Fresh from touring with Jungle Giants and Tigertown, Forest Falls release their new single, Heavy Hearted Girl.
1. Hi guys! Firstly, congratulations on your latest single, Heavy Hearted Girl, tell us a little bit about the song:
Thank you. Well, the song initially flew under the radar when we released our last EP, Julia. Naturally, everyone gravitated to the more up beat songs, Julia and Coming Home, and so we released Coming Home as the first single. All of a sudden Heavy Hearted Girl got some good reviews and a bit of airplay and we decided to use the momentum to tour again. Our drummer just happened to be travelling during this time so it seemed perfect to craft a stripped back set to showcase HHG. The recorded version of the song is quite sombre and understated. Lyrically there’s a focus on solitude and loss. However, the live version we play breathes more life into it with swelling harmonies through the chorus. Having multiple voices through the chorus gives the impression we’ve defeated that vibe of solitude and loss. Also, Heavy Hearted Girl has given us a great opportunity to improve our musicianship in the absence of percussion. Sometimes you can unwittingly hide behind drums, especially playing live. Performing Heavy Hearted Girl is very disarming, you feel very vulnerable, but I suppose that fits in with spirit of the song too.
2. There are 6 of you in Forest Falls, how do you find working with such a large group?:
We’re great friends first and foremost and I think it takes the heat off. Having a large group means the workload is spread out and someone always has a solution or at least listening ear. Collaborating can be tricky with so many ideas but again it opens more doors too. You don’t get bogged down unable to be creative. That said we don’t fit in your everyday sedan, unless you put Jez in the boot. So I guess it's kind of swings and roundabouts.
3. Tell us a bit about how you all became Forest Falls and the upcoming ep you have been working on:
It was a really flattering referral system that brought us together. A few of us went to school and/or uni together and each vouched for the others. As a result we all trusted one another really quickly and just got straight into being Forest Falls haha. For the upcoming EP we worked with Wayne Connolly at Albert’s Studios in Sydney, which was fantastic. Needless to say Wayne is phenomenally good at what he does and is such a kind soul. So it’s a six song EP with a more lush and refined sound. Our last EP, Julia, was pretty raw. This time around we’ve incorporated some different synth and keys sounds. One Casiotone keyboard at Albert’s got a flogging and we’ve since bought one for ourselves. I think we’re all stoked with the finished product.
4. Best part of touring and live performances?:
Everything about it is so good. You can feel performances getting better and better. I think if you’re making an effort to travel and play your music for new audiences it’s really appreciated. The people you meet along the way are a great part of it all too. We met an artist called Forster Anderson in Sydney and loved his set and his energy. Now he’s coming down on the 26th to play our gig at The Spotted Mallard in Melbourne. Lastly, touring is totally escapist. You have little logistical issues every now and then but for the most part it’s a dream.
5. What advice do you have for someone looking to get their start in music?
Don’t force it. Make sure you’re making music that makes you happy and that whomever you’re collaborating with feels the same way. If you truly enjoy and believe in what you’re doing you’ll have no problem working your butt off to ensure people hear it.
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