Listen... Tanks!

Listen... Tanks! is an avant-garde[1] music group, consisting of Gary Lightbody (of Snow Patrol) and producer Jacknife Lee, who has produced the last three albums for Snow Patrol, among others. The group's music is very different from Snow Patrol and has been termed "weird" by Lightbody. The group will visit Lee's home in January 2010 to record an album, after they finish working on another project Tired Pony.

Listen... Tanks!
OriginNorthern Ireland
GenresAvant-garde, experimental, psychedelic pop, trip-hop, drone, Russian submarine music
Years active2007–present
Associated actsSnow Patrol
MembersGary Lightbody
Jacknife Lee

History

Listen... Tanks! evolved after experiments in the studio between Gary Lighbody and Jacknife Lee.[2] Lightbody has credited indie rock band Sunset Rubdown's second album Shut Up I Am Dreaming as inspiration to himself and Lee to start the project.[3] Both Lightbody and Lee play all the instruments.[4] The only known song by the group is "Black and Silver", which was premiered on BBC Radio 1 on 10 January 2007 by Lightbody himself,[5] while he was guest presenting for Zane Lowe (who was on vacation) during the 2007 takeovers.[6] The sound of the song was described by Hot Press as "heavily treated vocals and assorted electronic clicks and beeps".[7] NME described it as having a "heavily processed arrangement, pitching an ominous multi-tracked vocal backing against glockenspiels and Lightbody’s vocal".[8] Lightbody himself sees the song as "a strange, little, dark, country, folkish beast."[7] Apart from "Black and Silver", more music has been recorded, whose direction has been branded by Lightbody as a "mad turn".[9]

"Tanks is a very strange beast. We turn a noise-making machine on, kick an amp around and go from there. It's fucking weird."

Gary Lightbody[10]

In May 2009, Lightbody revealed plans of releasing material in an album called Listen Tank. He described the group's sound as "russian submarine music", explaining that the record utilizes a lot more voice than the guitar, the result sounding like a choir performing underwater.[11] Due to the radical differences from typical Snow Patrol, he doesn't expect every fan to like it.[10] Lightbody has taken a year-off from Snow Patrol to work on the project.[12] Lightbody has hinted at the possible inclusion of a few guests on the record, but nothing has been confirmed.[13] The duo will visit Lee's Los Angeles home in January 2010 to finish the album after they finish working on another Lightbody side-project, Tired Pony.[10][14]

References
  1. "Gary Lightbody to go solo". Xfm. 5 May 2009. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  2. "Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody To Go Solo — Twice?". ShockHound. 5 May 2009. Archived from the original on 4 December 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  3. Lightbody, Gary (22 July 2008). "Achtung baby! Hero lodger transformed into low idiot!". Snow Patrol. Archived from the original on 4 December 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2009. Note: Gary Lightbody's official blog on the band website.
  4. "Snow Patrol singer 'to go solo'". BBC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  5. "Wednesday 10 January - Gary from Snow Patrol hosting the show". BBC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  6. "Zane on holiday!". BBC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  7. "Gary Lightbody previews solo material". Hot Press. Retrieved 7 September 2009. Note: Archived page, can be found here.
  8. "Gary Lightbody previews new song". NME. Archived from the original on 4 December 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  9. Lightbody, Gary (13 October 2009). "Book 'em danno". snowpatrol.com. Archived from the original on 14 October 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  10. Earls, John. "Snow Patrol on their future". Planet Sound. Teletext. Archived from the original on 23 November 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
  11. Murray, Robin (5 May 2009). "Gary Lightbody goes solo". Clash Music. Archived from the original on 4 December 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  12. Moodie, Clemmie; Lawler, Danielle (28 October 2009). "Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody wants to become a country and western star". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  13. Morley, Cat (22 June 2007). "Snow Patrol - Frontman Gary Lightbody chats about touring, side projects and hearing his own records too much". The Music Issue (5). ISSN 1758-1281.
  14. "Gary Lightbody works with Peter Buck". Hot Press. 5 January 2010. Archived from the original on 5 January 2010. Retrieved 5 January 2010.

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