Iconic Australian rockers You Am I have blessed us with the very, very good news that their 11th studio album, The Lives Of Others, is on the way.
You Am I are releasing a brand new album on May 14th. It’s called The Lives Of Others, and according to frontman Tim Rogers, it was almost a folk album. In fact, it almost didn’t happen at all.
Written in bulk during a trip down the New South Wales coastline in 2019, the songs on The Lives Of Others came at a time Rogers was uncertain about the band’s future. Luckily, 2020 would become a blessing in disguise, and working with each other from afar became the creative bedrock for You Am I’s 11th studio album.
The Waterboy, released in late February, was one of the first album tracks that You Am I began working on together. Rogers and guitarist Davey Lane would lay down demos at the former’s home studio before sending them off to Rusty Hopkinson and Andy Kent, who would sit with the songs until they were ready to add bass and drum parts in a full studio setting.
Rogers and Lane would revisit the jazzed-up tracks, removing their original demo parts and reiterating with each song’s new foundations in mind. It’s a roundabout way to record, but one that allowed You Am I the headspace to bring a much-needed vitality to The Lives Of Others.
Alongside the album announcement, today marks the release of a music video for The Waterboy. Again capturing the DIY spirit 2020 forced upon the music world, the clip was compiled and edited by Lane.
Reflecting on the unusual recording process, Kent shared:
“Isolation brought a sort of purity of thought or expression in not being around the usual references and outside input, or any other human for that matter. The notes and ideas just flowed. But you can’t make good rock’n’roll alone so when Russ and I got in the room together it was on.”
And rock it will. The Lives Of Others has come a long way since those folk demos Rogers originally wrote, in character and sonics alike. The band have promised a sound that fans of their classic records Hi Fi Way, Hourly, Daily, #4 Record, and Dress Me Slowly will adore, and the time spent honing these songs will no doubt produce some spectacular results.
“It’s not the ideal way to make a record but it worked,” Rogers said.
“I can be a bit of a pain in the neck with either my unbridled enthusiasm or brain-draining depression. For the others I think a bit of time away from me was good, let them loosen their shoulders a bit.”
The Lives Of Others is out May 14th via Caroline Australia. Pre-order your copy here.
Tour dates
Thursday 15 April – Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW
Thursday 22 April – April Sun, St Kilda VIC
Tickets available here.
