Ahead of Serpent & Spirit hitting stores worldwide, Joe Nally of Urne stops by Inside Music to discuss his creative process.
When the world shut down, Urne got to work. One of the most exciting bands to emerge from England in recent years, the group was nearly finished with their long-awaited new album when the pandemic changed everything. Facing a lack of touring and an inability to connect in a studio, the band began piecing together the final elements of their record via Skype. It was a new and challenging experience for the trio, but it ultimately proved beneficial. The change of pace allowed for greater consideration and fine-tuning, ensuring that what comes next is precisely what Urne envisioned from the start.
Serpent & Spirit (out June 25) is a compendium of struggles and grounded optimism. It’s a sprawling and aggressive collection of music that channels the frustrations of life into something altogether striking, which co-founder Joe Nally discusses at length during the latest episode of Inside Music.
Subscribe to Inside Music on Spotify!
“I had a bit of a bad patch for a few months,” explains Nally, revealing the inspiration for the album’s lyrics. “I’m absolutely fine now, but I drew on those two months where I just wasn’t feeling great. I took that and wrote a story based about that. The actual track listing is done like that film Memento, where it’s all in a different order. Maybe one day someone will listen to the lyrics and work out which order the story goes in.”
He continues, “The album is called Serpent & Spirit. The spirit is the human experience and the serpent is the evil that tricks your mind. It’s about getting pulled apart and trying to find yourself within all of that. So it’s almost good and evil, and throughout the album it’s about a person getting pulled from the light to the dark.”
Nally’s conversation with Inside Music host James Shotwell covers the album creation process and the life of the band. He shares how a diverse set of influences inspire the group’s unique approach to rock and speaks to the power of big ideas in songs. He also recommends a few up-and-coming acts you won’t want to miss. Check it out:
Inside Music is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.