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British songwriters get deeper, darker on their third album, 'Dusk.'

A few years ago, James Hoare (Mazes) and Jack Cooper (Veronica Falls) teamed up to form a songwriting duo called Ultimate Painting. Their last two records put a northern England spin on ‘60s American stoner pop. Green Lanes had a cloudy day in Laurel Canyon vibe to it — sunny and brisk, like rolling over old terrain with a new vehicle — a natural center for a band founded during an obsession with ‘60s American counter-culture.

For their latest effort, Dusk, the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays influences become more pronounced amid the guitar wash. Deliberately down-tempo and lyrically numb, Dusk is pastoral in an industrial city after work sense. It’s totally Madchester, but it treads on NYC Sonic Youth territory at times.

There’s a comfort in self-aware moodiness, and here, the duo gives us a fuzzy pair of sweatpants to sprawl out in. The single “Song for Brian Jones” emotes apathy at its prettiest, an ode well-crafted in its intent and aesthetic.

Jack Cooper took a break from his collection of old vinyl to tell us how Dusk came about.

Hometown: Blackpool, on the northwest coast of England, about an hour north of Manchester.

Homebase: London

Why are you called Ultimate Painting?

We're named after a piece of art by a collective of people that set up the first commune in America, called Drop City.

Describe your music to someone who's never heard of you.

I'd really try not to, and look awkward.

Did you grow up in a musical household? What were your first aural experiences like?

No, not really. We listened to a lot of music [at home], but I wouldn't describe either of my parents as being record collectors or whatever. [Not] saying that I don't remember not knowing who The Beatles [were] and a lot of music from the ‘50s onward. We constantly had oldies stations on; cassettes in the car and records on at home when my parents had people over... The Kinks, The Zombies, Beach Boys, The Faces, disco, et cetera.

What one thing most influenced the making of Dusk?

I think just a desire to make something cohesive with as much spaces as possible. An economy in the instruments. Stripping back clutter. The name, I think, sums up how the record sounds.

 

Was making music for a living always the end goal for you?

I don't really remember not knowing this is what I wanted to do. 

Name some artists with whom you’d like to collaborate.

I'd really love to have a female voice on our records a lot of time. Hope Sandoval from Mazzy Star or Laetitia from Stereolab.

How might you describe the bands you were in before this one?

My first band was called The Chi — we played a lot of Stone Roses covers and Elastica. My last band, Mazes, started as a solo thing really, but evolved through it's lifetime.

Do you have a day job?

When I'm not on tour, I work part time for a flower/plant store. I make their deliveries and water plants for rich people.

If you were a hashtag, what would you be?

#:(

What’s on your 2016 bucket list before the year ends?

To be honest, I'm really just looking forward to eating a Tofu Po-Boy at Wheatsville in Austin, TX.

What memories stand out about being on Myspace as a musician?

Oh man. So many. I miss when everyone was on Myspace. I guess it's different now, but it really opened up a whole world for smaller bands.

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