Leopardo: "At First, Our Music Was More Psychedelic Pop and the Lyrics Were All About Love. Now, the Music Has Become Stranger, We Love What’s a Bit Wrong, Out of Tune, Weird"

Leopardo, the well-mannered and quirky Swiss group from Fribourg, are back once again with Side A / Side B, an album that invites the world into their jagged and naïve psych-pop and irregular tape experiments that undercuts conventions and create a scanty, but vivid compendium of absurdity, delicacy, and humor, à la The Velvets, Slapp Happy, Desperate Bicycles, and the Performing Ferret Band. While 2021's Malcantone displayed sketches of a group in progress and 2023's full-length was a somewhat "best of" solo recordings from bandleader Romain Savary, Side A / Side B seems to identify a new chapter of the group's knowingly charming perfect unpop with a fully observant long-term trajectory and naïve spirit that makes humanity more believable.

First tell me what you’ve been up to as of late. Have you been listening to or reading anything you’d like to share with readers? 

Romain Savary: De Klok came to play recently and it was a real coup de cœur. Their album is also amazing! I'm listening a lot to JJulius at the moment (he's actually releasing his new album today!). We also recently released an album by Australia's Dom Sensitive (from the band Wireheads) which I definitely recommend, it combines everything I love! We'll also be accompanying our friend Elias (who is one third of our label team, Chrüsimüsi Records, and who directed the video clip to our new single "Île d'Ogoz") on his European tour in May. So that's another album I listen to often as I will have to learn the songs! I've also read two novels by American writer Richard Krawiec (Faith in What? and Paria). It's all very depressing, but he's really good in portraying America's working-class families, racism, addiction…

For readers unfamiliar, tell us about the origins of Leopardo. How has it evolved over the years? Also who’s in the current incarnation of the group? 

It started as a solo recording project in 2016. We then put together a band to play the tracks live. It took us a while to find our sound, which has become clearer since the Malcantone album from '21. At first, our music was more psychedelic pop and the lyrics were all about love. Now, the music has become stranger, we love what's a bit wrong, out of tune, weird... and the lyrics are perhaps a bit more about sociology. My partner told me that boys writing about love is has-been, and I had to admit there are other interesting subjects. The current line-up is the same as the original, apart from Giuliano who has moved to Leipzig and is busy enough with Autobahns. But he still played on most of the tracks on the album. Isumi (Sun Cousto/Maraudeur) has now replaced him on guitar and also adds backing vocals, together with Radiana. Which is also cool for songs like "I Can't Help Falling in Love with Nobody," "Repetition," etc.

Where and when has been the most memorable Leopardo show you've played so far? 

Last year, we played at Ebullition, near Fribourg, where I lived until 2023. It was a special line-up, as Blaise (the drummer) couldn't be there. Giuliano played drums and Izumi guitar. The day before, we played with The Drin in Winterthur and all went well. We had a great party with our friends from Cincinnati. But the next day, at Ebullition, we played last, and that was a shame. The rhythm of most of the songs were too slow, some of us made really huge mistakes, I forgot lyrics, etc. I sincerely apologize to everyone in the audience that night, and please give us a second chance: come and see us another time, I promise it'll be better!

How do you feel looking back on your catalog? Do you still like or relate to your past releases? 

I'm quite okay with our catalog. I'm happy to have some solo demo stuff and band albums. The only record I really hate and would like to remove is Is It An Easy Life? It was the time we were still looking for our sound.

Thanks for sharing with us your new album Side A / Side B. What can you tell me about it and what insight can you share about how and where it was recorded? What were some of the highlights putting it together? 

We recorded it with Benoit Gerard, who has a very nice studio in the mountain. As always, I made some demo of every song before going to the studio. We used some of the stuff I already recorded but we mostly recorded all new with the full band. After the first session in summer '23, we had the first batch of songs for the album but we weren’t happy with it. It felt we needed some new songs. By fall '23, I wrote the songs "Final Landslide," "Repetition," and "Make a Decision" and we organized a second recording session.

How would you compare this new album to previous releases? 

For me, it's the logical follow-up to the Malcantone album.

What's the story behind the cover art? 

The artwork was made by Stefania Carlotti, a friend we met at one of our first shows, long time ago! I've always been a fan of her cowboy sculptures. I thought it fits well to the country vibe of our sound, and asked her if we could use it!

What can you tell me about the opening cut "Repetition"?

This song talks about repeating the same patterns again and again. SIDE A, SIDE B, SIDE A, SIDE B. I guess it happens to to a lot of us, and it's really frustrating. When you realize you did the same mistake again, you feel stupid and promise it's the last one, but it's wrong, it's probably gonna happen again (even with therapy).

Today the label shared with us "Île d'Ogoz." How did this one come about? 

Île d’Ogoz is an island on the Lake of Gruyère, five minutes by car from my parents' house. I first found the melody of the song and wanted a melancholic and nostalgic text. Then I remembered that day some years ago when I was walking near the island, recording memo vocals on the phone as if I was talking to a psychologist or a priest, smoking the last cigarettes I had, lying down on the grass, watching the stars…pathetic time! I lost the keys of my car and had to hitchhike to go back home as it was late in the night. Well, I could have walk too but someone took me quite directly! The video, by my friend Elias Gamma, was shot exactly there. Thanks to my punkiest social co-worker Georges Fotiadis for acting!

What insight can you share about "Be Proud of Me"?

It's just a complaint from someone doing nothing but trying to stay alive. Musically, I'd describe this one as a kind of nonchalant Velvets-influenced blues with an hyperactive childish melodica!

How did "Final Landslide" come about?

I just found this initial riff, very classic, and then tried to sing along, etc. I remember being alone in the practice room, searching for new instruments. I found a trumpet somewhere, and discovered I was almost able to play it. I wanted to make the song weirder and more chaotic than just a '60s-inspired psychedelic pop song. Being a huge fan of Robert Walser, who's from Biel/Bienne, the city where I moved recently, I tried to walk more often, inspired by his stories. I'm talking about a walk around the lake, when I was realizing how calm it was here, compared to what was happening in the world, specifically in Gaza at this time. I was also reading another Swiss writer, C. F. Ramuz, who wrote a novel about a landslide in Derborence, a Swiss mountain in the 19th century. When they heard the noise of the landslide, they thought it was imps playing skittles. I thought about this symbolic metaphor: the final landslide of the whole planet earth. Beautiful!

What do you recall from putting together "Making Decisions"?

Same period as "Final Landslide" and "Repetition." I discovered a plug-in that simulates the tape machine, which I love and use everywhere now. I'm about to sell my tape recorder because of this plug-in! It's so much easier. Sorry for the purists. This song was only recorded at the practice room by myself, and we added some vocals from Radiana and Izumi. Also some synth from Radiana. At the studio, Gerard only cleaned it a little bit to make it more coherent with the rest. It's more an interlude than a song.

Back in October, you released the song "Drunken British Football Fanatic" for Horst Klub’s Against All Odds compilation. What’s the story behind that track? 

It was a stupid song from a long time ago, but we’re very happy to be part of the Horst Klub compilation — this venue is very important for the punk scene since more than ten years now!

Aside from the new album, what are some future plans for Leopardo? 

We recorded two songs in Berlin during our German tour in December. We still have some vocals and overdubs to record, but it could be a cool 7" so we'll see how it turns out. I'm still writing songs for the next album. Having now two female vocalists in the group is opening so many new possibilities! But I'm just running out of time, so I can't really move as fast as I'd like at the moment.

Any advice or last words you'd like to share with our readers?

Thank you for reading, I know there are far more important things today than our Swiss country indie music. I hope it was more fun than reading the current news anyway!

Side A / Side B is out April 4th on Dot Dash Sounds (USA/CA) and Chrüsimüsi Records. (EU/UK)