Matt K. From ‘Rat vs Possum’ had scampered down the proverbial tree to have a chat about their latest album ‘Let Music and Bodies Unite.’
Rodent vs Rodent was an interesting analogy. Rat VS Possum. How did it come about?
‘It was a spur of the moment decision. We had one of our first gigs booked. We needed a name. It was a moment of decision from on high you might say. There we were in the living room debating names and listening to the scurrying sounds above us. It stirred the imagination and ‘Rat Vs Possum’ was born. I really like it!’
The publicity photo is an all green affair? Something with leafy foliage as a theme to comfort lost possums?
‘We wanted a colour theme and green was the next colour we decided to do. It’s the first feature of a themed approach to band photos we’re going to be doing over the next year.’
‘Let Music and Bodies Unite’ is fairly electronic based with a live element to it. ‘It’s a lot more keyboard heavy, more inspired by pop music and 90′s house music. A lot poppier than our last album.’
Songs are built around repetitive melodies building up to a theme. Lyrics and vocals are used as sounds, rather than as a story telling device. ‘Vocals are another sound we can use along with drums, base and keyboards.”We’re not a lyrical band, vocals are used to enhance a tonal quality in the songs.’
Songs are a fairly collaborative effort in ‘Rat vs Possum.’ The new album was written in the space of a couple of weeks. We pretty much write the songs as a group. Someone has a lyrical idea or a melody, that will be taken to the group where we put our own parts to it. It’s a very collaborative song writing process in Rat VS Possum.’
With music that can be described as “very experimental,’ Matt likes the use of drums in the new recording. It is something he feels that has moved the new album along from their first release.
‘We’ve just become so much more comfortable as a band and have worked out how we relate to each other. Our music has just improved so much over the time we have worked together!’