Russian Futurists' Slam Beard-Rock 'Bummer' Songs

Since Russian Futurists founder Matthew Adam Hart released his internationally acclaimed 2001 debut, 'The Method of Modern Love,' Canada has become a bastion of indie rock social scenes. But on the heels of his first full-length album in five years -- 'The Weight's on the Wheels,' which skillfully mixes emotional prose with danceable beats -- Hart is putting out a call to his compatriots: lighten up!

"You've got all the beard-rock stuff right now in Canada," he gripes. "I get that you're upset, but you don't necessarily have to make yourselves sound that way. A lot of my songs are depressing as hell, but as long as you put it over something buoyant and poppy, it's not necessarily going to sound like you're actually crying when you're singing."

"I'm happy when people can connect with the bummer side of the songs," Hart continues, "but I first want to connect on the lighter side instead of just strumming guitar where it's so obvious and the whole tone of your song is down. There's so many bands that do that -- especially in Canada. If you have something to say, and it's something that's not super positive, you don't have to make the actual musical component sound that way, too. First and foremost, I want listeners to say, 'Hey, that's a catchy song.'"

Watch Russian Futurists Perform 'Register My Firearms? No Way!'
Hart's pop-oriented artistic vision is now being enhanced by Grammy Award-winning producer Michael Brauer, who has previously worked with the likes of Coldplay and John Mayer. It may be a far cry from his early days recording music from the confines of his bedroom, but Hart is capitalizing on his evolution as a musician and songwriter.

"Ever since I did this record with a proper studio and a proper producer, I now think of the songs I do at home as demos, whereas before they were finished songs," says Hart. "I mean, it was great for a lot of years, but now I'm into having people hear what I'm saying. If you put all that time and effort into writing lyrics -- you kill yourself over this -- and no one can hear what the f--- you're saying anyway, [why bother?] You might as well let people hear the work you put in."

The question of Brauer's influence on Russian Futurists has surely come up, but despite what Hart considers an improvement in sound quality, the frontman assures fans that the record is free from any second party agenda.

"Michael said right off the bat, 'I'm not here to change your record, because if I thought it was s---, I wouldn't be working with you,'" Hart says. "It's a harder job as a producer to have someone come and give you a terrible record, and it's your job to fix it."

"I'm sure a lot of people will say one album is better than the other -- people that preferred me doing bedroom stuff all the time," Hart continues. "But then there's other people that have never heard of me that [might become a fan] because 'The Weight's on the Wheels' is a lot easier of a listen.

"I just want to make a good pop record; I never write a record with a mission statement, I just like making pop songs that aren't your average, regular, straight-up song."