With non-stop touring since the album, Everything All the Time, was released on March 21, 2006, Band of Horses have barely had a single second off  – and if they have, there’s been something else to organise – with a constantly rotating cast of crew around frontman Ben Bridwell, more often that not when he hasn’t been writing new material he’s been rehearsing with new bandmates.

What’s more, Band of Horses recently shifted locations – while they formed out of the ashes of previous group Carissa’s Weird in Seattle, Washington, and call that capital’s legendary Sub-Pop label home, Bridwell originally hailed from South Carolina, and has recently returned home. “We’ve been getting settled, and enjoying ourselves,” he confirms.

“I’d been there for about ten years,” Ben says of Seattle, “and I’d dropped out of high school in South Carolina and moved West because it’s such a small scene in this area of the country sometimes that I felt like I needed to go out west to pursue my dreams. Now I’m ready to come home and be with my family.”

Not only that, but he’s currently living his dream in Band of Horses – the band’s debut Everything All the Time has been universally hailed as one of the best debut releases in 2006, earning favourable comparisons not just with similar current artists (such as My Morning Jacket) but also with obvious inspirations such as Neil Young and Crazy Horse. It’s been a crazy year for the group – it’s the first time that Bridwell has fronted a band (he was the drummer for Carissa’s Weird), and it’s the first time that he’s exposed himself to the critical process and to the adulation – or lack thereof – from audiences.

“At first it was a total fucking shock, and sometimes it still is a bit bizarre to think about,” he confirms. “I’ve trained my brain not to really think about it. Now I try not to take any criticisms as I feel like I’ve grown so much since the album came out that I’ve grown, and now it’s kind of fun – I realise that the best part of being in a band and getting to be with my friends is to go and have fun. It’s mind-blowing – I can’t believe this has happened to me, a person who never even wrote songs in the first place. The fact that we get to do this is the best thing ever.”

It was after the demise of Carissa’s Weird (where Ben assures he was a ‘pretty bad drummer in a pretty good band’) that he first picked up a guitar, and convinced fellow Carissa survivor and frontman Mat Brooke to join him and help clean everything up. He’s since left the group. In fact, virtually everyone that Bridwell has worked with throughout his time fronting Band of Horses has been different at each occasion.

“We’ve had so many different line-up changes since I started the damn thing,” he outlines. “It was hard for a little while, but it’s also become really fun again and not as stressful as it was. We’re very confident about what we’re doing and feel like we can use anybody and still have fun and play a good show.”

Indeed, for the Australian tour, Band of Horses will be playing in a most unfamiliar line-up – their drummer’s brother-in-law, who has never played with the band, and their guitar tech, who is similarly fresh meat, performing with the band on extra guitar and bass respectively. Meanwhile, the regular bassist will switch to the six-string. “We never know what we’re doing!” Ben states jocularly. “We get it together, we practice real hard, and try to have fun and hope that it’s the best it can be.”

The process of constant rotation of band members no doubt keeps it fresh for Ben as well. “There’s something about it that makes it really fun. It reminds you that you’re with some of your best friends – not because they’re the best goddamn bassist that there might be in Seattle, Washington, but they’re your friend.”

Everything All the Time was produced by noted Seattle producer Phil Ek (Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, The Shins), who gives the songs a huge, widescreen Americana sound. It’s mammoth, and sounds like it’s ready-made for playing at stadiums. When it comes to playing the songs, Ben says that in the initial period they weren’t doing justice to the record, but that the spontaneity that they’ve been able to create has become an integral part of the live performance.

While the touring has been intense, any time between touring and rehearsing has usually found Bridwell hitting the Seattle rehearsal room to write new material. With a strong work ethic, he believes that the material that they will be recording in North Carolina with Phil Ek manning the boards

“It’s my ambition to make the most wonderful record that’s ever been created, of course,” Ben beams. “Not to say it’s going to be, but that’s my attitude for it, but I’m ecstatic to be getting back in the studio.”

Of the sound of what Band of Horses comes up with second time around, he says that he expects it to be a logical follow-up to Everything All the Time. The initial writing period, which came directly after fellow founding member Mat Brooke had left the band, found him writing a lot of melancholy material. “I was kinda worried that there’d just be a lot of sad songs,” he begins, “but since then I’ve written a lot of upbeat ones. Living back where I’m from is having a really good effect on it too, so I think it’s going to be a well-rounded record.”

Band of Horses’ Everything All the Time is out now.

Australian tour dates:

Friday December 8 – Meredith Music Festival, Meredith VIC
Saturday December 9 – Gaelic Club, Sydney NSW
Tuesday December 12 – East Brunswick Club, Melbourne VIC
Wednesday December 13 – The Zoo, Brisbane QLD