A bassist for Kate

Stephanie Ashworth could be forgiven for feeling a little nervous. She is, after all, the basist with Melbourne trio Something for Kate, a position that appears to be a little, well, difficult to hold down.

In just three years, SFK have churned through three bassists. First Julian Carroll, who left to get married, then Toby Ralph - “Things didn’t work out,” says Ashworth. And now she holds the poisoned chalice. Ashworth joined the band after crossing from the now-defunct Sandpit 10 months ago.

So what’s goin’ on? Is the band’s lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Paul Dempsey a tad difficult? Does drummer Clint Hyndman throw in too many half-beats and drive bassists barmy?

The answer is a big “nope”. Ashworth says things are just fine, thank you very much, and, with the approaching release of their second album, Beautiful Sharks , the band is happier than ever.

The album is a departure from the simple guitar-bass-drum format of their debut album Elsewhere for Eight Minutes. Beautiful Sharks includes cello, samples, backing vocals and drum machines and was produced by man of the minute Brian Paulson, whose credits include Beck, Superchunk, and Wilco. Ashworth says the new, more sophisticated sound comes from the whole band having contributed to its writing. The first album was mostly written by Dempsey.

“For him, it was very exciting,” Ashworth says, “because the writing of the new album was far more objective. There was an opportunity to bounce ideas around. We are all a bit older now, and have absorbed more music and ideas.”

The album is on the Murmur label, a subsidiary of Sony, and Ashworth says it was a relief to be able to work with the backing of such a huge company.

“I’ve found them very supportive. The stereotype is that you’re not allowed to be creative, but I’ve found that they’ve only ever made light suggestions,” she says. “We are not afraid to use producers to make a good sound. The whole indie rock scene is limited and elitist.”

Since Ashoworth joined SFK, the band has been busy. Learning songs, touring constantly - SFK played almost every music festival in the counrty last year bar the Big Day Out. And writing the new album. The band split to Toronto for a couple of weeks to write it: “We need to get away and concentreate,” she says.

And, if the new album, with its polished sound, is as successful as they hope, Ashworth might be able to hold on to her spot in the band for a tad longer that previous bassists.

‘Electricity’, the first single from ‘Beautiful Sharks’ is out now. SFK play the Prince of Wales on Thursday.