Brothers Connor and Harry Lambrou have fast-earned a reputation as one of Australia’s unmissable new live acts. Their whirlwind performances and hard-hitting songwriting have made for a career already jam-packed with musical milestones. Number one singles, a raft of sold-out shows, support spots with the likes of Tones and I, Larkin Poe, Thirsty Merc, Mental as Anything, The Choirboys, and Australia-wide festival appearances have given the independent brothers a wealth of experience both on and off the stage.
Merging rock, folk, blues, soul, funk, and singer-songwriter, Connor and Harry seamlessly blend genres through their unique use of sounds such as distorted acoustic guitar, raw vocals, and a thumping homemade hybrid drum-kit.
- Make sure the song sounds good without any production before recording. We always play our songs live before recording to make sure they feel good and translate well. They don’t need to be finished, but use the live setting to make sure the song feels like a song before spending time recording and producing.
- Use your ears. Probably the most important production tip we have. Sometimes, you just have to use your ears to achieve the sound you want. Try and actively listen to the song rather than accepting what’s there, there is no substitute for your ears.
- Watch YouTube videos when you’re stuck. Harry has trained in music production, and worked at some prestigious studios, but sometimes, the random YouTube video will help you solve some very specific problems or help you to create the exact sound you’re after!
- When it’s all sounding the same, take a break! When we’re getting close to finishing a song, we will usually hit a point where we’ve listened so many times that it’s hard to tell if the changes you are making are improving or worsening the song. It’s at this point you want to take a couple of days away from the song, then come back with fresh ears. We are always trying to put ourselves in the shoes of the first time listener when working on production.
- Listen to other music. If you’re writing or producing in a specific style, fill your brain with the best music from that genre. Let it swirl around your head, and usually the ideas will flow quite naturally in the producing and recording process.
Lambros’ new single You Won’t Call is out everywhere now.