Them's The Brakes (Web)

Fresh from the release of their second album, The Beatific Visions, Brighton quartet Brakes took time out to chat to The Skinny about blagging, the Bible and scary porcupines. Rock on.

"After Give Blood (the band's debut), we kind of imagined that would be it, but then Rough Trade came back to us and asked if we'd like to do another record," explains ex-British Sea Power keysman Eamon Hamilton. "Initially we thought "shit yeah!" and then we were like "fuck, we've got no songs!" It wasn't a problem in the end though, although I still feel like we're going to get found out, but everyone seems happy with them so I guess the blag goes on!"

Certainly the Brakes' laid-back approach to composing hasn't hindered their creative ability – the tunes on show here are, if anything, more accomplished than their acclaimed debut in that they brim with vivid honesty and unashamed passion. "The lyrical honesty was definitely intentional – it's a reflection of the past year's news and personal matters." There's also no shying away from some of the bigger issues. "I despise the way people get killed in the name of some concept of God and how this belief prompts some humans to become inhuman – it's incomprehensible to me."

Indeed, Hamilton took to reading the Old Testament in an attempt to understand things further. "It's heavy stuff man, it's basically just a set of lists and stories of God and the Devil battling over people's consciences. It certainly inspired some of my songwriting." Amongst the at-times brutal honesty of the new record (see album closer 'No Return' for a graphic heartbreak) there's also time for a number of obscure references on the new record, none more abstract than the frenetic 'Porcupine or Pineapple'? "They're both spiky, so which one's worse?" After much deliberation and the application of a little common sense from The Skinny, the porcupine's ability to move wins the day.

Planet Brakes seems quite a pleasant place to be on right now, with the Brighton scene, of which they're a major part, booming and the Beatific Visions being welcomed throughout. The band has also just played a support slot at the Academy in Glasgow with one of the world's biggest draws at present – the Killers. So can the Brakes do big audiences? "We just love playing music to people, so the more the merrier. We were thrilled to be supporting the Killers, we really admire their style, not using any backing tracks and all that. It's really impressive."

With their stock rising within the industry and demanding record companies seeking new tunes to order, how will the Brakes cope? "I find songwriting quite a traumatic experience, so having deadlines is good for me – it prevents extending pain!" And so the honesty continues. Them's the Brakes.