Today (26th of February), Aussie band Sheppard have released their incredible third album titled “Kaleidoscope Eyes.” The album is now available to stream on all major streaming platforms!
“Kaleidoscope Eyes” has that summery sound that Sheppard are so iconic for. During these dark times, it doesn’t hurt to have some feel-good music in our lives. This album sees banger after banger and they will all put you in the best of moods. Listeners are treated with sixteen wonderful tracks that will leave you craving for a festival. A live show with Sheppard performing these cheery and upbeat songs would be an absolute dream to anyone who hears it. “Die Young,” “Brand New,” and “Learning To Fly” will give you hope that better times are coming. Tracks such as “Animals” and “Catalina” have a sort of fierceness to them – perfect if you want to feel tough and courageous. The band also show their soft side in “Looking For Love,” “Symphony,” and “Lazy Love” that will want to make you fall in love.
To celebrate the release, the band have dropped their music video for their single “M.I.A.” The new single has a way of crawling straight into your head from the moment you press play and setting up camp. It’s a track that sums up the message of “Kaleidoscope Eyes” perfectly and that is live your life on your own terms. The video is now available to view below;
We had a chat with Amy Sheppard to talk about all things music, industry advice, and what the band have planned for future.
Hey! Thank you for taking some time out to answer our questions.Let’s start by talking about your new album “Kaleidoscope Eyes.” What can you tell us about it? How does it differ from your previous albums?
We feel as though Kaleidoscope eyes is our best work yet. We have learnt a lot about song writing over the years and we’ve tried to make sure that the listener gets a full experience from start to finish. The album has a running theme of love – whether you’re in love or have fallen out of love, the emotions you experience around love are always amplified. We’ve tried to capture some of those emotions in this album.
“Kaleidoscope Eyes” is such a unique name! Can you tell us the story behind it?
Kaleidoscope Eyes is a lyric from the song “Die Young” (Track 1). The lyric is: “In a world that’s colour blind, we see the world through kaleidoscope eyes”. It’s about seeing the world through a creative and positive lens.
What would you say is your favourite track on the album? Do the three of you have different favourites? Why does that track stand out to you the most?
My personal favourite is “Animals”. It’s an anthem about self-love and not conforming to the norms of society. It was so fun to write and the film clip was also my favourite to shoot. Emma’s favourite is “Brand New” – a song about a never-ending honey moon phase. George’s favourite is “Looking For Love”.
What was it like putting the album together? Could you describe your creative process for us?
Last year, we decided to complete and release one song a month. It was a new way of working but having the time constraints meant that we had to work hard and focus intensely on completing the song writing, the music video and all of the marketing. The benefits were that each song from the album could have its “day in the sun”. So often singles are cherry picked and a lot of the album tracks go unheard. We hope our fans have enjoyed all of the music + content.
Of course, with everything going on in the world, things have been a bit different. You haven’t been able to perform for your fans. We’ve all had to be locked away for our own safety. How did you fill your time during these moments? How were you able to keep motivated?
Having to release a song a month had us experiencing our busiest year yet. We locked down and worked on this album. We felt grateful to be able to continue to work throughout the pandemic. That being said, we are really missing touring. We’ve been able to do a couple of shows here and there including our album launch show but of course ticket numbers are capped and there is no dancing allowed. It’s not ideal but we are excited to be able to get up on stage in any capacity.
You have been a band for a good few years now. What would you say has been the best advice you have ever received since you started?
I would say the best advice we’ve received is to BE NICE. It sounds trivial but the music industry can be a small place and we’ve made some important and strong connections with key industry folk just from being down to earth, respectful people.
What would you say has been the worst advice?
To do whatever it takes to get to the top. We strongly believe in presenting good values and helping others along the way.
When the world is back up and running again and you’re able to get back on the road properly to perform, what can fans expect from a live show from you?
We have been crafting our new show in these past couple of weeks. It’s FULL of energy and we’ve also been able to invest in more production to ensure fans are experiencing the best we have to offer. There will be lots of new music from the album but also the fan favourites from previous albums.
What have you missed most about performing?
The whole vibe. The crowds singing our music back to us, the human connection, the excitement.
Finally, aside from the album, can you tell us of any future plans that you may have?
We loved releasing a song a month. It was a great way to keep fans engaged, especially throughout a pandemic. Although I don’t think we will be continuing to release a song a month, I do think that we will be releasing music way more frequently now. Stay tuned!
Be sure to check out “Kaleidoscope Eyes” – you won’t regret it! The band will be doing a livestream show to celebrate the release of their album with their fans at Brisbane’s iconic Fortitude Music Hall in their hometown of Brisbane. It’s bound to be a treat so make sure you go check it out. Dates and times can be found below. For future updates on what Sheppard are up to, you can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
SHEPPARD YOUTUBE PERFORMANCE TIMES:
Los Angeles, United States – Friday 26 Feb @ 7:00 PM (local)
New York, United States – Friday 26 Feb @ 10:00 PM (local) London, England – Saturday 27 Feb @ 3:00 AM (loca)
Brisbane, Australia – Saturday 27th Feb @ 1:00 PM (local)
Manila, Philippines – Saturday 27th Feb @ 10.00 AM (local)
Tokyo, Japan – Saturday 27 Feb @ 12:00 Noon (local)
Brazil, South America – Friday 26 Feb @ 12:00 Midnight (local)
What’s Your favourite track on the album? Let us know over on our Twitter! – @AboutThe_Noise