With their second album Mirrors set to be released on Fri 5 May, northeastern English indie-folk outfit Cattle & Cane are embarking on a UK-wide tour. “I guess this album is less introspective at times compared to our debut album Home,” starts vocalist Joe Hammill when asked about the new record. “It’s more looking at things from outside a situation, like I’ve Been Silent and Dealing With The Devil. Some of the album was recorded in Belgium and some of it in Malta, so I think that experience of travelling and getting away from it all probably shows too.
“Our hearts are always rooted in Teesside though, so I feel like there will always be elements of that. We have a song on the new album, Tonight We Dance (Cleveland Hills), which is about home being our first love and always being there to go back to.”
I ask Joe about the range in sounds on the album, comparing the soulful I’ve Been Silent to the synthy Make Your Vision. “We didn’t want to just record a repeat version of our debut album, so we were keen to try a few new things. Helen [Hammill, Joe’s bandmate and sister] sings a lot more on Mirrors; also, the album producer Luuk Cox comes from a very different background to us, so it was great to experiment with new ideas and new sounds.”
Despite this difference in sounds, what ties it all together as a Cattle & Cane record? “Whatever the arrangement or instrumentation, we always try to build songs around our harmonies and our vocals,” says Helen. “I think when you first start a band, it can take a little while to really find your sound. The harmonies are still a big part of the tracks, but there’s certainly more pianos and keyboards. We built a lot of the tracks around the drums, too, which probably wasn’t the case on our debut. We like trying to do different things – we had a lot of fun with Fool For You, especially with the orchestral elements in it.”
To finish, I ask Joe what’s next for the band. “We’ve got a few festivals over the summer and then, all being well, we’ll be touring Germany again in the autumn. We’re always writing and demoing new material… is it too early to start thinking about a third album?”
Cattle & Cane, Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Sat 13 May. Tickets: £8. Info: 029 2023 2199 / www.clwb.net
words LUKE OWAIN BOULT