Bristol based pop noir artist Emily Breeze returns with new album Rapture on February 10th. Written and recorded in her 40th year on planet Earth, the songs are a poignant and humorous take on how it feels to grow old disgracefully in an increasingly weird world. She describes the album as “a collection of coming-of (middle) age stories which celebrate flamboyant failure, excess and acceptance”, saying “I was receiving advice from music industry types to try and hide my age as if it was a dirty secret like an S.T.D or a disgraced royal, so I decided to do the exact opposite.”
A firm fave of Tom Robinson from BBC Radio 6 Music, NME refer to her as a Trent Reznor/Lou Reed hybrid, whilst Louder Than War simply say ‘A triumph of glittering melancholy’, though I think it’s The Sunday Times who said it best with, ‘The love child of P.J Harvey and Johnny Cash’.
We caught up with Emily and threw a ton of questions at her, some of them stuck, here’s her answers to the ones that did…..
You’ve been compared to many luminaries including Patti Smith, PJ Harvey, Trent Reznor, Nick Cave and Lou Reed, how does it make you feel when you hear these comparisons?
I am totally fine with being compared to incredible artists. Go for it, throw a few more in there and they can all have a party.
You describe your forthcoming long player ‘Rapture’ as “a collection of coming-of (middle) age stories which celebrate flamboyant failure, excess and acceptance” - Are these based on your own experiences or observations you have made?
I actually stole the flamboyant failure line from Malcom Mclaren although I imagine he has done a fair bit of pilfering himself. Yes, it's autobiographical. I am 42 and it's an inspiring time. I was being advised by industry types to try and hide by age like it was a dirty secret or a disgraced royal so I did the exact opposite. Writers and painters are well known to have created their finest work in this period and it is absurd that musicians are seen as past it post 30. I’ve only just started to get interesting...
Which of the new tracks are you particularly looking forward to playing live?
The glorious expulsion of “Fuck It” in ‘The Bell’ is always cathartic although it’s played at such a breakneck speed I often wonder if I’m gonna throw up towards the end. ‘Ordinary Life’ is fun because people know the words from the radio but my favorite is a 5 minute acoustic epic called ‘Part of Me’ which is sort of a fever dream about western civilization. A shameless attempt to rip off “Murder Most Foul” from Dylan's latest album which I listened to on repeat in lockdown.
I was listening to ‘The Bell’ recently and chuckled at your explanation of a ‘quick trip to the pub to meet an old friend’, so true, how many times do you go for a ‘quick one’ and end up leaving after it?
Never. Every evening I meditate in a patchouli scented temple before bathing in almond milk followed by a chakra cleanse and a transcendental tantric sex session
‘The Bell’ was inspired by CBGB’s 70s New Wave, which acts in particular would you cite as influences for the track and your music in general?
I love anything to do with New York in the 70’s. Street rats and high society dropouts hanging out with debutantes and dealers and CBGB’s holds a holy status in my imagination which is all the more romantic because I never went and now it's a boutique clothes shop or something. Gone forever. Proto punk and post punk to me are the perfect combination of arty pretentiousness and raw power. None of my music really sounds like that though but it’s in my DNA.
You’re based in Bristol which is a real melting pot of styles and culture, what is it that turns you on about being based there?
I have been here for 22 years. It’s changed a lot. The once notoriously rough Stokes Croft is now flooded with artisan bakeries and Apple products but when they paved over Turbo Island (a patch of grass where all the homeless people used to party) there was a sound system and fire in an oil bin party back up within hours. It still has some of that lawless magic. Bristol’s music scene tends not to be industry focused, we do our own thing here.
You’ve enjoyed airplay from the likes of Lauren Lavern, Don Letts and Tom Robinson from Radio 6 Music, how does it make you feel when you hear your music being played on the wireless and hearing what the DJ’s say about it?
I’d like to pretend that I don’t care about external validation but I do and I loved it. Tom Robinson has always supported my music, he is ace and It was Craig Chalres who really championed ‘Ordinary Life’ and got me in for an interview which was a game changer.
You recorded ‘Rapture’ at Rockfield Studios with a bunch of very talented musicians, are these the people you’re touring with?
This album has been a long time coming. We recorded half of it before the pandemic and half of it just after and then had to wait for huge delays in vinyl pressing before we could release it so there have been a couple of lineup changes in that time. Current magic band are Rob Norbury (lead guitar) Andy Sutor (drums) Helen Stanley (keys) and new recruit and Ex exeter resident George Caveney on bass. Duncan Flemming (keys) and Graham Dalzell (bass) also played on the record although they have moved on. They escaped! The others are still held captive though. Long may it last.
You worked with Stew Jackson who has produced many of Massive Attack’s tracks in the past, how did you find working with him and did he offer any suggestions that ended up improving your work?
Stew is nauseatingly talented, he can play everything to a very high standard and is a world class producer. He certainly elevated the songs in the studio. He is a lot of fun and doesnt fuck about. He has produced all three of my albums (poor thing) and I consider him to be an integral part of the process.
Was working with Stew a bit of a Bristol thing?
Stew IS a Bristol thing. He is also my boyfriend
You’re touring to promote ’Rapture’ and will be appearing at some great places including Totnes (my home town), Exeter, Taunton, Newport, Trowbridge, Leicester, Birmingham, Bristol, London and Brighton. Which places/venues are you most excited about?
All of them but I’ve heard brilliant things about Exeter Phoenix!
Is there such a thing as ‘the perfect album’, if so, what is it?
Best of the Beatles of course! - That's one for all the true Alan Partridge fans out there
Other than that, The Party by Andy Shauf is pretty close to perfection. I could listen to Astral Weeks by Van Morrison and The Black Saint and Sinner Lady by Charles Mingus for the rest of my life. Oh and Time Out of Mind, Highway 61 and Blonde on Blonde by Bob Dylan. Nina Simone sings the blues, We’re Only in it for the Money, Frank Zappa, Safe as Milk and Doc at the Radar station, Captain Beefhart, On the Beach by Neil Young, Is This It by The Strokes, DoggyStyle by Snoop Doggy Dog, L.A Woman by The Doors, Songs of Love and Hate by Leonard Cohen, FUNHOUSE BY THE STOOGES, Fever to Tell, The Yeah,Yeah, Yeahs, about half of Nick Cave's albums, I’ll stop now.
Please share with me the names of some local acts/bands that deserve a mention….
So many great bands in Bristol but i’m gonna big up some of my students or ex students who have released music: Droogs, Miss Kill, Rosie May, Izzy Allard and the Diabolical Bombshells, Hunny Buzz, Freddie Palmer, Scarlett Loran, Witch Hook, I’ve forgotten loads, I’ll be in trouble now……
Where is best to keep up to date with your musical happenings?
Right here - linktr.ee/emilybreeze
We’d like to thank Emily for taking the time to chat to us and we wish her all the best for her UK tour (dates below).
The new album Rapture is released on the 10th of February 2023 via Sugar Shack Records.
