by Mark Spence
Thirteen Senses recently returned to Cornwall for their first major show since their debut album was released. bloc quizzed them about the songwriting process.
With an average age of just twenty two Thirteen Senses ( Will South, Tom Welham, Adam Wilson, Brendan James ) have already achieved what many other artists can only dream of. Their debut album, The Invitation'went into the Top 15, and they have also enjoyed Top 20 single success with their single Thru the Glass.
The music press has suggested that the band are destined for major things and have described their music as '.stadium-conquering pop.'(NME), 'Thirteen Senses mix the widescreen ambition of Radiohead with the melodies of Coldplay.'(The Guardian), 'Heartfelt choruses and brilliantly sweet melodies.'(The Fly). It is the group's knack for crafting such cinematic and sweeping soundscapes that have attracted praise from the music press, rather than their quirky background, or the fact that they are so young. With such heavyweight backing from the music press concentrated purely on the quality of the songwriting, I decided to ask the band about the processes involved in producing their music.
Your music has been very well received within the music press and they have paid particular attention to the atmospheric feel to your songs. Do you think your Cornish roots have had a direct effect on your music and lyrics?
Will: It is something that other people have picked up on but I have to say I didn't really notice it myself until it was pointed out. Now that we are living in London though you do notice that our songwriting is a lot more laid back than most of the stuff that's going on there and that probably has something to do with where we are from. People down here are generally a lot more laid back so that must filter into the music somehow.
What inspires you to write and is it a collaborative effort?
Will: Everything inspires me really. Sometimes it's just the things I see and experience but it can be literally anything. Then I'll put the song together and when we all get together it becomes complete.
How do you know when you've written a great song?
Will: That's really hard to explain. You just know really. It's just a feeling you get.
You had around seventy songs to choose from when you were recording the album. How did you begin the process of whittling the songs down and what will happen to the songs that didn't make it?
Tom: To be honest it wasn't that hard to begin with. Although we had a lot to choose from at the start we always knew that there were a lot of those songs that would never make it. Once we got down to around 17 tracks though it started to get really difficult. There was one song in particular that was really hard to leave off the album. The other tracks have been released as b-sides on our singles.
Do you find it more challenging to write something slightly more melancholy like 'Do No Wrong' or something that is more upbeat and anthemic like 'History'?
Will: I can do both. It's easy! No seriously I don't really find that there is that much difference. When you have the idea for the song you just go and do it.
How does it feel to know that you have written a song that affects someone, and how does it make you feel when you can actually see and experience your work being embraced because a lot of other artists, e.g. a novelist, doesn't really get that opportunity?
Adam: It's such an amazing feeling to know that people enjoy what you do. For example, I can remember the first time I looked into the audience and I could see the audience singing along to all the words. I turned around to look at the rest of the band and they had all noticed it as well. I thought I was going to start crying but I managed to hold it together. Then there was another time this guy came up to me after one of our shows and told me that he proposed to his girlfriend after he had heard one of our songs, which I thought was quite cool.
Your back catalogue is testament to the fact that you are incredibly prolific artists. Do you ever worry that you will burn out, and do you ever struggle to write new material?
Will: I did used to worry about that but thankfully it hasn't happened yet. When we started recording the first album we agreed that whatever material we had that was good enough would be used up so that we could start fresh on our second album. So now when I get an idea I just go away and work on it. I've also just moved into a new flat that has a room with my piano in so I also use that to work on material.
When was the last time you heard a piece of music that made you think 'I wish I'd written that'?
Adam: I really liked the last Mew album.
Will: I suppose it would have to be something like 'Tubular Bells'. I also really like the new Stereophonics song 'Dakota'.
Tom: At the moment I would say 'O' by Damien Rice. It's just a really beautiful album.
Brendan: I'm a big fan of Philip Glass. I think some of his work is genius.
After speaking with Thirteen Senses it became quite apparent that there were distinct similarities and problems associated with songwriting as there are with any other form writing. Trying to locate that vital source of inspiration, writing a body of work that is ultimately discarded in favour of superior material, the influence of our background etc. appear to be key elements in producing work that you can be proud of. This process has been successful for Thirteen Senses and can act as encouragement to all of us in our pursuit of uncovering our own 'voice'.
