The FAIM talk new album, influences and working with producers — exclusive interview

Australian pop-rockers The FAIM have recently released their long-awaited sophomore effort Talk Talk via BMG on July 8.  Since exploding onto the scene in 2018, the band has worked with the likes of Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, Mark Hoppus of blink-182, and Josh Dun of twenty-one pilots to name a few, toured extensively, and released their explosive debut album State of Mind in fall 2019. We caught up with bassist and keyboardist Stephen Beerkens to see what the band has been up to since, the process of writing and recording the new record, and their hopes for the future.

At the time of asking this, you’re about at the end of your current European tour. How has it been overall?

Stephen Beerkens: This UK/EU tour has been an amazing return to live music for us! After being away from touring for two and a half years, it’s been a real privilege to play so many amazing shows for both new faces and those who have supported us for so long throughout this band’s career.

What’s the meaning behind the album’s title Talk Talk?

The album name was originally a lyric from a song that didn’t make the record, but its sentiment of communication was one that reflected the creation of the album as a whole. From the time we started writing the record in early 2020, until its completion in 2022, we were constantly learning and evolving not only in the way we wrote but also in our relationship with music. Learning from ourselves and others with an open mind helped shape this record in so many ways.

There’s a phrase in the music industry: “You’ve had your whole life to make your debut album and a few months to make your second”. What was the process of writing Talk Talk like?

It almost feels like the process of writing Talk Talk was the opposite of this saying! When writing our first album, the process felt very rushed, with time for writing being scheduled in between tours and working on mix notes whilst on the road. However, for this album, we had the luxury of time to work on our writing and production skills, in order to put our very best foot forward when approaching this second record.

Many artists dread the possibility of a “sophomore slump”. Is this something that worries you guys?

We’re constantly trying to better ourselves with our writing and authenticity with each song, and we hope that the sophomore record brings a more honest reflection of who we are as a band. With this in mind, even if there were to be a slump, as long as we’re proud of the music we’re putting out, then that’s more than enough for us!

It’s been about three years since the release of your debut album State Of Mind. How would you describe the growth of the band since then?

We’ve taken much more ownership over the sound of the music we release. This includes producing our own demos and having more of a hand in the core songwriting and sounds on the record.

There’s a noticeable 80’s influence all over the new record. You hear it in the guitar tones and the synths. It also extends outside the music in your videos and the album cover. Were there any major influences in writing and recording the new record?

Our creative influences when writing/recording are just so diverse that it’s hard to pinpoint anything specific! This being said, an 80’s influence is definitely one that is shared between the four of us, as we all grew up with and look up to musicians from that era!

Similar to your first record, you guys worked with multiple producers on Talk Talk, including Zakk Cervini, Erik Ron, and Matthew Pauling. What is that process like it?

Working with these producers was an awesome experience, and we’ve learned a lot from each person! One difference for this record though, is that for the majority of the songs, we had written them before going to the producer to finish them out. For our first record, it was mostly the opposite, where the songs were started in the room with the producer who we were working with!

How did they influence the writing and recording of the record?

As previously mentioned, the majority of the songwriting on the album was done before reaching out to the producers, who then brought the best out of the songs with their own skills and musicianship. Each producer’s style influenced the soundscape and energy of the songs in their own ways.

Is it easier to work with multiple producers as opposed to just one?

Each definitely has their own benefits! By working with multiple producers, you get more perspective and can tackle songs from different angles. However, working with just one producer makes it easier to form a more cohesive sound across a record.

What do you think the most important song on the album is? Or what is your favorite?

One song from the record that I think pushes a boundary from what we’ve done previously is “madly, badly, fixed”. Its structure and sound are definitely a unique flavor on this record!

How much do your live shows factor in when writing music? Do you guys ever find yourselves writing songs that may not work the best in a live setting?

The live show is always something that we have in mind when writing music. Some songs definitely stand out more than others as “live songs” during the writing process but being on the road for these past few months has really shown how important it is for the songs to translate across to the live setting.

I love the artwork. It’s easily my favorite album cover of the year thus far. Who designed it and what was the inspiration behind it?

Our guitarist, Sam [Tye] worked closely with the creative team from BMG to design the cover! He also had a big hand in designing all the single artworks leading up to Talk Talk! The artwork incorporates film photos we took when we first started writing the record back in 2020, and the background was inspired by a newspaper-styled texture.

What does the future look like for The FAIM?

The very direct future involves an Australian tour starting just 1 week from now! We’re then excited to continue working on new music and hopefully be out playing more shows around the world very soon!

Talk Talk is available now via BMG.