A quick chat about Tell Us About Your Day Again by SUDS

Jack and Harry from SUDS interviewed by Paul Wade

Congratulations on your new album, we’re so psyched to be putting it out with Nothing Sounds Good. So, I guess the best place to start is to tell me about your day again?

Hello! Thanks very much, can’t believe it’s finally out! We really appreciate you guys covering it, it means a lot. Collectively, our day has been pretty good, thanks! We’re cracking on, heads up, and looking forward to what’s to come. Thanks for asking, and we’d always love to hear about your day!

Our day has been bleak and grey, thanks. The first thing that jumped out at me is that this record feels louder and heavier than previous releases. Was that a conscious decision, or did the songs just warrant that approach?

I think that came from the songs almost speaking for themselves; we never sat down and decided that this was going to be heavier or louder, it just seemed to naturally occur. I think it’s maybe all very synonymous with how we have been feeling! These are the most honest songs we’ve ever written, and I think that’s not only portrayed in the lyrics, but also just generally in the vibe you get from the song.  

One thing that has always struck me when we’ve seen you play is the chemistry and interplay between voices and instruments. It all looks very seamless. What's the process of writing a SUDS song? 

There doesn’t seem to be one specific formula with writing SUDS songs. Sometimes it’s something in the spur of the moment, someone comes up with an idea, and we all excitedly dive in and create this song together. Other times, it’s a longer process. We think things through and work on different parts until it’s exactly where we want it. Usually, it’s Maisie or Jack coming with an idea, and then we all bring it to life together!

To me, ‘Quietly Feeling’ is the most emotional song on the album. It’s such a relatable feeling. I'm not sure if any of you can relate, but there are definitely times when, as a musician, I have to mask feeling ok at shows when I'm really quietly feeling all the feelings. Can you talk a bit about where that song came from?  

It's beautiful to hear that you relate to it and feel that too. I think it’s so common to be "quietly feeling" but putting on a smile on the outside. It comes from exactly those moments where you’re just getting through the day, whether in professional or social settings, sometimes you put your brave face on and get through. But it doesn’t stop you from feeling it all under the surface. We’re all doing it, we all feel it! 

What does 2026 currently have in store for team SUDS?

We are very very excited to head out on our first headline tour in early February, with our incredible friends in Soot Sprite. All we want to do for the rest of the year are things we love - touring and writing music! We want 2026 to be our busiest year, but in all the right ways. Friends out on the road having a good time, can’t beat it! 

What’s the origin of the artwork for the album?

We talked about what the cover was going to be for ages - it went through a ton of iterations. I think we knew we wanted to move away from the visual style of the last releases because this album felt inherently very different. When we rewrote and rerecorded the album, we were really set on it being a photo. I searched different public archives for ages, looking for photos that made sense and whittled it down to like 5? I added the title to all of them, and we talked through all of the options together. The final cover image was the one we collectively agreed felt perfect. The image is from 1963, I believe. There was something really warming about it, and we loved the facial expressions. It kind of juxtaposes the themes on the record. 

As you said, some of the songs on the record were written over a year ago, while others were written a few months before it was released. Did you find that any of the older songs have changed for you during that time?

Everything changed, really. All those early songs were completely reconstructed in the writing sessions pre-recording in the summer. A lot of the structures changed, lots of lyrics changed… It felt like we just knew all of a sudden what we were trying to say and do, so we took that feeling and went through everything. The only song from the early batch that stayed more or less the same the whole way through, was ‘Milk and Honey’. 

To me, this sounds like a cosy winter record so it's out at the right time. What records do you think sound better in winter? 

Oh my god what a question… i think it’s SO subjective but, american football LP1, Weezer Pinkerton… I think Karen Dalton and Bob Dylan sound better in the winter months. It’s usually individual songs that I associate with seasons, not so much whole albums, so this is tricky. 

We always like to shout out the place where bands are from. What are your favourite places / hidden gems in Norwich? And what other bands from there can you recommend? 

None of us are actually from there, we all lived there when we were getting things together though. We all lived further afield now. Favourite spot though was Merchants House and bands from there we love are Dog at the Opera, Flat Venus, Lease on Life, Other Half, Ben Auld, and Pedro Danger.