KIND HABITAT: INTERVIEW & EP REVIEW
Listen if you like:
Soft brit-pop guitar
THØSS
Getting in on a good band before they are big....
"Secretly, I am Liam Gallagher" Patrick laughs, trying to explain his constant struggle between confidence and the striking realism that comes with growing up. "Deep down I can listen to one of my songs and think, 'this is fucking good, people will love this!' I’ve always had that, it’s never gone and I thought it would’ve by now. But you need the realism to stop yourself jumping off a bridge."
The struggle for balance is evident in Kind Habitat’s EP with songs that swing between soft piano, hard guitar and pop-melody. The EP reflects exactly what it is - an artist coming to terms with their sound and music persona. Each song is a new experiment but all float the same opposing ideas of realism and light-headed success, the struggle of life with a comfortable existence.
“I feel like a bit of a fraud.”
“All my favourite role models had some kind of issue or history, but I’ve never had any of that. My parents are still together, I was good at school, I have a nice life. I have the same opinions as the struggling musicians I look up to but without the experience to back it up. I guess that's where the name of the band comes from”.
Patrick is the exact opposite of how you’d imagine an indie guitarist/singer who writes about the struggle of life and growing older. He’s honest about himself and his writing but without the pretentious pain of a young artist. He’s funny, casual and easy to talk to – not a cool-guy grunt in sight. He’s also refreshingly aware of his own environment - even struggling artists need money for rent and advertising campaigns on Facebook. Talking to Patrick as Kind Habitat paints a perfect picture of what it is to be a modern-day DIY indie band trying to stand out in the world.
“I started on the EP February or March time. I’m trying to earn a living from it but the reality is so soul-destroying.”
“You have to think, ‘Okay I need a t-shirt and a website’ which can be really fun but not what you want to do. Even merch demolishes you, it's just people that pity me that buy them and when they do I get a little pop-up saying ‘You made 2.50!’ My pint cost £5….”
‘Satisfyer’ is the opening track and single of the EP with the same name. Its opening guitars have a pop-beat melody with a tone that I can’t help but pair with something like The Bluetones 'Marblehead Johnson'. Patrick talks about his early idols, White Stripes and Radiohead, throughout the interview but their influence is hard to hear on this single.
“You know when you show your parents something you think is great that kind they kind of shrug it off? They always say it’s too long or not catchy enough so I wrote this. A pop song. Exactly 3 minutes with a catchy chorus.” The bitter lyrics work cleverly with the cheery sound of guitar and bass. A catchy shallow tune whilst staying true to himself.
// Unhappy inside // Doing it all for your fine self // I’m your Satisfyer
// Unhappy inside // Doing it all for your fine self // I’m your Satisfyer
Satisfyer has a sense of humour and, while he may judge me for saying it, it really is a song that gets stuck in your head. I love it.
Jack White is all over the rest of the EP. Perhaps this marks Kind Habitat's development towards rock and away from the indie melodies he writes now. 'Youth in Lament' is perfect for this with heavy layered guitar and darker vocals. It's hard not to hear how honest this track is.
"I loved the White Stripes growing up. I would play along to albums from start to finish. I even wrote 'noxious' on my arm because he did it. He'll always be an influence but I like to think I'll grow and change as time goes on. All the best bands do. Look at the Arctic Monkeys' new album, everyone is freaking out and it's great.”
This EP has potential. While it is a project for finding his feet, Kind Habitat has produced something interesting with great sounds, lovely guitar work and an ear-catching voice.
