Music interview '“ Glass Mountain: '˜We were a little bit daunted about starting this second EP'

“We were finding it really tricky to record,” he remembers, “and we were thinking that there was something rather strange about the way we were playing it.” A beat and then he chuckles. “We eventually realised it was in 7/4 time. Trying to keep it on that path required a little more brainpower!”

It’s been two calendar years since the Bradford four-piece put out their debut Glacial, though the release has been ready for a number of months, held back to avoid the Christmas rush and post-January blues until the beginning of February (“You want to let normality set back in,” Sand wisely notes). The band aren’t overly concerned about the wait though; they feel that it has been worth it, given their delight with the end result.

“We were a little bit daunted about starting this second EP,” he recalls, “because we didn’t have enough songs in the bank to justify starting it. We don’t write particularly quickly; we’re not a prolific band because we get bogged down in the details. But the response so far has been brilliant; we’ve sold out our entire limited-edition run just via pre-order alone, so we’re feeling positive.”

The group were announced this week in the initial line-up for the revitalised Long Division Festival in Wakefield, back after a year away, and Sand is excited to be on the bill to follow up their latest release. “When it took a break last year, everybody worried it might come back, so we’re over the moon to be doing it. There’s some brilliant bands there: Cud, who are Leeds indie heroes, Billy Bragg of course, and The Golden Age of TV who we opened for last time we played at the Brudenell Social club. Hopefully there won’t be too many clashes!”

Before then, they have the small matter of their own headline tour. “This run of dates will be the first time we can see how this new music is connecting with people outside of pre-release hype,” Sand observes. “We’re finishing up at the Brudenell; it’s going to be banging!” If they can repeat the success of two years ago, it surely will be too.

Glass Mountain play at Fulford Arms, York on February 9, The Picture House Social, Sheffield on February 17 and Brudenell Social Club, Leeds on February 18. www.glassmountainband.com