Band of the Week: The Candle Thieves

"We try to do lighthearted stuff on the surface ... the darker things in life on the inside but looking at them in an optimistic way," says Scott McEwan, singer and one half of Peterborough duo the Candle Thieves. "There are enough bad things going on in the world without us adding to them. We're trying to do it with a bit of style."

The Candle Thieves are very much a band of two halves, a musical dichotomy that does well to tackle life's most downbeat topics while sugaring the pill with the confectionery of sweet, almost childlike indie-pop.

"It's all serious stuff but we're trying to do it with a smile on our face," adds McEwan and as he's co-author of upcoming single, 'We're All Gonna Die (Have Fun),' it's hard to disagree with him.

"People focus on the sadness of people dying instead of realizing that we only get one life. With our stuff, there's a real tendency that people just listen to it and go, 'Oh, that's just twee indie-pop' and sort of turn it off but there's a lot of darker stuff going on inside it. There's a whole lot of really horrible things happening in real life and we try to create a different world for people where they can all temporarily escape to."

Watch the Candle Thieves' 'We're All Gonna Die (Have Fun)' Video


Yet despite their serious lyrical concerns, the Candle Thieves are anything but morbid. Their pursuit of fun has lead them to book a tour a 13-date of fans' living rooms, kitchens and, in one instance, a boat.

"We got inspired by Willy Mason and we politely ripped the idea off him," laughs McEwan but the real motivation is the deep affection they hold for their fans

"Last year we played people's gardens and there are some fans of ours that have been into us since day one and we wanted to go and play their houses before we get really busy," explains Scott.

"It's so cool as well because you get treated really well and everybody wants to be there and you get fed and a place to sleep; it's great and such a nice atmosphere. I guess that the next step would be a 'Invade Your Personal Space' tour!"

But before any of that happens, the Candle Thieves will be sharing a bill with the Low Anthem at a church as part of this year's South by South West festival in Texas.

"That's going to be really, really special. We love America so much and can't wait to get out there," he says.

This year is set to be a busy year for the Candle Thieves. Alongside the relentless live schedule, their new single -- the aforementioned 'We're All Gonna Die (Have Fun)' -- is released at the end of March with an album set to follow. So what are the band's hopes and aspirations for this year?

"I hope that the record can mean something to people in the way that my favourite bands mean something to me," McEwan says.