Interview: Spring Offensive

Oxford, England indie rock five-piece Spring Offensive released their latest record 'Pull Us Apart' last year in the UK, but has it's only recently seen it's release in the US through Burning Building Recordings, which includes new artwork and a 14-minute bonus track.

Alter The Press! talked to the band about the Oxford music scene, the US release of 'Pull Us Apart', touring plans and more.

Alter The Press: 'Pull Us Apart' was just released in the US, while Spring Offensive is based in Oxford, England. What's the music scene like in Oxford?
Spring Offensive: It's wonderful. Mutually supportive and always willing to give new bands a shot. It punches well above its weight nationally for a town its size, and there's a fierce sense of pride taken in producing quality music even among people who aren't that closely involved in the industry, which is almost always a huge positive (we probably talk about Radiohead a bit too much.)

ATP: What do you hope to accomplish with the US release of 'Pull Us Apart'?
SO: Well we're hoping to sow the seeds of civil destruction and finally take back this troublesome colony for Queen and Country, but seeing if people over there like what we're doing would be a great start. We take a lot of influence from American bands: Death Cab for Cutie, Menomena, The National, Bon Iver and The Antlers have and will continue to have a big impact, so it's exciting to see if people take to us like they've taken to them.

ATP: How does the US release differ from the UK release (other than the bonus track)?
SO: Well it has slightly different artwork (by the wonderful Joseph Carpenter), but other than that I guess the only difference is that it's being released on a label. We're pretty DIY over here.

ATP: How did you guys end up signing with Burning Building Recordings?
SO: Our press guy (we try to do stuff ourselves, but there are people in this world who are better at some things than you. Find those people, learn their phone numbers) was speaking to them on an unrelated matter, and the conversation turned to us. Evidently they liked what they heard!

ATP: How would you describe your sound to new fans?
SO: It's indie rock, but not as you know it. Think strange tales, studious arrangements and a debilitating fear of sounding boring.

ATP: The US release of 'Pull Us Apart' has a 14-minute bonus track; 'The First of Many Dreams About Monsters.' What inspired it? How long did it take to record?
SO: It was inspired by the work of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, who over a 47 year career as a pioneering psychiatrist developed what is now known as the Kübler-Ross Model - that grief follows a predictable pattern of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. This seemed like a rich subject and ready made structure for a record, but over the course of writing it became more about how uncomfortable it is to theorise about something as personal and sensitive as mortality, loss and gried. It was recorded live (with a few choice bits of polish) over two days on location in a house in Wiltshire (It's in the south. There are a lot of cows.)

ATP: What does Spring Offensive have in store for the rest of 2011? With the new album out in the states, any plans for a US tour?
SO: We're taking the first few tentative steps towards writing another album. It'll be done when it's done. We have future plans to tour the states, although nothing is set in stone as of yet - though it goes without saying that we'd do anything to make it happen.

ATP: Is there anything else you'd like your fans to know?
SO: There's a video on Youtube of a baby rocking out to some Pantera. Irresponsible parenting? Maybe. Excellent preparation for the outside world? Absolutely.

'Pull Us Apart' by Spring Offensive is available now on Burning Building Recordings.

Spring Offensive on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and Tumblr.

Words by Janay Kinney