Music Features

On February 5, Athlete returns to Cambridge for a night of their quirky, up-tempo beats, expressive lyrics and their trademark electronic sound. When Jeremy Sallis caught up with bassplayer Carey Willets, Carey told him that the band is looking forward to their gig here at the Corn Exchange, one of their favourite venues. Carey called it a beautiful place where the crowds are always great, and said that the band really enjoys playing here. 

When the four members of Athlete take the stage this time around, they might seem a bit more worldly—and not just because they’ve been touring throughout Canada, the United States, Spain, Belgium and Germany over the last few months. Songs on the band’s new self-produced album ‘Beyond the Neighbourhood’ draw inspiration from global events that affect the lives of everyone, and from things that occur literally beyond one’s own neighbourhood. 

The guys of Athlete share a laugh.

Carey explains that the record is basically about “things you’ll talk about with your friends at the pub. Everyone’s very aware of what’s going on in the world. We’re in our own community but there’s this wider thing going on, just beyond where you are.” For example, ‘Hurricane’, the first single off the album, considers people’s attitudes toward global warming, while 'Best Not to Think About' was inspired by September 11. 

But fans shouldn't worry that this record is entirely different than Athlete’s earlier records. Although the album’s lyrics are generally not as personal as on the previous two, Carey promises that 'Beyond the Neighbourhood' still retains the basic elements of the others, with the same electronic feel and “twists and turns” in the music, but with a little more guitar. He assures us that “the song-writing still has guts in it.”

When Jeremy first interviewed Athlete a few years ago, they were a band with just one album on the market. But with their constantly-evolving style and their intense drive to create music, they have become a hugely successful band with platinum-selling, Mercury-nominated albums. And they show no sign of stopping any time soon: a dub remix version of the album is already in the works. For more information about Athlete, visit their website at http://www.athlete.mu/.

The show at the Corn Exchange in Cambridge starts at 7.30pm on Tuesday, 5 February.