SAME NAME CONFUSION ANNOUNCES UPCOMING ALBUM 'SNC'
Enigmatic band Same Name Confusion is making a return, and doing it their way. After a multi-year hiatus, the Auckland / Melbourne-based group is returning with their second full-length album, SNC. Born across distance and refined over time with intentional, "slow" songwriting, the record captures a groove-focused, Randy Newman inspired record with a knack for finding the playful, romantic (and occasionally absurd) beauty in everyday life.
“I’m just singing about my ordinary life, the most ordinary things. And I’m talking about these things in the way that comes natural to me. I’m usually poking fun at myself and the people around me… that’s how I am in real life too.” (Luke Courtney)
“For me this record is a groove record. It’s meant for dancing or at the very least tapping your toes with a grin.” (Andrej Radosavljevic)
SNC is a trans-Tasman collaboration, with formerly Christchurch, then Wellington co-writers Luke Courtney and Andrej Radosavljevic now split between Auckland and Melbourne, bouncing demos back and forth for months before finally bringing it all together with a full band. With songs written over a span of years, Luke and Andrej would go through a number of iterations before bringing it to the band where long-time collaborator Josh Dominikovich translated MIDI drum grooves into real life, and new recruits Arran Cargill-Brown, Logan McAllister, Ensai August and Dayle Jellyman helped create basslines and other parts that served the song. Finally, the band spent 3 days recording with James Goldsmith at The Surgery Studio in Wellington, where they tracked all the songs live, in the room, with as little overdubs as possible to make sure it felt as organic as they could.
“One of the things I hoped to capture on this record, other than great songs, was for the listener to feel like they were in the room with us and I think James did a great job of that.” (Andrej Radosavljevic)
SNC will be released in two parts. Side A is simply the first four tracks on the album, and a chance for listeners to settle into a big chunk of the record right off the bat. Serving as the centerpiece for the first act, This Family Counts Calories is a song born at a K Road gym - a self-deprecating reflection on Luke’s experiences as a first-time gym-goer alongside the stark contrast of having a partner who is a powerlifter.
“She has to watch her calories when she’s coming up to a powerlifting competition. But I’m always trying to get more calories in, trying to put some meat on these bones! Now I’ll read the back of the cans of baked beans to find the one with the most calories!”
Built on a booming, looping bassline and a driving, straightforward groove, the sparse arrangement provides a blank canvas that allows for filling in with shoegazey/dreampop guitar textures and for Luke to “croon along with my silly gym-observations”.
SNC is the second full-length album from Same Name Confusion, and will be released on September 25th via Winegum Records. SNC (Side A), featuring the first four tracks from the forthcoming album is out now, alongside pre-orders for the full album.
Same Name Confusion was formed in Ōtautahi Christchurch in 2016 by singer Luke Courtney and guitarist Andrej Radosavljevic. Both engineering students at the University of Canterbury, they met when Courtney asked around for someone who could play guitar solos on his existential rock songs. Their DIY debut album followed soon after.
Ten years on, Same Name Confusion continues as a songwriting project between the pair. Courtney lives in Auckland and is in the early stages of a PhD in philosophy of education. Radosavljevic lives in Melbourne and is making short films. For each, Songwriting happens in stolen moments, in bursts of inspiration. Demos are refined slowly, iteratively, and often despite heated disagreements. A second album, titled SNC, is the result of several years of this slow trans-tasman collaboration.