The Ramona Flowers Talking Movies
The Ramona Flowers is taken from a character in a movie. Dave, Ed and Steve tell Hi Fi Way: The Pop Chronicles what their favourite movies are of all time?
Dave – Hard to say what my all time favourite movie is…BUT, My favourite movie of this year as it’s fresh in my mind is Ready Player One. It’s got a big hit of 80’s nostalgia and encapsulates many of the things that attracted me to cinema and music in general growing up. It’s also got a great soundtrack and the CGI is insane. Yes, it’s a bit cheesy but c’mon, it’s a family flick after all.
Ed – I’m also finding it hard to pick a favourite of all time. I recently re watched a bunch of Clint Eastwood movies. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is epic! The cinematography and and soundtrack were iconic and ground breaking at the time. The fact it has not only stood the test of time but has continued to influence movie makers to this day is testament to Leone’s talent and vision.
Best movie this year is Isle of dogs. A wonderfully charming Masterpiece that I immediately wanted to re-watch.
Steve – As Dave and Ed have said there’s so many so it’s hard to pick an absolute favourite but I love a good gangster movie, so Goodfellas and Donnie Brasco. I also have a soft spot for movies from the 80’s, so I’d have to say The Breakfast Club and I’ll throw Cocktail in there too. My girlfriend is from Perth and her friends introduced me to The Castle, they told me was an Aussie classic! I absolutely loved it.
The Ramona Flowers have just released Strangers, their new album out on Distiller Records. The lead single Ghost was a song simply written about “a ghost you can’t get rid off” as described by singer Steve Bird.
Recorded at The Distillery in Bath with esteemed producer Chris Zane (Bat For Lashes, Friendly Fires, Passion Pit), Strangers is the culmination of The Ramona Flowers’ journey to perfect the balance between rock and electronica. Seamlessly meshing contemporary influences with timelessly anthemic melodies, the 11-track collection hits a euphonic sweet spot reminiscent of M83, Phoenix and Everything Everything.
“For the whole album we were lyrically influenced by relationships within the band and life and things that have happened with friends and family. Musically we were influenced by bands like Phoenix, M83, Everything Everything, Bombay Bicycle Club, but we use a lot of 80’s synths, and have definitely been inspired by movies from our childhoods. We’ve always been into that 80’s cinematic sound.” – Steve Bird
Inspired in part by the band’s time on the road and the people they met, from LA to New York to Tokyo, Strangers is a study of the human condition. Exploring romantic visions of the future on Venice, sombre reflections of society on Same Sun and empathetic tales of modern relationships on the title track, the album’s lyrics paint an intricate portrait of the world we live in.
The follow-up to their first two albums – 2014’s Dismantle & Rebuild and 2016’s Part Time Spies – Strangers is the sound of a band who have refined their craft through years of experience, experimenting with a breadth of styles to fully excavate their potential and discover exactly who they want to be. “The dynamics weren’t quite right. It takes time to learn that,” says guitarist Sam James of the band’s earlier work. “Now people see us live and they say suddenly it all comes together and makes sense to them.” It’s this new-found confidence, combined with their most masterful songwriting to date, that makes Strangers The Ramona Flowers’ strongest work yet.
Compiled by Rob Lyon
