Melbourne, Australia’s Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever played the main stage on Friday afternoon at Shaky Knees Festival, and then sat down with us for an interview. They are one of those bands that, as Pitchfork put best, “arrives seemingly out of nowhere with a fully realized aesthetic. No tentative baby steps or half-formed experiments for this lot.”
Their sound, according to Fran Keaney, Tom Russo and Joe White was arrived at by a healthy appreciation for the classics, and “the era of jam,” which is evident in the free flowing nature of their live performances. Later on in our interview, when asked the canned question “how did you get your band name?” — a question I usually hate myself for asking but I ask anyways, sort of like talking to strangers about weather — they gave a more memorable response.
“I had been in Cambodia, holed up sick in a hotel during a rolling blackout and I thought the concept of a rolling blackout seemed like a pretty dramatic vibe” says guitarist Tom Russo. “But then there were other bands online called The Rolling Blackouts, and so we added Coastal Fever to heighten the melodrama because we thought it sounded cool.”
Though their name is a mouthful, it captures something about them: they like the big feelings, the soaring emotions, the sonic landscapes. All of that is readily available on a single listen at one of their shows and on their two EPs, and will surely be true again when they release their first full-length LP later this year.
We asked them what to expect from their third album.
“It’s in some ways similar to our other work, in other ways different, we’re hoping to take on with American fans. It seems like that is happening now perhaps,” said Fran Keaney.
It’s easy to forget that a band is still on the rise, still hopeful and hungry when they sound as complete, and as mature as Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever do.
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever’s debut full length, Hope Downs, is due out June 15th via legendary indie label Sub Pop Records.
Their sound, according to Fran Keaney, Tom Russo and Joe White was arrived at by a healthy appreciation for the classics, and “the era of jam,” which is evident in the free flowing nature of their live performances. Later on in our interview, when asked the canned question “how did you get your band name?” — a question I usually hate myself for asking but I ask anyways, sort of like talking to strangers about weather — they gave a more memorable response.
“I had been in Cambodia, holed up sick in a hotel during a rolling blackout and I thought the concept of a rolling blackout seemed like a pretty dramatic vibe” says guitarist Tom Russo. “But then there were other bands online called The Rolling Blackouts, and so we added Coastal Fever to heighten the melodrama because we thought it sounded cool.”
Though their name is a mouthful, it captures something about them: they like the big feelings, the soaring emotions, the sonic landscapes. All of that is readily available on a single listen at one of their shows and on their two EPs, and will surely be true again when they release their first full-length LP later this year.
We asked them what to expect from their third album. 
It’s easy to forget that a band is still on the rise, still hopeful and hungry when they sound as complete, and as mature as Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever do. 
