Going it alone in the music industry can be a daunting experience. With no major label to fund you and lacking a limitless cushion stuffed with elite producers, sponsorship and giant wads of cash, the road to success can often feel like an uphill battle. The term “labour of love” is a phrase that certainly rings true, albeit with the assistance of a few wise words and a few generous helpings of common sense.
Those elusive pearls of wisdom can come in all shapes and sizes. From those who have risen and fallen at the hands of this brutal industry, to those encouraging the next generation by highlighting potholes and unleashing their full potential. Words can inspire. Guidance can prove priceless. The moral of this story? “Don’t buy a stupid condo,” – or at least that’s today’s advice from Jon Matte, frontman of Montreal-based alt-pop group The Franklin Electric.
Having opened for the likes of Ben Howard and Mumford & Sons, this quartet have earned their stripes. “The record industry is crashing right now, so you’ve gotta invest,” notes Matte warily. “If you’re doing it for the right reasons it’s worth it. I could invest in a condo. I could be sitting in a stupid condo right now, but instead I choose not to – I just don’t want one that much.”
Like most things in life, success boils down to priorities. On our day of meeting, Matte and his band of merry men are currently in the midst of yet another European tour. Whistle-stop doesn’t quite do it justice, taking in the delights of London before flying across the channel, only to return a few days later for an intimate Sofar Sounds session. For this bunch of Canadians, it’s all a matter of taking chances and getting their music out there.
“One thing that stops so many artists is the fear of failure or the fear of success,” Matte notes. “It’s also a fear of boxing yourself into a style. I think it’s important to be as prolific as possible and keep sending stuff out into the Universe. You can wait around to create your masterpiece for a very long time before it happens.”
It’s clear The Franklin Electric are no strangers to hard work, focussing on perseverance and persistence rather than the fleeting fame today’s generations crave so dearly. “If it does happen? It’s because you’ve done like 300 songs. It could be your fifth song, it could be your 200-and-whatever song. You’ve got be super resilient – oh, and invest a lot of money.”
A band blending the soul of The Fray with the dulcet tones of Tom Odell, The Franklin Electric’s eclectic sound was always going to be a fan-friendly formula. Following in the footsteps of their debut album, This Is How I Let You Down, recent sophomore release, Blue Ceilings, showcases a shadowy side to the band’s sound.
“It’s less acoustic,” remarks Matte. “I’ve got a new Juno – like a toy synthesiser – so it’s a little more about layers and textures. It’s a bit dreamy, a lot darker, but still very emotional. There’s a lot more percussion on this album – I really got into the percussion side of things.”
“…we’re figuring out where each song’s going to live. It’s one long journey.” – Jon Matte, The Franklin Electric
“The album was a long process because it was in-between tours. We would write a bit, go out on tour, come back and suss out the songs then leave again. The record was laid down over the course of a year-and-a-half,” he notes. “[Blue Ceilings] gives a good idea of how we are live – more than the first record. I feel with the first album, we exceeded the performance on the record. You perform the songs so many times that you peak, you start to surpass the recordings – which hopefully is a good thing, right?”
The album’s results go against what you’d expect from a culmination of haphazard recording sessions and constant touring. Instead of a disjointed soundscape, drawing influence from all corners of the world, Blue Ceilings is a succinct and vibrant culmination of tracks. With intricate guitar interludes and soaring choruses, the variation adds wholesome character to this dappled array of tracks.
“That’s the thing, we added some songs at the end because we wanted to balance out the personality and yeah – we went over budget. It’s because of that we had to produce 4 songs on a very low budget. So yeah, we went out, got the gear, hired a good mixer and I just dug in and got the courage to do it myself.”
“There’s one track I love called “It’s Taking You”. It’s a slow song that comes across really well live. “Resistance” also kicks ass live – it’s got a bit of bite to it. To be honest, my favourites are changing all the time. With the songs, the more we’re playing them, the more we’re understanding them live. And “Burning Flame”, surprisingly that’s the one people are relating to the most live but it’s still new, so we’re figuring out where each song’s going to live. It’s one long journey.”
Be sure to catch The Franklin Electric live @ The Troubadour, London on Thursday 28th September.
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