Brakes release their second album The Beatific Visions this week, a heady mix of eyepopping country-punk, geo-political ranting and mellow, sparse introspection, clocking in at under half an hour. Formed in 2002, the band was originally a side project from the members' day jobs in British Sea Power, Electric Soft Parade and Tenderfoot, but Brakes' debut Give Blood was so well-received that singer Eamon Hamilton quit his other gig as keyboard player in British Sea Power to concentrate on Brakes full-time. He chats to Mark Thompson about the band's history, the recording of both albums and what it feels like to play 300 shows in one year. Oh, and they also talk dry-cleaning bills, too.

The new album, The Beatific Visions, came out on Monday and seems to have quite a pedigree in terms of the personnel involved – it was recorded in Nashville at the House of David studios, home to records by JJ Cale and Elvis Presley. How did all of that come about? Was it deliberate, or the result of good fortune?

Good fortune! We met the producer Stuart Sikes at South By Southwest and he wanted to work with us. The strength of the pound against the dollar meant that it would be cheaper to record it over there. We had a great time.

And how did Nashville welcome Brakes?

It was fantastic; Nashville welcomed us with open arms. Seth Riddle – Cerys Matthews’ husband – found us a place to stay there and we played a brilliant couple of gigs at Grimeys [legendary Nashville record shop]. There’s a really good underground music scene there – the overground scene being the country pop stuff they churn out – and we also got to meet Kings of Leon, and Be Your Own Pet came to watch us. We were there for about three and a half weeks and we went to watch the Magic Numbers, who went down a storm. It was fun. There’s some cool bars there as well.

How was the recording process for you guys? I read that some of the songs were written from scratch in the studio – did this prove difficult, or inspiring?

We had about 70% done, so we needed to do a few more in the studio. We’re very intuitive with each other, which makes writing quite easy and quick. Some songs were easier than others, though; we were pleased it didn’t fall apart!

Certainly the end results seem to have shown sides to Brakes that weren’t as obvious on Give Blood, the end result being at times a mellower album, and a more personal, sentimental affair – I’m thinking of songs like Isabel, If I Should Die Tonight and the very touching No Return. Was this an obvious decision? And did being in Nashville play a part?

It’s really just that those were the songs we’d written. Our motto is that anything goes in Brakes and if it sounds good, we’ll record it. We’ll try and tackle anything, and we like to challenge ourselves.

The lyrics too seem to bounce between the good times and fond memories of personal experience in those songs, and volatile anger at political policies in the likes of Porcupine or Pineapple and Margarita. Was it important lyrically to find an outlet for these issues?

Yeah, definitely. I get wound up as much as anyone reading about what’s going on in the world today, and it’s quite cathartic to write songs like that. I get really annoyed, but I also have good thoughts, and I try to reflect a few facets of being alive.

Following the mixing of the album at Radiohead's studios, it was sent back to Nashville to be mastered by the man responsible for Neil Young's output.  What did you make of his contribution?

It was brilliant. He really made the mix come alive, made it shine…we got him cheap, too – he was doing it as a favour for a friend.

And what were your personal favourite moments recording the album?

Trying to work out No Return, which was a different song to begin with. The drums didn’t work – they took away from the sadness. So we swapped them for a Hammond and it worked really well. I also saw Cerys Matthews in a bathing suit, which was nice!

That's one for the photo album! 

(Laughs) It was really hot out there. Oxford was good too. Next to that studio there was a graveyard where Eric Blair (George Orwell) is buried, so we paid our respects...

Moving on from the album and going back a few years - you were born in Canada; what age did move over to England?

I came over when I was 5 years old, so I feel pretty English. My parents are Canadian.

How is British life in comparison to Canada?

It’s warmer over here during winter! The two nations have a similar sense of humour. Canadians are a bit like the Australians in that they love to have a good time.

What got you into music? A cool parent’s record collection or a need to rebel and play anything they would hate?

A bit of both, really. The first song I loved was They Don’t Know About Us by Tracey Ullman. My parents had a cool record collection, listening to people like Leadbelly and Little Richard…and the first album I bought was Never Mind The Bollocks by the Sex Pistols. The first single was the Ghostbusters theme tune – I bought that with my brother and remember him coming into the room and saying “Yeah, that was a good day.”

Apart from Ray Parker Junior then – who inspired you to pick up the guitar and start writing? Did you have any early heroes?

The Sex Pistols and the Jesus and Mary Chain. A friend’s sister was into them, and I got into them quite late – by the fourth album – but I think their first record is brilliant.

When did it start to become serious for you?  I read that you were in a band called Jockrash - great name, by the way - what were they like?

(Laughs) Similar to Brakes, really. We did Specials and Steppenwolf covers [Steppenwolf is, at this point, playing in the background] as well as our own songs. I was 14 at that time and I’ve always been in bands; it’s one of those loves.

I read that you formed the band after a solo set of yours in Brighton back in 2002, when you hooked up with Tom and Alex, and drunkenly badgered Marc to join too.  What are your memories of those early days?

There was a big anti-folk scene (Latch, Jeffrey Lewis, The Moldy Peaches), which gave me the confidence to stand up with just my acoustic guitar, even though I could never play that well. My sets were only 10-15 minutes long but they went down quite well.

How did you guys bond?  Did you all have similar tastes in music or was it the enjoyment of playing live together?

We’ve been friends for a while. I met Tom and Alex in ’99 when I moved to Brighton and we clicked over music. Bands like Teenage Fanclub and Yo La Tengo.

At the time Brakes seemed like a side project from the British Sea Power, Electric Soft Parade and Tenderfoot day jobs, so did you find it difficult to get together?

We really wanted to make it work, so we made time to do it. I played something like 300 gigs last year, which was pretty exhausting. I remember being in Vancouver at the end of the British Sea Power tour, leaving there on the Friday and flying to Glasgow, and being onstage an hour later for the start of the tour with Brakes due to the time difference. I kept on falling asleep and had to be woken up an hour before we were due to go onstage…

I bet that was a good cure for jetlag!

(Laughs) - Yeah.

How tough was your decision to quit your role as keyboardist for British Sea Power?

Brakes were offered three months’ touring with Belle and Sebastian and Editors. We couldn’t turn it down, and I didn’t want to hold British Sea Power back. It was a sad decision, but I had to make it otherwise I would have physically fallen apart!

How did Give Blood come about?  Had you been stockpiling songs to take into the studio? Or did you have to have an intense writing period as a band to make the most of the situation?

We had nearly enough songs as we’d been playing them for two and a half to three years. We added the Jackson cover to bulk it up a bit more. It only took five days to record because we knew the songs inside out.

It must have been a thrill to burn through all the songs live and get them recorded so quickly?

It was a total thrill. There was a real magic in the studio, getting your head down, getting to work – there’s something great about working at that pace.

It's littered with lots of venting of the spleen (Heard About Your Band, Cheney, Pick Up The Phone) in amongst some delicate moments (You're So Pretty). Was it a conscious decision to mix things up a bit?

It was just the way the songs came out. We write by playing guitar and singing along, and they just happened that way.

I was going to ask you whose idea it was to cover the Jesus and Mary Chain [Sometimes Always] but you made that apparent earlier on.

We always wanted to cover them but change it so that the girl was the one leaving and asking for forgiveness, because there are too many songs about blokes leaving. We’re good friends with the Pipettes, so we got them in to help.

You gonna go through a feedback and drum machine phrase soon, then?

We’ll see – anything’s possible! We wouldn’t use a drum machine, though – Alex is too good.

You’ll have to get yourself a bowl haircut like Bobby Gillespie.

(Laughs) – I’ll have to grow some first! I’m quite folically challenged.

You guys have been touring relentlessly ever since the release of Give Blood. Is onstage where you feel most comfortable?

We love it – it’s a great thrill to see the immediate response, to see how people react to your songs. We love the touring life.

We've caught a few times over the year, and especially enjoyed you supporting Belle & Sebastian in your hometown of Brighton.  Everyone in the crowd seemed a little knocked back by your energy, but really enjoyed it.  How did you find both the tour and Belle and Sebastian themselves?

It was great. Their rhythm section are crazy party monsters! That’s what they wanted – a loud rock band to kick off the night – and audiences appreciated it in the end.

You've also put in a hard slog during festival season.  We caught you at a couple – Leicester’s Summer Sundae and Electric Picnic in Ireland - how did you find these escapades?

Electric Picnic is brilliant, one of our favourites. It maybe wasn’t our greatest performance but we loved it.

You were a bit unlucky, clashing with Basement Jaxx…

- and the Pet Shop Boys. After the show, Tom bumped into the lead singer – I can’t remember his name -

Neil Tennant.

Neil Tennant. Tom had a joint, and Neil Tennant had a toke of it. He said [adopts plummy accent] “oooh, it’s good to be home!”.

Your set at Summer Sundae was incredible, and it seemed like no effort at all to get everyone bouncing.  I felt a bit sorry for Isobel Campbell, who had to follow you guys on stage. How did you find that performance?

Yeah, we got a good reaction. We had a great time. We were pretty knackered – I can’t remember where we’d come from, but we hadn’t had much sleep. We were drawing on our final reserves of energy – I went to watch Little Man Tate in the tent at the top of the field later on and fell asleep during their set! When you’re down to your last bit of energy you just give it your all.

If you don't mind me asking, who was the guy - he looked like a tour manager - stood at the side of the stage whilst you were on. He looked really pumped up and was making wild gestures at you all the time to speed things up.

(Laughs) Yeah, that must’ve been our tour manager! He’s a good man. I think he was worried that we were gonna go over time.

You also stated onstage your intent to spend the rest of the day getting boozed up. I didn't believe you at the time, but later on that day I saw you staggering away from main stage with a can in your hand.  I made a beeline over to thank you for a great set and you passed on your gratitude and in the process managed spilled a huge amount of the can on my coat.  Any chance you can pick it up from the dry cleaners?

(Laughs) Yeah, I’ll get the bill in – sorry! I’ll buy you a beer next time.

Earlier in the year you graced South by Southwest too. What did you make of it – it seems like more of an industry thing?

If you play there, you get a band that gets you straight into gigs. If you’re a punter there’s a lot more queuing, but the atmosphere is great.

Did you enjoy yourself?

Yeah. I saw Aberfeldy and Mary Lou Lord – I had heard about her from a Rough Trade Shops compilation. She was busking and I gave her a couple of quid to play Some Jingle Jangle Morning. We played every day for five days, sometimes three times a day. But it was great.

And pretty soon you head out on a headlining tour of the UK.  Is this something you’re looking forward to?

Yeah; just to headline again will be cool.

But first I believe you've got a support slot with The Killers.  It seems like an odd combination.  How did that come about?

They asked us, so we said yes! We’re very flattered, and it’ll be good to play to big audiences.

Finally, after The Beatific Visions and the tour, what's lined up next for you guys? Plenty of rest, or are you gearing yourselves up to hit the festival circuit again?

We’re touring nearly all of next year and we’ve got a few new songs, so we’ll see how they go.

The Beatific Visions is out now. You can find out more about Brakes on their website, www.brakesbrakesbrakes.com

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