Over the course of their two albums, Dublin duo We Cut Corners have made their name as purveyors of alt-rock that can be both swoonsome and delicate as well as short, sharp and punchy. The pair unleash their third album 'The Cadences of Others' this Friday, November 4th – so we grabbed drummer Conall O'Breachain for a chinwag ahead of its release.

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What’s the music that you listened to growing up, that you still listen to today?
RADIOHEAD.

When did you first realise that you wanted a career in music?
When we saw Radiohead play 'Paranoid Android' live on Jools Holland in 1997.

In three words, describe the minute before you walk on stage.
Breathe, panic, breathe.

How do you wind down after a gig?
We have a beer and apologise to each for the various mistakes we made during the show.

What’s the one song you wish you’d written or recorded first?
I Get Nervous by Lower Dens - exquisitely simple, fabulously melancholic, gloriously melodic.

What song of yours are you most proud of?
We have a song on the new record called 'Of Whatever'.  It exemplifies much of what we love about the new album. We wanted to write something with a strong melodic arc that would mask a number of interesting underlying harmonic modulations.  It's lyrically dark but melodically hopeful sounding - we enjoy the tension that this evokes.  

What’s your favourite venue to perform in?
Tough question - we love the wild, west coast energy of the Róisín Dubh in Galway.  We love the intimacy of De Barra's in Clonakilty.  We love the hospitality of the Spirit Store in Dundalk.  If pushed though, we'd have to go for the Olympia.  It's such a historic venue in which we've seen some of our favourite shows over the years.  It's a real privilege to get to walk out on that stage.  

Your best and worst gig so far?
Best gig - the first ten minutes of our set at Longitude this year.  We exploded onto the stage with the vivacity and exuberance of a band that hadn't played a gig in six months. Worst gig - the last ten minutes of our set at longitude this year.  We imploded on the stage with the hapless exhaustion of a band that hadn't played a gig in six months. (We hadn't played a gig in six months).

Whose career do you envy, and why?
We have spent years engaging in regular, intense yoga and meditation practice to try to eradicate feelings of resentful longing from our orbit of consciousness.  We probably still envy Glen Hansard though.  He won an Oscar.   

Vinyl or digital downloads?
I'm not dignifying that with a response. Our new album, The Cadences of Others, comes out on vinyl on November 4th.  

Give your thoughts on Spotify in three words.
Better than Tidal.

You can only have three albums on your phone/in your house at any one time - what three would you pick for today?
Fionn Regan - 100 Acres of Sycamore 
Mitski - Puberty 2 
Bon Iver - 22, A Million

Name one piece of music memorabilia that you wish you owned.
The statue of Joe Dolan that's in the main square in Mullingar.

Name one record, one book and one film that everyone should hear / read / see.
Record: The Tallest Man on Earth, Dark Bird is Home.
Book: At Swim Two Birds, Flann O' Brien.
Film: Garage - Lenny Abrahamson and Mark O' Halloran.

Pick the director and lead actor(s) for a biopic about your life.
I wouldn't put a director, an actor or an audience through the tedium of a biopic on my life.

You’re ordering take-away, what do you get?
Saag paneer and vegetable butter masala from Namaste Indian in Dublin 8.

You’ve been given €100,000 to spend, but only 1 hour to spend it. What do you buy?
Tickets to see Mitski perform live. I could go see her 6,666 times.  

Describe your perfect day off.
Writing some jams. Eating saag paneer and vegetable butter masala.

Tell us, in one sentence, why we should listen to your new album.
Because if you don't like it we'll guarantee you all of your money back. (Proof of purchase will be required to redeem your refund.  Spotify subscription will not be accepted as proof of purchase.)
 

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We Cut Corners release 'The Cadences of Others' on Delphi Records on November 4th and play Dublin's Button Factory on November 19th. See www.wecutcorners.net for more tour dates.