MUSIC: Art Vs Science

By Gemma Langdale on Feb 8th, 2010.

 

This year in triple j's Hottest 100, #2 was the new #1. After Mumford and Sons were leaked as the countdown's winners a few days before Australia Day, bets turned to who would take out the second possie. Enter Art Vs Science.

 

Long before our public transport system left us stranded, violated, broke and smelling of urine, train travel was a luxurious and glamorous experience. They used to take us to exotic destinations such as Istanbul or Budapest, ticket inspectors didn't incite fear into young children, and 'the end of the line' wasn't a hell-forsaken nowhere. Trains even left on time too.

Since then, the romance has died. The destination is just as boring as the journey, and an STI check-up may be required if a fellow commuter spits too close. But not for much longer.

This year Art Vs Science will be packing their Louis Vuitton travel totes, keyboards, pedals and drums in order to rock the golden era of transport once more on the 2010 Bacardi Express Tour.

"I was like 'Hold on! Hold on!'," says Jim Finn of french-speaking festival favourite Art Vs Science. "You're telling me we all get on a train, and we all have an open bar the entire time, and there's this room that has all these musical instruments that we can just go and jam - and you bring us cocktails?"

Parlez-vous what? The life of a rock star just sounds too good, Jim.

Joined by some of the coolest kids in music, La Roux, Miami Horror, Yves Klein Blue and Cassette Kids, the Bacardi Express Tour will leave Brisbane on March 25, winding its way down the coast over two days, stopping off to play four free gigs along the way.

Genius idea, anyone? Where do we validate our tickets?

"You're telling me we all get on a train, and we all have an open bar the entire time, and there's this room that has all these musical instruments that we can just go and jam - and you bring us cocktails?"

 

As the freshly crowned kings of the Australian summer festival circuit, Art Vs Science have become cult performers to their dedicated fan base with hits such as Flippers, Parlez Vous Francais and Hollywood.

"The only thing I can put it down to is the idea behind our band and the way we write our songs," says Finn. "With big simple beats that are set to that right dancing and jumping tempo, cool syncopated base lines, and good easy and memorable lyrics that you can scream out and sing along with.

"When we write songs we don't commit them to their final version until we've played them at festivals or live at shows, just to see the reaction of the crowd. There might be a build that we've worked on and then drops into the beat, but if the crowd doesn't respond the way we want, or isn't as enthused as we had hope, we'll go back and rework it."

If we can ever get the boys off the party train, Art Vs Science fans can look forward to their album launch and tour, "hopefully around the middle of the year," says Finn. "After that I think we might be going overseas, to check out the UK and convince some people over there that we can play some all right music."

Finn compares the excitement and anticipation of their new album to that of a parent with their first child, "I think it's going to be a fairly busy year, it always is around your first," a glowing Finn reveals.

Well congratulations boys, we think you'll make fine Daddies! 

 

 

Don't forgot to register your name at http://www.bacardiexpress.com.au/ to go in the draw to win free tickets to the Bacardi Express Tour and a chance to ride the Bacardi Express train with Art Vs Science on the trip of a lifetime.

Before the train leaves the station though, Art Vs Science will also be playing at the Good Vibrations Festival touring the nation from the 13^th of February.

For full tour dates and more info, please visit www.myspace.com/artvsscience.