That is essentially the most completely different Rise In opposition to album ever. Is that one thing Catherine coaxed out of you, or is it what you had been aiming for straight off the bat?
Tim: “It was one thing we needed to occur within the selections that we made earlier than we sat down to essentially do the report. In the event you’re anticipating to make one thing completely different, however you’re utilizing the identical components, then it’s going to be nearly the identical. And so we realised: Rise In opposition to have been a band for 25 years and that is our tenth report, and we’re little bit congealed in our methods. There are solely so many issues that we’re going to change. And considered one of them was the producer. Bringing in a unique set of ears and eyes on our band – particularly somebody who was largely unfamiliar with us – was sort of the purpose. I feel when folks hear this, they may be capable of hear these songs as distinctive to this period of Rise In opposition to. It received’t simply mix with each different Rise In opposition to tune. Going with Catherine was form of admitting to ourselves, ‘That is the Rise In opposition to sound – the 4 of us. No matter we do is gonna actually sound like Rise In opposition to, irrespective of how laborious we attempt to make it not.’ And so we had been in a position to do what we do, however simply seize it in a little bit of a unique approach that I feel folks will hear and go, ‘Oh, this sounds completely different.’ And so I really feel very comfortable about this report, particularly after I hear folks say that it sounds completely different – whether or not they prefer it or not. That’s cool; meaning we did one thing proper.”
Did this being the tenth album put any additional stress on you, like, ‘Oh my god, we’re into double figures now!’
Tim: “You realize, it wasn’t a lot stress, it was virtually like permission. It was like, ‘Okay, you made it; you made 10 information and you are able to do regardless of the fuck you need to.’ We’ve at all times performed regardless of the fuck we need to do, however there was one thing about this one was much more so. There are 9 different Rise In opposition to information on the market – there’s one thing for everyone. You get to decide on which considered one of your favorite report is, which period is your favorite. And so it’s virtually much less stress. It was like, ‘Okay, let’s see what the tenth one is.’ We’ve already ticked a variety of packing containers and given folks a little bit of every thing, and so we felt like we had license to attempt something. I don’t actually take note of what number of years we’ve been round or what the anniversaries are – I by no means knew the variety of information that we had been on. However one thing about 10 was like, ‘Oh, that’s loopy.’ It was like we had been free and clear.”
Zach: “A lot of what we do is touring and taking part in dwell reveals, that if you concentrate on it in that perspective, it’s like, until you play a three-and-a-half hour present, which you by no means would, you’re there for at a competition, 45 minutes to an hour, and also you’re a headliner for an hour-and-a-half. We’re so lucky that we’ve followers that need to hear a lot of our physique of labor that you just would possibly solely get two or three of the brand new songs anyway. So we felt like we might make a report that’s a little bit of a swing for the fences as a result of we’re not gonna be taking part in the entire thing.”
Had been there moments, Zach, the place you had been actually impressed by what Tim was bringing in?
Zach: “I feel the very first thing Tim introduced was I Need It All – that was the primary one we truly labored on. That was after we had been sort of making an attempt to see if we labored properly with Catherine. It was within the fall of 2023, we acquired collectively in Los Angeles, and for me it was a very thrilling second as a result of I’d been ready – I’ve needed this. We had been having preliminary talks of, ‘That is the tenth report, that is the time to push.’ I used to be getting excited, as a result of as an artist, you need to push your self and reinvent once you create. It’s like what David Bowie did with each report – he was not treasured, and he was on his personal aircraft. He didn’t care if the followers appreciated it. He was going to reinvent himself. I really feel like there must be a typical floor however as an artist, you do need to try this. So Tim introduced I Need It All, and I might inform the way it was gonna sound as a result of it’s us, but it surely was actually, actually thrilling. After which listening to Catherine’s perspective on it as properly, it was all such an exhilarating expertise for me. I’ve at all times been such a fan of every thing Tim’s performed, after all, after which getting the prospect to form of make it my very own… However actually, the entire expertise and displaying up daily, it was so nice. I’m not saying something about how we’ve performed issues up to now – it’s positively our dwelling and in our household and all that stuff. However you do go, ‘Okay, properly, what’s subsequent?’ We actually tried to step up and reply that on this one. And it feels like us – but it surely feels like us pushing ourselves. Our pals have truly commented on that – I acquired a very considerate textual content from a good friend final night time saying, ‘I can see you guys are pushing yourselves.’ That’s actually superior and gratifying.”
And Tim, are you able to give Zach a shoutout about any moments that blew you away whereas engaged on Ricochet?
Tim: “Zach brings an power that’s very open to making an attempt shit. It’s like in improv comedy, the place the method is saying, ‘Sure, and…?’ It’s like, ‘I’m going to do a bit, we’re going to do it collectively, and your solely reply is sure – you’re not allowed to reject it or say it’s silly.’ Zach brings a, ‘Sure, and…?’ power to the entire thing, which is de facto useful. That power is on each single tune.”