effects of the recession on your travels ? JH : Well the merch is selling okay, but people don't want to spend as much money. It's not as good as it was a few years ago. YC : A lot of the record stores that we used to go to in New York are gone. It's definitely a bummer. PB : What pisses you off about being here in the UK ? JH : People sometimes - when they're a little drunk - they like to talk a lot. Like a whole lot. YC : They all want to say something. They can't just walk by! JH : I like England though. The drives are short, which is great. We just did a tour in America and we're going to be doing a bigger one in a few weeks. YC : As soon as we get back we're getting into another van. PB : Have you started writing again yet or is the new album still your main focus ? JH : 'Hush' was being written right up to moment we recorded it. It was made over the course of a year. We started writing it towards the end of the touring cycle on 'Citrus'. But we wanted the record this time to have a lot more coherency to it. We've been recording B-sides and a special acoustic EP for this tour.There hasn't really been time to write anything else! YC : We're not the kind of band who can write very quickly. We have to sit and consider things, ponder for a while. PB : What is the writing process in Asobi Seksu ? JH : Me or Yuki will have some tiny idea. We'll write it down and make a verse or a chorus out of it. Work things out over time, both chip in. YC : Often I have a verse and he has a chorus and they just work. Bang - a song. JH : We spend a lot of time getting the feel of the songs right. We know early on if it's going to be fairly mellow or if it's going to be a heavier song. But working together on them. I'll play the drums - badly - and Yuki'll then play the drums a little bit better than that. PB : Where do the melodies come from - they're very ethereal ? JH : The vocal melodies are what we come up with first. We like to make sure they're not quite normal. Have little bits that are offbeat. But it's still really important that the melodies are part predictable I'd say. YC : We write really feminine, pretty lines. They drive the song. Movement is really important for us and there's always movement. PB : Thank you.
Band Links:-
http://anaismitchell.com/https://www.facebook.com/AnaisMitchellMusic
https://twitter.com/anaismitchell
https://www.youtube.com/user/anaismitchell
Have a Listen:-
Picture Gallery:-




interviews |
Interview (2009) |
![]() |
American singer-songwriter Anais Mitchell recently signed to Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe label. Ben Howarth at a show at the Luminaire in London speaks to her about politics and her exceptional new album, 'The Brightness' |
live reviews |
Union Chapel, London, 25/1/2011 |
![]() |
Ben Howarth at the Union Chapel in London watches American singer-songwriter Anais Mitchell, with an extensive set of guest musicians including both Thea Gilmore and Jackie Leven, reenact her concept album, 'Hadestown', to standing ovation and hypnotic effect |
12 Bar Club, London, 24/5/2010 |
Luminaire, London, 25/1/2010 |
Luminaire, London, 21/1/2009 |
soundcloud
reviews |
Anais Mitchell (2022) |
![]() |
Thoughtful and warm first studio album in ten years for indie folk musician Anais Mitchell who has been focusing on her alternative career writing Broadway musicals. |
Young Man in America (2012) |
Hadestown (2010) |
Hymns for the Exiled (2008) |
most viewed articles
current edition
Pennyblackmusic - Writers and Photographers' Albums of the Year 2024Peter Perrett - In Dreams Begin Responsibilities Interview Part One
Man From Delmonte - Interview
Clive Langer - Interview
Pennyblackmusic - Book of the Year Award 2024
Johnnie Johnstone - Interview
Marianne Faithfull - Reflections
Laura Nyro - Profile
Johny Brown - Corpse Flower
Vinyl Stories - Vinyl 2024
previous editions
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EPMichael Stuart Ware - Pegasus Epitaph: The Story of the Legendary Rock Group Love
Trudie Myerscough-Harris - Interview
Marianne Faithfull - Interview
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Joy Division - The Image That Made Me Weep
Beautiful South - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Henry McCullough - Interview
Peter Paul and Mary - Interview with Peter Yarrow
Marianne Faithfull - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Dorie Jackson - Stupid Says RunRingo Starr - Look Up
Beabadoobee - This is How The World Moves
Pixie Lott - Encino
Dusty Springfield - The BBC Sessions
Unthanks - In Winter
Joan Armatrading - How Did This Happen and What Does It Mean?
Oïmiakon - Comptoir Des Vanites
Rosie Lowe - Lover, Other
Emily Burns - Die Happy
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart