Real Estate: ‘Our awareness of the world we’re in has changed’

Real Estate are on edge. Yes, the US rock band who formed in Ridgewood, New Jersey, more than a decade ago and have become synonymous with a laidback sound built on languid guitar melodies, muted percussion, and frontman Martin Courtney’s airy vocals. But the conversation we’re currently having – arranged to promote their lustrous new album, The Main Thing – is a difficult one, because it’s about their ex-bandmate Matt Mondanile, whom they parted ways with in 2016 and haven’t really spoken about at length before.

“It was a complex, maddening, terrible situation,” Courtney says.

“Even now I’m hesitant to talk about him so much,” bassist Alex Bleeker says. There’s a pint in front of him but for now it remains untouched. “Because weirdly that gives him – I don’t know, some kind of power almost.”