‘Produced by Stiff’s Dave Robinson and with guests Earl Slick and Terry Edwards, the Carlisle quintet’s second album rocks Dexys-level dynamism: Motown dancers, E Street shuffles, baritone ‘bom boms’, stirring brass and ballads laced with romance and humour’., writes MOJO Magazine.

Absolutely, Fly The Flag is truly an exceptional album, and I share the same sentiment. It exudes a lively and danceable vibe. In fact, it’s the kind of album that gets me grooving and celebrating.

As the band readies itself for the upcoming tour in the Czech Republic during October and November, I have a conversation with Jonny Foster.

How do you decide when a song is finished and ready to be recorded?

This is a good question – the best songs spark excitement and interrupt everything we’re doing. This is a sign to record the song. Musically, however, a song is never really ready to commit to tape. You don’t want to be in a position where you are entirely comfortable with it. The aim is always to have a general roadmap so that when you are in the studio, there’s an atmosphere that allows the magic to happen, to take a detour down the backroads. Something you didn’t expect. Nothing’s worse than somebody in the studio knowing exactly how it should go. That’s too scientific, too mathematical. We want to create music, and there’s never the right time to create. You work with what you’ve got.

How do you balance experimentation with commercial appeal in your music?

We focus on neither. Good music is pretty universal, and as music fanatics, we can settle on any genre the song lends itself to. That’s an organic route. Music becomes unbelievable when the band doesn’t believe in it. So we are happy focusing on our own path and trusting our passions. This is the earnest answer, and I’m afraid our upcoming single might have something different to say. It’s called “Hits a Go Go!”

You can’t control the way people ‘hear’ your music. But if you could make them aware of certain aspects you think set your songs apart, what would they be?

I’d like people to hear the music—the rhythm, the melody, the harmony. Each of us playing against one another, singing straightforward songs about our wants and needs. That’s what we’re here to do, right?

What place do you occupy in the music industry?

There is no music industry. We live in a world of stats where music is the marketing aid to increase streaming figures. When was the last time you heard the ‘industry’/the labels talking about music? They’re all too busy taking holidays and promising the world.

Is this only the beginning, or is the best fun had now the record is done…

Only the beginning – this record marks us all as songwriters, and that’s an exciting prospect. We’ve got a busy run of gigs coming up and look forward to the music taking on new life along the way, inspiring new songs and stories. Anyone who tells you they’ve ‘found their sound’ is a liar. This record is us, fast-paced and laced with a determination to write and always become. We don’t want to land now. As I say, it’s only the beginning.