It’s non-stop touring as per usual for Melbourne’s Teeth & Tongue.
The alternative pop solo project of Jess Cornelius has recently returned home after playing a string of dates in the US.
“[The tour] was extensive in the sense that we did travel to a few different places. I mean, I think we did play 16 shows, but you know, some bands play 50 shows,” laughs Jess. ”It was great, but it’s always a little bit hard when you are really doing stuff off your own back and you don’t have a lot of money.”
It was Jess’ first time playing in America, so how did audiences receive the songwriter’s music?
“They were great most of the time; I don't think I ever got booed off stage or anything like that. People were generally excited about it and were really receptive. We made a lot of friends that way, like bands we played with, and the punters and things who came up and spoke to us. It was really worthwhile for that.”
While Teeth & Tongue is considered a collaborative effort, Jess writes the majority of the music.
“I don't think it's going to be perceived as a huge departure,” she says of the new material she wrote while overseas. “When I was writing [them], the songs seemed quite different but that was also because of the way I was playing them.
“I mean, I love playing with the band and I'm really excited about what we're doing at the moment, but there is a real appeal for people when you've got someone standing up there on their own, and they're producing the sound of a band … [with] only one person, and that's what I was trying to achieve.”
Jess has been busy recording since returning to Australia, and local fans will be given a taste of Teeth & Tongue’s new album when they play BIGSOUND.
“I was really just applying for anything because I had this new material that I was really excited about. And because I'm working on a new record as well, we're kind of just letting people know what we're doing, and letting the people in the industry know what we're doing as well.”
Teeth & Tongue play BIGSOUND, which takes place across a range of Fortitude Valley venues, September 12-13.
