Currently gearing up for their homecoming tour in Australia, four-piece alternative band The Faim is set to release their sophomore album ‘TALK TALK’ on July 8. The band is made up of Josh Raven on vocals, guitarist Samuel Tye, Linden Marissen on drums and Stephen Beerkens on bass and keyboard. Following their debut album ‘State of Mind,’ ‘TALK TALK’ brings a new element to their honest songwriting.
The Faim got their official start in the summer of 2016 when producer John Feldmann announced an open call on Instagram for unsigned bands with touring experience. Despite having no experience, The Faim wrote to Feldmann, eager to hear what he had to offer.
Invited by Feldmann the band ventured to Los Angeles in 2017 to write songs with the help of Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz, Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 and various other writers.
Their first EP ‘Summer Is a Curse‘ was released in 2018, opening for pop-punk act Sleeping With Sirens shortly after. Following the release of ‘State of Mind,’ The Faim were featured on music blog Live Nation’s “Ones to Watch” which opened doors for the quartet to share the stage with Stand Atlantic.
Embarking on their first headline tour visiting all throughout Europe earlier this year, the Australian four-piece have achieved much more than they bargained for.
‘TALK TALK’ as described by Beerkens, is an extremely personal record.
While Perth, Australia is where he calls home, the headspace there was something he was itching for a change of scenery, as Beerkens found himself exhausted “from writing songs that weren’t likely ever to be used.” Despite usually being an exciting process, there was one point in making the record where Beerkens began doubting his songwriting skills due to constantly being faced with the uncertainty of when he could return to Los Angeles and see his family.
Ready to put writing on pause, he was finally able to return to Los Angeles which is where their most recent single ‘Me Because of You’ was created. The first track ever to be produced by Beerkens and Tye, the single was a true test of the band’s ability to communicate as one was in Los Angeles and Tye remained in Perth. But while the process was proven to be more complicated. They continued showcasing honesty and expressing their emotions through music.
Similar to the rest of the world, the pandemic allowed them the time to reflect and regroup. He hopes the new sounds on the album have a positive reaction from their fanbase, especially since this is the album they’ve had the most involvement in creating from start to finish. While their debut album “State of Mind” was personal, some of the songs began with outside producers and co-writers pushing them along.
“The songs on this album hold a lot of personal weight, so I hope that when people listen they can also find something that’s meaningful to them,” said Beerkens.
The tracks currently out on ‘TALK TALK’ are already connecting with fans, showing just how versatile the Faim can be. The perfect track for a coming-of-age movie ‘ERA’ calls for a goodbye and contemplates moving on from the past and creating a new space for yourself. ‘The Hills’ illustrates the band’s collective appreciation of the Perth hills.
The first single “Ease My Mind” speaks about the suffocation and confusion one might feel from not recognizing the world you live in. While live music felt a lightyear away, “Ease My Mind” had created a sense of the community they’ve spent months performing in front of on their EU/U.K. tour.
“We always want to create a space of inclusiveness for everyone who listens to our music or comes to a show,” said Beerkens. “Music is an amazing thing that can bring people together, so the fact that we can be a part of that is a real privilege.”
TALK TALK will be available on all streaming platforms on July 8.
Listen to State Of Mind and the current singles for TALK TALK below. The Faim can be found on all social media platforms.
