“I always feel like I’ve been best as a balladeer, in a way, and I never really got to do my folk project,” Kelly explains. “So it’s me doing that and something that’s lush and orchestral. I generally compose a lot of my songs not just in the departments that I’m playing. I have grandiose ideas in my head.”
Along with drummer Andrew Congues, Kelly started Mayfair Kytes roughly two years ago. The forthcoming debut EP Animus – due for release in early 2015 – is the work of a five-piece band, with supplementary input from a string quartet.
“There’s a huge amount of collaboration,” Kelly says. “The intention was always to form a solid band with solid characters, not just to be ‘lead singer and the other guys’ kind of vibe. It’s been good working with Austin, who’s a singer/songwriter I’ve known many years and who I’ve really, really liked for many years. All my favourite bands are generally bands that have strong personalities in all departments, not just up front.”
The new single and first taste of the EP, Seasonal Thaw, is an artfully arranged piece of chamber pop – certainly no mere garage jam session. Considering the extensive contributing personnel and deliberated creative approach, Animus necessitated a lengthy construction process.
“We started pre-production over a year ago and went into the studio to start doing the EP about eight months ago,” Kelly says. “It’s definitely been like schedule-Tetris and then just refining once we’ve recorded things. We’re definitely all perfectionists.”
Kelly’s spent the last decade venturing through diverse stylistic territory. His past projects include “experimental dance/soul band” Ghost Orkid; “psychedelic rock band” Matt Kelly and the Keepers; and Honeymaker, which was “funky stuff.” Given his amorphous track record, it’s apt to inquire into the major influences behind Animus.
“I kind of have the Bjork approach to songwriting with this record, which is: each song is a universe unto itself. So we can put instrumentation in there that may not be the most logistically easy thing. We might just have a song with one instrument in it that’s not in any other songs. Whatever each song needs itself, we’ll do it.
“There’s Bjork and there’s The Dirty Projectors for that kind of chopping vocal rhythmic thing they have going on. Ever since I came across that, I’ve been totally obsessed with it, so I wanted to do my own spin on that. Plus I’ve also been getting into the Beach Boys a lot. I was taking part in a Beach Boys tribute thing. Just that harmony thing, I’ve always loved it very much.”
Beyond these concrete reference points, Kelly has realised another, more fundamental aim with Mayfair Kytes.
“It’s probably me, being myself musically, the most,” he says. “Inside my head and the world that exists there musically, this is probably the most authentic to myself that I’ve ever been. And it took me a while to find it, which makes sense.”
As mentioned, Kelly isn’t the band’s sole creative force, nor is he the immovable leader. The group’s emphasis on collaboration does seem somewhat at odds with the desire to flesh out his ultimate inner vision. Yet, Kelly maintains the input of his band mates is invaluable.
“I always wanted a good collaboration,” he says. “A lot of the time, I’ve just been the chief. So with this project I got to play the vibe that I wanted, which was something that was really lush and something that didn’t necessarily require a dance floor. And I got to work with all the musicians that I really love and respect and get their spin on the music as well.
“I’ve got a good ear, but I need other musicians. To get the very best out of a song that I might potentially start, I feel like I need to work with other people. I can’t do it all myself.”
Mayfair Kytes will launch Seasonal Thaw at Collingwood’s Gasometer Hotel this Saturday night. It’s fair to predict taking the band on the road could pose certain difficulties. Nevertheless, Kelly’s determined to make it work.
“It should be fine. I might be able to create a national network of string players so we don’t necessarily have to take the same string players everywhere we go.
“We’ve spent a year on the record and it’s all been independent, it’s all been our own money. The investment’s been huge and I pretty much don’t have a life for anything else at the moment. On the performance end, I want to take the band as far as it can go. I want people to see the work. We’ve done so much of it that I really want it to spread. I want to get overseas. I want to get it to Europe, I think Europe would love it.”
Indeed, Mayfair Kytes’ high brow aesthetic lends itself to a European cathedral setting. The band’s leading aspiration, however, falls within our borders.
“If we can do this band in the Opera House, then at least the band itself has realised its own dream.”
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
