Start Listening To: Green Gardens
Cultivating emotion and blooming soundscapes.
In a music landscape often crowded with superficiality, Green Gardens emerges as a breath of fresh air, unafraid to delve into the darkest corners of the human experience. With their upcoming debut album, This Is Not Your Fault, this Leeds-based band takes listeners on an emotional journey through stages of grief, blame, and guilt. The album's lead single ‘This Is My Fault’ captivates with ethereal harmonies and gritty guitars, offering a glimpse into the band's creative process.
Congratulations on the upcoming release of your debut album, "This Is Not Your Fault." Can you tell us more about the concept and themes explored in this album?
JC: ‘This Is Not Your Fault’ cycles through stages of grief, blame and guilt. Not always intentionally, but the concept seemed to land around the songs once they were already written. We approached these subjects with a softness that I really love. Even the anger and spite is soft and inoffensive.
CA: It’s a delicate mix of heaviness, and light moments conveyed through careful parts that, when all mixed in together, is something to be savoured.
Your new single, "This Is My Fault," features ethereal harmonies and raw, fuzzy guitars. Could you share the inspiration behind the track and the creative process involved in its creation?
JC: This track was written to kick the album off with the worst of the emotion. The feeling of betraying yourself because of something completely out of your hands. Blaming yourself and hurting yourself for disease, disaster or ‘acts of god’ is a completely unjustifiable way to process things.
CA: Once it entered the band setting, it was quickly recognised to be a track that we would handle with extreme care. The parts had to melt perfectly together to provide a busy, relaxed support to the lyrics.
JB: When I first heard the song I really connected with the vulnerability of the lyrics. I let these emotions galvanize my playing with an intensity that came from sitting back on the beat and giving the song room to breathe in and out. The relaxed guitar playing feels like a sigh to me.
The press release mentions that the album delves into the themes of blame and guilt through stories and fables. How did you approach translating these emotions into your music, and what message do you hope to convey to listeners?
JC: We hope this album pulls you through those emotions. Even if you aren’t in the grips of guilt, it dangles it in your face and shows you the meat and bones of it. Ultimately, it’s not your fault and it’s never your fault.
CA: The approach was delicate. Blame and guilt are universal emotions that come as part of the package of being human. We wanted to cover the broad range of emotion experienced within these constraints and as a result the album has very vulnerable moments, right alongside an aggressive element. This is what grief is. It’s fury and solitude. It’s utterly relentless and ever-changing. It’s a storm that’ll throw you around then scoop you up and hold you. The overriding message to listeners, however, is that it’ll settle and you’ll be stronger for it.
The album was recorded at Greenmount Studios in Leeds. How did working with producers Jamie Lockhart and Rob Slater contribute to the overall sound and vision of the record?
JC: Jamie and Rob are completely invaluable to the process. They completely draw the best out of every song and we couldn’t ask for more from them. Both are close friends of ours and just as valuable as any one of us to the end product.
CA: Jamie and Rob’s contribution to this record can’t be overstated. We love those guys to absolute bits and trust them just as much. As soon as we got in the studio with them and played them the demos they knew exactly what we were going for and were integral to helping us bring it to life.
JB: We’re been big fans of their respective projects (Mi mye, Carpet). Jamie came down with Covid on the second day of tracking, so it felt like we were recording on shaky ground. Rob injected so much energy into the sessions that all anxiety was put to bed. They both have a knack of hearing a song’s potential which they bring to life in subtle hints or outright coaching. A few weeks down the line a recovered Jamie pulled out some curveball techniques mixing the vocals to give them their roomy sound.
Green Gardens is known for bringing inaccessible feelings into a shared band setting. Can you elaborate on the emotions you aim to evoke through your music, and how you achieve this balance between art rock and guitar-driven sounds?
JC: We hope to evoke anything really, however brief or surface level. We aren’t here to tell you exactly how much to enjoy it, or react to it. I sometimes will listen to an album 4 or 5 times before I really even process the ‘meaning’. We hope the music propels or nurtures something positive inside anyone. We’re grateful to even be background music. That’s not an easy thing to do either!
CA: With this record we wanted to achieve a very ‘in-the-room-with-us’ kind of sound which would really nicely mirror the songs that we were dealing with. In the past we’ve looked at heavy layering and overdubs but it’s never satisfied us in the way that we wanted. By leaning into the natural restrictions of our bodies, I feel we’ve managed to evoke the feeling we wanted in a way that’s honest to us.
JB: I guess the sound we arrive on is a balance of influences that range from midwest-emo, art rock from the 2000s and the guitar driven country rock of Songs: Ohia and Big Thief. We’re pretty tight knit, so sounds we’re into get passed around and discussed all the time. When it came to putting guitar to the songs, the parts seemed to bubble out of this pool of inspiration in a very unintentional way. For me, some of the lazier playing on this record puts the sound somewhere between those styles.
As a band, you are deeply connected to the music community in Leeds, collaborating with various artists and being actively involved in the local scene. How does this sense of community and collaboration influence your creative process and sound?
JC: Music in Leeds has always been strong in it’s diversity. We’re influenced by our friends massively, who all have heaps of incredible projects of their own. But the community that props us up is the invaluable one. It’s humbling how many people want to help you, just to help you.
CA: Everything we hear and everything we play, whether thats inside or outside of Green Gardens, has an impact on how we’re writing at the time. So being surrounded by such a vibrant community of creatives is such a valuable and exciting experience. We’re all feeding off each other and learning from each other in a big pile. It’s also very useful to have plenty of peers to tell you when something’s not working, which can be very often.
JB: Being part of such a diverse and supportive scene lightens the load that being a musician can sometimes bring about. Recording with people like Jamie and Rob who we trust and respect so deeply takes the fear out of making a record. Likewise, so many friends have come forward to offer support in the lengthy process of putting an album out and planning a tour. There’s lot of love out there and it makes you feel like part of something much bigger. It's a nurturing scene.
You've received praise from publications like Clash and DIY, as well as airplay on BBC 6 Music. How does it feel to receive recognition for your music, and how does it impact your approach to songwriting and performing?
CA: We couldn’t be more grateful for the support we’ve received/are receiving on the music. It’s a signpost that tells us that what we’re doing has value to other people and that we should continue to create. Being an artist brings with it endless doubts about your own work so to have established bodies pat us on the back and say that they’re into it, can be such a massive help. I don’t think it affects the performing or the writing in any way though. We write and perform in a way that feels honest and will continue to do that till we’re all dropping to bits.
JC: I always struggle to answer this questions. Recognition is always great, and does wonders confidence wise, but I think realistically it doesn't swing the dial so much as far as impacting approach. I hope it doesn’t creatively. I think if we begin chasing that while songwriting we’ll fall down a hole and drown in it.
The album launch show will take place at Leeds' Brudenell Social Club, a legendary venue. What significance does this venue hold for you, and what can fans expect from your live performances?
JC: The Brudenell is a really important 3rd party to what we do. It’s basically at the heart of every connection we’ve ever made in Leeds. We even recorded some of the album there. They’re a really supportive bunch and we feel lucky to have their support. It’s the most Important show we’ve ever done and we can’t wait.
CA: Brudenell is the flagship of the Leeds venue fleet. It’s where everybody wants to play and where everybody wants to see music so we’re so excited about the headline show, it’s gonna be a special one.
Green Gardens is known for creating a wide-open, roomy sound combined with heavy emotion. How do you achieve this sonic balance in your recordings, and how do you translate it into your live shows?
JC: Jamie, Rob and Carl (who mastered the record) hold the answers for that. We like the room sound, because it is honest. The sentiment behind the songs is such a mixture of incremental details I couldn’t even begin to list them off. Basically every decision we made carries those sentiments, and then when we record them we expand those decisions into a room.
CA: The beauty of gunning for a wide-open roomy sound is that as soon as you get into wide-open rooms for live shows, you’ve already got your sound.
In terms of the recordings, it was a mix of live takes and lots of microphone trickery to make it sound like we’re shouting from two doors down. Please see Jamie for details.
Can you share any memorable experiences or highlights from your live performances, especially the upcoming shows at Humber Street Live and Brudenell Social Club?
JC: It’s hard to be specific. We played a weird show in Madam Tussauds once. It’s tricky to play when Beyoncé is staring at you.
CA: Recent highlights for me would just be learning the album tracks for playing live, it’s so exciting to play music for people that they haven’t heard before. It’s still so raw and it makes the performances totally fresh and genuine.
Green Gardens has been featured on notable playlists and editorial selections on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. How has streaming and digital platforms impacted your reach as a band, and what are your thoughts on the current music landscape?
JC: It’s a bit of a loaded one, but we’re happy that our music is being heard by so many people. We’re still a small band, but people in El Salvador or Grenada are listening to the new single. It’s funny to think about.
CA: Streaming is obviously so important for artists right now, particularly at our level. It’s so lovely when we get featured on playlists and things just because the idea of being exposed to new ears is an exciting one. I think we try not to focus on numbers and things too much though. As long as the music’s what we want it to be then anything else is just a bonus.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations and goals for Green Gardens? Are there any particular milestones or musical directions you hope to explore in the future?
JC: We just want to keep improving. We really feel like we’ve only just got a foot on the ladder. The music is still young, and we want to go somewhere really new with it.
CA: Getting out on the road and playing as much as we can is a big one for me. The album is a great reason to make that happen and let the music breathe in a live setting. Musical directions will be whatever they will be, we’ll have to wait and see.
JB: Whilst working on the songs a new style seemed to emerge that featured a broader range of dynamics and a lot more potential for improvisation. Some songs have some big euphoric collective improvisation sections, which brought a challenge of really listening to the whole band in a deeper way. Playing these songs live it shows this sound is still developing, which I’d love to see explored on a follow up record. Touring these songs and putting an audience into the equation of that energy will only help the sound grow. I’m hoping to see people connect with this sound. That would be a huge achievement for me.
Finally, how do you hope listeners will connect with and interpret your music, particularly with the release of "This Is Not Your Fault”?
JC: We hope people can use it in whatever way is useful. This album has been a joy to make, and we’ve exorcised some ghouls in the process. So, we’ve already had our fun with it. I’m massively proud of my contribution, and to think that this might be able to help someone and could resonate with someone would be beautiful.
JB: I hope the album provides a platform on which listeners can place their own feelings towards guilt and view the feelings from a safe point of vantage. The themes are heavy and uneasy at times, with the first line of the album pointing the finger of accusation.Playing this music has been a purge of sorts. Guilt’s a strong feeling we all carry at times and I hope this music encourages some letting go.
CA: The interpretation is completely up to them, we’re not here to dictate what anyone should be feeling. But if people enjoy the music and find some meaning for them then that’s more than we could ever ask for.
