Loose Fit have released their latest album Social Graces and much like everything leading up to it, it’s full of rage, absurdity and everything else to create their very own brand of post-punk.
After the success of their debut self-titled album, Loose Fit have expanded their sounds to include a dub-influenced march and exercises in rhythm and tension.
The electric brass, repetitive riffs, unusual visuals and unique vocals of singer Anna Langdon create this crazy amalgamation of emotive sounds that is distinctly Loose Fit.
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The band wrote Social Graces mid-pandemic so naturally, the lyrics are about fear, loss, hope and pain but there’s something ultimately inspiring that comes from such deep introspection.
Loose Fit bassist Richard Martin said: “It was a shit time to be a band, but it was great to have a vessel to channel all our anxieties and pent-up energy into. I think the album has all that fucked-up 2020/2021 energy in it.”
The group are currently in the middle of touring their way through the South East Coast of Australia but we were absolutely spoilt to be able to catch up with guitarist Max Edgar.
HAPPY: So first off, congratulations on your debut album Social Graces!
MAX: Thank you!
HAPPY: I absolutely love the sax blasting its way through the record. How much brass have you heard on the post-punk scene? Because it feels incredibly original.
MAX: Yes the sax is a bit of a secret weapon I feel. It’s nice that it adds a bit of a point of difference between us and others with a similar sound. Though in saying that, it’s actually pretty easy for us to point to a handful of influences that have sax: James Chance is a big one obviously, the original Sax Maniac. I think it’s having a big renaissance in the punk/post-punk scene currently too. Just off the top of my head, there’s Party Dozen, Exek and Smarts who all have killer saxophone.
HAPPY: Usually, I would say brass tends to brighten up high-tempo music. It surprised me that the trumpet and sax bring that eerie nature to the album. Can you tell me if that’s what you expected or immediately aimed for when you started playing together?
MAX: I think we all are pretty good at just responding to the vibe of the song, and that of course includes Anna, our singer/sax player. Though you are right, there are a lot of moments across the album where the sax and trumpet amp up the eerie vibes. Bands like A Certain Ratio and Maximum Joy were big influences in that regard. They’re the post-punk masters of moody brass and woodwind.
HAPPY: The music video for your title track, Social Graces, is awesome and hilarious. The moment where Kaylene crosses her legs to sit at the drum kit, was that improvised or scripted?
MAX: I can’t remember the particular leg crossing moment you’re talking about, but I’m glad it brought you joy! There were lots of little moments like that that just looked hilarious on close up. There was no script, we just got in front of the camera and acted awkward (easy job for us). Then we’d watch the take-back and there’d be spots where we’d all laugh at something little, then we’d make a note to do that again in subsequent takes.
HAPPY: As you’re starting to leave lasting impressions everywhere you go, why not dream big. Can you tell me the top three artists (dead or alive) that you would love to play alongside?
MAX: ESG perhaps? Kaylene and I saw them live once and everyone (audience and band) was just having the best fun ever. They seem really sweet and like they’d be fun to hang out with. Next, I’d say The Raincoats, because they’re awesome and they also seem really lovely. Lastly, I’ve just recently watched Summer of Soul, so I’m gonna say Sly & The Family Stone. Such an insanely good live band! Wish I coulda seen them.
HAPPY: I loved reading that you guys put all the “fucked up 2020/2021 energy” into the album. Did it save you money on therapy?
MAX: HA! I guess? Not sure if we’re all fully recovered though. Time will tell. Finally getting the album out was definitely such a huge relief though after so many delays and so much time not even being able to hang out and play music together.
HAPPY: How do you feel now? Would you say that most people that really went through the wringer with the anxiety and whatnot may be somewhat changed forever?
MAX: I wouldn’t want to speak for anyone else but I do suspect we’ll all be reeling from this period for some time to come, even as things go back to ‘normal’. As for ourselves, I think we’re feeling excited to have the album out and are looking forward to playing some shows. It is a bit nerve-wracking though knowing that any plans could be squashed in a moment if we catch covid.
HAPPY: You’re about to kick off a whole bunch of live shows, have you spent this much time touring together before?
MAX: I think ‘tour’ is a rather grandiose term for 3 shows in a row! Even that seems a fairly monumental task to us at the moment though, since Kaylene and I just had a little baby together. He’s a born rock dog, obviously, and he’ll be hitting the road with us. We haven’t really done much hardcore touring before, obviously, covid got in the way of that at a time when we might have hit the road following the vinyl release of our first EP.
HAPPY: What are you most looking forward to about being on the road?
MAX: I think we’re just excited to get out of Sydney for a bit. Also, after not being able to play live for so long I think we’re all just feeling such a renewed joy for it. The past couple of shows we’ve played recently have been some of our best and have felt quite special, so we’re looking forward to more of that.
HAPPY: You have such a unique and big sound that I think should be shared with the world. Do you have plans to head overseas any time soon?
MAX: Hopefully! We were quite keen for a UK / Euro visit before the pandemic hit, but that thought is starting to rear its head again now that it’s a possibility once more.
Social Graces is out now.
Get tickets to see Loose Fit live.
Interview by Chloe Maddren.
Photos supplied.
