Why Pineapple Lumps Are Sobie's Saving Grace

If you hit a creative roadblock and things stop moving the best medicine is a bag of Pineapple Lumps according to Sobie, aka Sophie Botta. "Pascalls' Pineapple Lumps have been our saving grace," insists the drummer turned singer-songwriter. "We take a break, smash some lumps and head back in - usually bringing a new vibe - and things start to flow again.'"

With the power of Pascalls in her corner, Botta has recently completed her debut album The Montreal Winter, "a collection of songs that in someway relate to the eight months I spent living in Montreal in 2014," explains Botta. "I was there studying and each of the songs have a connection with the city or people.

"I often drew on memories from [the trip]. For example, the song The Aftermath Of An Alligator Po'Boy was written about my friends and I going and visiting New Orleans."

The project began there in North America after Botta stepped out from behind the skins. "I was always a drummer who wrote songs and then I moved to Montreal, started playing a bit more guitar and back-up vocals until one day Ben, the guy I gigged a lot with, was like, 'sing one of your songs', and so Sobie began." But the album itself was recorded here in Australia across the "studios and bedrooms" of Sydney. "It all depended on where we could get some space," adds Botta.

All together it's been a two-year process getting the tracks down, but that doesn't mean she doesn't still "vary it up a little bit". Live, Botta likes to "keep things fresh and interesting. I like to add a lot more solos in too! You can never have enough guitar solos!"