RECORDING their debut album was such a positive experience for quirky Brisbane band The Boat People they decided it would be apt to christen it with the obscure title Yesyesyesyesyes. ``It kind of sums up how we were feeling about going in and making our album,'' bassist James O'Brien said.
``We wanted to do something that was very open and very giving, that sort of jumped out of the speakers and gave the listener a bear hug.
``So I think that title seemed to sum it up. As I heard our keyboard player and vocalist Robin say the other day, you know, basically when we were making it everyone just kept saying `Yes!' ``Someone would go, `How about we try this?', and everyone goes, `Yes!', and it just seemed to work for us so the more `yesses' the better I reckon.'' Throughout the 12 tracks the album remains consistent, which O'Brien finds surprising considering he shared half the songwriting duties with keyboard player Robin Waters. ``We always come back to the studio with ideas and meet at the same place where pop meets the kind of artsy- fartsy,'' O'Brien said.
``Somewhere in the realm of Split Enz, David Bowie and Wilco and those kind of bands.
``Any kind of pop music that's adventurous and makes my ears twitch, that's what I like.'' One of the album's tunes, Possum Magic, is sure to stand out as the album's most peculiar.
It delivers a whirlwind of sounds and was written by O'Brien to ``provide the band with some energy''.
``Possum Magic is not like anything we've done before. It was described in a live review once as ``a chaotic Bohemian Rhapsody . . . a Brisbane suburban mess''.
``And it's like that.'' The new album comes after four EP releases over the past four years.
According to O'Brien it was all about waiting for the right time so the band felt confident to record and do the best job possible.
``We've kind of been honing our craft.'' O'Brien said.
``That's what EPs and singles are great for, building up interest and building up your name.
``The album took about 40 days and we did it over about nine weeks on and off.
``We had to juggle day jobs and girlfriends and whatever else but when you really want to do it, like touring, you just find a way.'' The Boat People are on the road this month to support the album's release and will perform at the Northern Star Hotel on Friday night.
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