The symbolic image of Curse of Lono’s new album People In Cars comes to life in the music video for the swaying soft-rock number “Ursula Andress.” Like watching home movies on a projector screen, a series of hazy characters, bygone stories and past events drift through the laid-back atmosphere of clap-a-long percussion, earwormy guitar melody and Felix Bechtolsheimer’s grainy-yet-soothing voice.
The louche pop “Ursula Andress,” written for his son, imagines the carefree youth he wishes he’d had, sipping margaritas in the back seat of a convertible full of party girls cruising Sunset. It’s the hopeful light at the end of a journey that has often veered into the darkness and with good reason.
People In Cars is the sonic shrine to a year in the life of Felix Bechtolsheimer; a year in which he lost his father, uncle and ex-partner, while also dealing with the gulf that was opening up in the band due to the covid-19 pandemic. Left alone with a swirling mixture of grief, loss, uncertainty and nostalgia, the German-born, London-based musician began to write again.
Sombre and psychotropic themes of drug abuse, death, danger and depression swirl around People In Cars, mixed in with tones of The National, Wilco, Lee Hazelwood, Leonard Cohen and The War On Drugs, all the while staying true to Curse of Lono’s rich new alt-country vapours.
Who are some of your musical influences?
My influences have changed a lot over the years. The Rolling Stones, The Velvet Underground and The Doors have always been mainstays but recently I’ve been listening to some more contemporary artists like Wilco, Yo La Tengo, The National, Khruangbin and stuff like that.
Explain the title of your album.
I love looking at photography books for inspiration. I like the fact that there are no words or melodies. It’s just still images that suggest a story. I fell in love with Mike Mandel’s book People In Cars. It’s a collection of black and white photos captured at an LA intersection in 1970. I love the idea that every car contains a story, a whole narrative, separate from the other cars. The album is a real driving record so I borrowed the title.
Does your album have an overarching theme?
There are a few. I suffered some heavy losses last year including the death of my Dad and an ex partner of over five years, so the theme of time passing is a big one. The other main theme is driving. The album sounds best when you’re on the move, whether it’s a desert road trip, a train ride or a walk in the park. So there’s a lot of that in there as well.
Who would you love to collaborate with? Why?
There are so many but one of the main ones is Bohren & Der Club Of Gore. It’s German doom jazz outfit. Very dark and cinematic. I’d love to put some vocals to their stuff. It might sound rubbish but I’d love to give it a go.
Do you have any songwriting tips you can share?
That’s difficult as I have a very unorthodox writing style. But one thing I did learn on this album is that the best stuff often comes when I’m not trying to create anything. Sometimes I can spend hours, even days trying to make something happen. And then, when I least expected it, a tune will pop out fully formed and ready to tango. Writing is such a strange and elusive process that there are times when you have to really put the work in and other times when you have to let go. The hard bit is knowing which is which.