Real Estate: Rock Bands Are “The Underdogs” Of Indie Music

Watch: Real Estate – Crime

Despite their measured public image, Real Estate have found ways to counter their own seriousness. Take the uber-meta music video for Atlas cut Crime – you know, the one with the vampire skateboarders and the scene in a Thai restaurant? “That was made by one of our favourite comedians, this guy Tom Scharpling,” Bleeker tells us.

“He directed our video for Easy on [2011’s] Days, and we liked it. So we were just like, ‘Hey, you wanna do another video?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got this crazy idea, it’s gonna be weird.’ It’s his wacky brain-child.”

Now joined by new keyboardist Matt Kallman, formerly of Girls, Real Estate are set to play three Australian east coast headline shows in Australia next February, which will close out touring behind Atlas.

Real Estate have been prominent on the Australian music festival scene over the last few years, but the group have no further Australian appearances on the horizon. “We haven’t had any offers,” Bleeker reveals. “We were hoping to play maybe Meredith or Golden Plains, but we haven’t been asked.”

Instead, after their Australian tour Real Estate will “relax for a bit” before pondering any forthcoming releases. “We don’t really write during tours, we get into an album recording and release cycle,” Bleeker says. “We recorded a lot of songs for Atlas which didn’t get used, so we’ve been thinking about putting together an EP.”

Atlas itself was recorded with more of a live focus than previous Real Estate albums. There were less overdubs and less re-records. The prospect of a live album from Real Estate has always been on the cards too, because the band so often extend and re-shape tracks during their shows.

“I’ve always wanted to do a live album,” Bleeker says. “We record a lot of our shows and a lot of venues have offered to record us…I think if we did one it would be either a compilation of tracks recorded in various places. Or one show, if it’s good enough.”

No matter what Real Estate release next, the band will always retain that acute self-
awareness which has allowed them to map both the novel moments and mundane aspects of their lives. Real Estate have perfected the art of preparing a listening audience to vicariously experience suburban reality, even as the cultural status of both suburbia and guitar-rock have come into question.

It’s a good thing Australia loves an underdog.

Real Estate play a three-date Australian east coast tour in February 2015. Tickets are on sale now – details below.