Emily Haines has a novel way of looking at her band’s myriad side projects.”Metric is a family with no parents,” said the lanky singer-songwriter, who also works solo and contributes to Canadian indie-rock supergroup Broken Social Scene, among others. “We come back energized and we come back looking for trouble.”
That’s clear on Metric’s new album, “Fantasies,” a thick blade of gleaming electro-rock that cuts through most of 2009’s releases as if they were wet tofu. Building on 2005’s “Live It Out,” “Fantasies” offers a more unctuous production aesthetic and the pop hooks to match.
We talked via e-mail with Haines in advance of Metric’s dance-rock party at the Ogden Theatre on Thursday.
Q: Was there a concerted effort to be more accessible on the new record?
A: We don’t really think of things in those terms. I thought “Live It Out” sounded like a straight-up rock record only to discover that the consensus was that it was a really aggressive and heavy sounding album. People need to listen to more punk rock! Similarly (producer) Jimmy (Shaw’s) vision for this album was to highlight my synths and make it sound big and dreamy. Maybe we just hit on a feeling that people want to feel.
Q: How did living in South America inform the songwriting on the new album?
A: Well, I have made a life out of pushing myself into the unknown. I’m not someone who can come out of three years of touring, sit down at the piano and say to myself, “I’m Emily from Metric and I’m going to write a new record now.” I will do anything in my power to keep writing a natural part of living, and I’ve gotten myself into some pretty sketchy situations in the name of music. But I always make it out alive and with a clutch of new songs to present to the band. I went to Buenos Aires alone and came back with so much.
Q: I’ve heard the band has quite a following in parts of South America. What’s your favorite thing about that?
A: The most amazing was headlining a festival in a park in Sao Paulo. Thousands of people were dancing under trees and singing “Dead Disco.” We played at an awards show in Caracas, too, where the red carpet was a green carpet and we were awarded a trophy for being “Best Band.” Not “Best Indie Band” or “Best Band with a Girl in It,” just full-on “Best Band.” Nothing wrong with a little unconditional love!
Q: I know your songs are constantly evolving as you tour. How do the new ones sound live?
A: We often write new sections into existing songs when we play them live. We are only just starting to tour “Fantasies,” so as of now they remain pretty close to the album versions.
Q: As touring veterans, what are the things you look forward to most when visiting cities you’ve played many times before?
A: Going back to revisit the past can be pretty intense. It’s that feeling where everything looks the same but everything has also changed. Because Metric was born out of live music, all over the world there are people who have seen us playing to 20 people and they’ve grown up with us. In many ways we have lived our lives with our audience. A Metric concert is more than a show, it’s a conversation. Between the four of us, we have a lot of hometowns.
John Wenzel: 303-954-1642 or jwenzel@denverpost.com
METRIC.
Dance-rock/indie. Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave., with Sebastien Grainger and Smile Smile. Thursday. 8 p.m. $20-$25. 800-745-3000 or Ticketmaster
