Summer Lovin'

It's a typical final question in an interview: "So, what do you have coming up for the rest of the year?" But Joe Mount's reply is far from standard: "Nothing."
Ahead of the release of his new album, the man best known to music fans as Metronomy had announced that he wouldn't tour it. In the modern climate, that's up there with Wu Tang Clan selling a single copy of their album at auction in the batshit crazy stakes.
"I'm excited about it, and so happy that the label have been up for giving it a try," he grins. "I don't know what effect it will have on anything, but it's a nice thing to do. I've been running around, away from my family, leaving my girlfriend slightly in the shit looking after the children. When I imagine going off touring for 18 months now, I'd probably be crying." To that end, his latest effort - a solo project, rather than the full-band tilts of the recent past - is the exact opposite of a road album, instead revelling in the memories of Joe's last significant stretch without touring commitments - the titular Summer 08. Does he resent the expectation to hit the road with such regularity?
"I do, yeah," he nods. "Ask any band if they like touring, and they'll say yes - but ask them if they're touring too much, and they'll also say yes. At festivals, you bump into friends from other bands and they look miserable. Now, it's important to distinguish that misery from what is still an incredible feeling of playing in front of fans. You can love that, but still really want to go home. I don't want to miss an opportunity to spend time with my two really young children - I think anyone can understand that." Indeed, fatherhood isn't the only major change to occur in the past eight years - something that became clear as Mount launched into the new record, which stands as a sort of companion album to 2008's major breakthrough, Nights Out.
"In one way, it's quite easy to revert," he reports. "None of the songs are absolutely literal, but it's easy to remember how I felt. But eight years later, you can't possibly get in the exact same head space, so you're doing it with this added layer of invention. I was 25, living in London, and was very concerned with the idea of becoming successful. I was bothered about what was going on, what was cool - and, unfortunately, whether or not I was cool! It's fun now - having had some success, having had children, being very happy - to try and fix my head with the same preoccupations I had then."
Along, one presumes, with cringeworthy moments of retrospective realisation? "I remember with bands like Mumford & Sons, people were talking about privileged people doing music, and what makes an authentic musician. My perception of West London was that it was full of rich people, so every time I found out a certain musician was from there I'd think of the BRIT School crowd and all that. But I've since recognised the insanity of that; being angry that someone's parents have worked hard to give them a lovely life! I was hung up on the idea of suffering for your art. Now, I think I'd rather not suffer."
That may go someway to explaining the effervescence of the new LP, a considerably more fun and light-hearted collection than predecessors The English Riviera - titled in tribute to his Devon roots - and 2014's Love Letters. "With my last two albums, I was trying to make masterpieces," Joe explains. "In my head, I was trying to make classic albums - and if you think like that, you can end up making things too heavy. I like the idea of doing something a little more carefree - just like I did with Nights Out. Some fans of that record probably didn't quite understand what came after, so this album is like a gift to them."
And while they say giving is better than receiving, Joe did make time for a little present to himself; a guest slot for a childhood hero, Mix Master Mike. "That's kind of the same deal, where I often thought a featured artist would distract from what Metronomy was all about," he explains. "Whereas this time, I said 'Fuck it!'" The Beastie Boys' turntablist-of-choice scratches his way through 'Old Skool', one of the record's stand-out tracks, but he isn't the only outsider recruited to bolster the 10-track effort. Robyn - a longtime friend of Joe's - also makes an appearance, lending her inimitable tones to 'Hang Me Out To Dry'. From the glam-swagger of 'Miami Logic' to the gloriously off-kilter 'Summer Jam', it's an irresistible collection. Indeed, it's not just a fitting sequel to Nights Out, but a record that hits whole new heights.
"If I listen to Nights Out, and think about how I felt about it at the time, I think I was a lot more stressed out - mainly because I was new to everything," reflects Joe. "I was confident in my potential, and felt I had a place in the world of music, but I also know that nobody likes a smartarse. I didn't want to introduce myself to the world as some overly-confident so-and-so. The difference now is that I have confidence in what makes my music unique. I guess that's something I didn't have then."

Summer 08 is out now.