LEWIS GALE caught up with Inverness act LACOVA who were recording their debut album at Unity recording studios near Auldearn.
 

Lacova are not your average unsigned band, there is no evidence of an "image", they do not live in the hope that tomorrow is going to be the day that they get "discovered" and they definately won't change what they are doing for anyone. This may seem strange to a lot of people but they are in no way consumed by the need to "make it" instead they want to write, record and play their songs in a way that allows them to enjoy what they are doing and feel comfortable with it. By the band's own admission "we are completely backwards at going forwards" when it comes to chasing that elusive deal which for so many unsigned bands is their core motivation. The music that results from this relaxed approached is very subtle in what makes it good, combining acoustic singer/songwriter sounds to blues rock and the pop sensibility of frontman Andrew Still.
 

Their most recent stint in the studio is the third attempt at producing the first ever Lacova album and marks a continuing relationship with Unity's Alan Harfield. Alan has built up a strong reputation as a great engineer having worked on a number of projects that have gone on to receive substantial national radio and television airtime. He has also worked with an artist releasing a record with Ministry of Sound which reached the Top 10 and saw a number of appearances on Top of the Pops. With this in mind Lacova opted to give themselves a reasonable amount of time with Alan to make the album and a lot of last years demos have been re-recorded to try and encompass the more positive/happy sound that has developed since their last Unity session.
 

On completion of tracking the album the band will take some time away from the studio before returning to add some final string parts and do a final mix. Then they will issue an independent release promoted by the themselves and are quietly confident that they can get people interested in what they have produced. As with recording promtoion will be a very relaxed affair with a number of gigs to try and raise a bit of awareness. Due to the band living so far apart it is difficult to orchestrate a specific tour to promote so it will be a gradual process as with pretty much everything that lacova embark on.
 

The band's relaxed attitude may give people the impression that they just don't care or are lazy, you would be forgiven for thinking the same. In actual fact it is a combination of age/wisdom, realism and having a release from everything else thay they don't want to spoil. These fatcors mean that Lacova are happy with what they have got and see little point in introducing a lot more stress and hard work to TRY and get approval from the industry. Thanks to their jobs they are in the position to record and release their own music with complete control as and when they can. They are adamant that what they are doing is more than a hobby but not a career and if nothing else it will give them "somthing to show the grandkids" when the time comes around. As a worst case scenario thats not that bad.
 

Lacova's as yet untitled album will be released before the close of the year with a number of gigs to coincide. Keep checking www.midasmusic.co.uk for more details.