Wild Beasts: Creatures of interest

From an early gig in Cork, to their Lady Gaga remix, Wild Beasts have long been one of the most fascinating bands around, writes Ed Power

THESE are strange days for Wild Beasts. The British art-rockers have squeezed the brakes, following 18 months of touring their fourth album, Present Tense. They are thinking ahead to their next LP, but there are still a handful of Present Tense dates outstanding, including a performance at the inaugural Sounds From A Safe Harbour festival in Cork. The band has one figurative foot in the past, one in the future.

“I never like to say we’re ‘winding down’,” says singer Tom Fleming. “It makes it sound like we’re being half-arsed. We are definitely coming to the end of it. This year has been a quiet one for us. There are people who want to hear the songs. Ultimately, we’re concentrating on the next record.”