Why Singapore band Cheating Sons took so long to achieve the sound of perfection

SINGAPORE — In March 2012, Singapore quintet Cheating Sons took the somewhat unprecedented step of introducing brand-new songs at the Esplanade Recital Studio at a sold-out event entitled Time Trails. Perhaps taking a cue from that title, the band would spend almost three years to complete and release its eponymous sophomore effort, which features a bulk of the songs performed at Time Trails.

According to band leader Lazarus Wang, Cheating Sons had already begun the recording process before Time Trails came about, and these songs were still in a constant state of evolution. Wang had, in fact, converted a basement into a recording studio, with Los Angeles producer Manny Nieto helming the production.

“We were writing new lines and experimenting with new instruments and techniques on a daily basis,” he said, hinting that the recording could have taken longer. “With our studio available 24/7, it could have taken five or seven years and time still would not have been enough. You sort of have to pry yourself away from the project and ‘abandon’ it almost, because we can never be satisfied with the finished product.”

This perfectionist streak and creative freedom resulted in the recording process lasting as long as it did, with Wang being quite candid on the extent to which the members worked until they were satisfied with the recordings. “We worked until the final flight was booked for Manny and waved the white flag only after months of mixing in Los Angeles, when Manny put his foot down and said, ‘No more.’”

Wang added: “We also mastered the album twice — the first in a very light-handed style that mirrored the original tracking and mixing process; and the second with Dave Cooley in LA and with a very close eye on equalisation, which we finally went with.”

There is little doubt that the band is pleased with the final results. “If we didn’t feel it was worth releasing, we wouldn’t have released it,” said Wang. “Art is about creation and expression. It’s like a vector at a particular point or period, so to us, it has to be expressed in a manner that we feel is genuine and at a level acceptable to the band and its umpire. That took us a bit of time. But it gave us perspective and definitely helped us improve as musicians and songwriters.”

The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. Cheating Sons contains tracks full of melodic sophistication, instrumental virtuosity and textural intensity, with a level of musical perfection comparable to that of the rock masters in the 1960s, a combination of The Beach Boy’s Pet Sounds and The Band’s Music From Big Pink.

Clearly, the strength of the band’s unwavering self-belief is evidenced by the manner in which they have invested time, effort and money into this labour of love. But even more than the pristine sound, the lyrical concepts pushed the envelope further in the context of Singapore music. This time, the band explored and examined the central themes of spirituality, divinity, evil, loss, mortality and redemption, particularly on songs such as The Mercy Of Cain And Abel, To Dance With The Devil and St Jude.

“The best part about being artistes is that our art, our songs, are our canvas and we decide how to shape the canvas,” said Wang. “The Mercy Of Cain And Abel is about the murder of a despicable man and questions the lesser evil. To Dance With The Devil soundtracks the Devil’s seduction of a sick forlorn man — can you blame him if he finds hope? And the Devil is not necessarily the ‘Devil’, head-honcho of the underworld, per se. It could very well personify pride, desire and other traits.”

At the end of the day, even an artiste cannot create art in a vacuum. When posed with a question about who Wang considered to be the band’s target audience when recording the album, he seemed at a loss for an answer.

“No, no, there was no audience in mind when making the record, but in an ideal world, we would like to think the album would offer something to everyone,” he said. “The prose to a literary mind, the arrangement to a musician, the melody to an open-minded consumer and the album to a record lover.”

Wang added: “The press has been kind to the band and it feels absolutely wonderful that local music is getting airplay on local radio. The band is run independently, so the ball is in our court to get it out to as many blogs, independent radio stations and music lovers as we can. Also, we will be looking to tour — it is always wonderful to entertain new audiences in new countries face to face.” Kevin Mathews

Cheating Sons is launching the vinyl edition of its new album today at SingJazz Club. Tickets at S$20 available from https://www.eventbrite.sg/e/cheating-sons-vinyl-launch-tickets-17482707248 or S$25 at the door.