Some four years since they released new music, and with an almost completely new line-up, Melbourne's AM Reruns return with the single 'Rose In Wire' – a track that leans into their power-pop, yesteryear indie feels.
Centred around guitarist-singer Andy Campbell, in 2019 he welcomed bassist Andy Hazel and drummer Billy Raffin into the fold (Billy replaced Shauna Boyle of Cable Ties)."Sometime around then, Andy Hazel asked me to join his Twin Peaks cover band," Andy C explains. "In that, I also met Billy, and then I asked them both to join AM Reruns."
'Rose In Wire' was recorded in August 2022 with Andrew 'Idge' Hehir at Soundpark Studios, who also mixed the album that was mastered by regular collaborator John Davis at Metropolis London.
"[John had] just mastered 'Autofiction' by Suede, which is a fantastic sounding record," Andy C says, "so going back to him made even more sense this time around."
Slick indie power-pop that careens along with punchy, meaty drums and angular yet jaunty guitars layered in reverb lushness that harks back to soulful, R&B-flavoured rock & roll of the '60s (think The Sonics, The Kinks, Iggy Pop) accentuates the nostalgia hits contained within 'Rose In Wire'.
"I've always wanted to have a song in shuffle-time, with a big glam-rock drum beat," shares Andy C, discussing 'Rose In Wire'. "It's not too far from 'Sheila Take A Bow' by The Smiths, 'Metal Guru' by T.Rex, or 'Love Me Do' by The Beatles, which is where I would have heard this beat as a youngster.
"But of course it's way older than that – it's Howlin' Wolf and Chuck Berry. I really just wanted that drum beat. I had E, A and B for the verse, and tooled around with that until it settled; for the chorus I started playing 'Arthur' by Hoodoo Gurus and it evolved from there."
Ahead of the song's release tomorrow (17 March), scenestr is stoked to premiere 'Rose In Wire' today. Enjoy.
"Idge was suggested by our bass player Andy," adds Campbell. "He and I both love 'Turn It On' by Romero, which Idge recorded and mixed. We met at the studio and I showed him 'Radio Drill Time' by Josef K as a reference, and then 'Rose In Wire' which he liked.
"Recording with him was fantastic. I think of AM Reruns as an 'expensive' sounding band. I think of us as the champagne or Milan of bands.
"Our recording set up was pretty hi-fi, but it was all about the takes. I added some guitar overdubs and then came in a few nights later to do the singing.
"Doing the vocals was by far the best experience I've had as a singer. I learned this very simple (almost stupidly simple) lesson that if you sing a melody and a lyric that has real emotion to it, people might actually like it.
"I'd brought a bunch of candles and a crystal in to the vocal session. It was interesting."
