Blue Rose Code - Sam Vance-Law - Elijah James And The Nightmares

Blue Rose Code - Love Is... (feat. Julie Fowlis).

Background - Blue Rose Code, aka acclaimed singer-songwriter Ross Wilson, unveils the first cut from his forthcoming new album, The Water Of Leith (out 27th October on Navigator Records). ‘Love Is…’ - a duet with the multi-award winning folk singer and multi-instrumentalist, Julie Fowlis, talks of ideals and anticipation.

Love will save us,
Love will save us,
They say love will save us all -
So, what you waiting for?

A nomad both geographically and musically, Ross writes from the heart eschewing any specific genre and the twelve new songs on The Water Of Leith, addressing themes of love, loss, travel, home, accepting the past and embracing the future, are painted with colours of folk, jazz, soul and pop; an eclecticism that has become a hallmark of Blue Rose Code and has seen him compared to John Martyn, Van Morrison and Tom Waits.

In the space of a few short years and the release of well-received albums North Ten, The Ballads Of Peckham Rye, and And Lo The Bird Is On The Wing, Blue Rose Code has built a growing reputation as a powerful writer and performer, gaining extensive radio play and the praise of key broadcasters.  Author Ian Rankin is also a fan and has written insightful sleeve notes for the new album. Website here, Facebook here, live dates on Beehive candy's tour news page.

Although the album is not due until October, Blue Rose Code have given us a head start with the fabulous 'Love Is...' featuring Julie Fowlis whose harmonies add character to the song. Musicianship is absolutely delightful, and as a whole this two and a half minute track is a massive teaser for the album.


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Sam Vance-Law - Prettyboy.

Background - ‘Prettyboy’ is the debut single from Sam Vance-Law, available today on Caroline International. Produced by Konstantin Gropper (aka Get Well Soon),  ‘Prettyboy’ is at its core a guitar-driven indie-up-tempo-stomper, though it changes its musical colouring multiple times, effortlessly moving from a string and piano primed introspection into a multi-voiced orchestral crescendo, before finally flowing into a smooth lightness which calls to mind The Smiths and their floating elegance.

‘Prettyboy’ is the first single to be taken from Vance-Law’s debut album ‘Homotopia’ – due In early 2018 - which tells the story of a gay man’s world in the 21st century. Smart, theoretically schooled, and armed with a wide range of feelings, Vance-Law describes the common homo-stereotypes in order to expose them.

Sam Vance-Law’s music could comfortably sit alongside the likes of John Grant, The Magnetic Fields and Father John Misty, it’s also unafraid of nodding to – among other forms – theatre, operetta and orchestral pop. Given Vance-Law’s upbringing, perhaps that’s unsurprising.

Born in Edmonton, Canada to an academic mother and journalist father, Vance-Law moved to Oxford at the age of five, where he soon joined the renowned New College Choir, juggling five services a week with violin lessons. After three unhappy years at one of the UK’s most distinguished boarding schools the family returned to Canada when he was 16. It was here that, especially once he’d begun studying English Literature at university, Vance-Law began to broaden his musical horizons, meeting the likes of Mac DeMarco, Sean Nicholas Savage and Tops’ David Carrier.

“I spent a lot of time with them and others, playing pool, biking around, working a bunch of different jobs, drinking coffees, drunkenly eating pizza at 3am and going to uni,” says Vance-Law. “That might sound laidback, but I was wholly dedicated and focussed on every one of those things.” Facebook here.

The music video for 'Prettyboy' is a joy, however the song on it's own, is exceptionally catchy and vibrant. With the debut album not due until early 2018, perhaps we can look forward to some more single material prior to the release, if not, I reckon the album will be worth the wait.


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Elijah James And The Nightmares - On A Stage (Live From Elevator Studios).

Background - Elijah James And The Nightmares are an eight piece band that burst onto the Liverpool music scene in May 2017, stepping onstage for the first time together in front of a 250 capacity crowd to headline the popular venue, District. In short few months then the band have already created a buzz in the city, played Sound City Festival and in June went in the studio to record a live EP.

Live From Elevator Studios is the band's debut EP and includes four songs from their live setlist. It was recorded with Tom Roach in Elevator Studios (The Coral, Echo And The Bunnymen and The Last Shadow Puppets). The EP showcases the band as they play together, capturing the raw energy, intensity and excitement of their live sound. With the accompaniment of Violin (Emily Claire), Tenor Horn (Rachel Notrahw), Clarinet and Saxophone (James Cudworth) the EP ranges from climactic builds to luscious sweeps, this atop of Elijah’s intricately crafted songs creates a dynamic four track EP.

"In terms of writing these songs, I’ve been taking on more of a storytelling role, creating characters and worlds in which the songs explore opposed to being totally autobiographical. I think the songs we chose to perform for this EP achieves a good balance between the two.’’- Elijah James

Elijah James And The Nightmares are hosting a launch for Live From Elevator Studios EP at Studio2 Parr Street in the bands hometown of Liverpool on Friday September 8th, with support from popular and highly anticipated ‘Horrible Pop’ four piece Shy Billy and alt/rock band The Mono LPs. Website here, Facebook here.

If you like this first taste of the EP, then I can confirm that another song/video is due out this coming Friday. 'On A Stage' is a fabulous song, where the band are full of passion and provide a high quality backdrop for some distinct and commanding vocals.


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Terra Lightfoot - Lomelda - The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer - Castle Black

Terra Lightfoot - Paradise.

Background - The artist’s strengths as a songwriter, vocalist and performer, memorably showcased on her last studio outing, Every Time My Mind Runs Wild, are even more evident here. With New Mistakes, Lightfoot offers up something rare: the kind of genuine document that can only come from a road-tested breed of songwriter and performer. The song premiered today at American Songwriter.

Terra creates soulful rock that has landed her on stages alongside Gordon Lightfoot, Built To Spill, Guided by Voices, + more. Her most recent LP Everytime My Mind Runs Wild was released last year to critical acclaim and has already accumulated hundreds of thousands of streams. This new album sees her focusing her rock, blues, and soul influences into a clear creative vision.

Terra Lightfoot on “Paradise”: For me, “Paradise” is about letting go of perfection in love. It’s not wrestling with the problems and missteps in our relationships but embracing them. I think it's a more realistic way to look at love and it gives me some comfort to know I'm not standing there with rose-coloured glasses on.  “Paradise” actually started out as a different song called “Thunder” that was a huge hit at our shows. On the last day of tracking the record, I had this crazy idea that I wanted to change the words because I wasn’t happy with all of them, so I set up a pillow fort and a guitar in the tracking room, went to work… and ended up with a new verse melody and completely different lyrics. Gus and Werner liked the new verse so much they said, “Okay, now go write a chorus to match that verse” — and “Paradise” was born!

"Paradise" is the lead single from Terra's upcoming LP New Mistakes, out October 13th on Sonic Unyon. Photo credit - Dustin Rabin, Website here, Facebook here.

Our third feature for Terra Lightfoot in less than a year, this time with the new track 'Paradise'. It's a foot stomping rocker where Terra's powerfully melodic vocals, carry enough rock'n'roll edge, to blend seamlessly with the soundtrack.


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Lomelda - From Here.

Background - Lomelda has shared "From Here," the latest from her upcoming album, Thx. She has also been announced for Mirrors Festival taking place on 28th October in London. Venue and stage time TBC.

Hannah Read, who performs under the moniker Lomelda, makes music that is textural and spacious. Her words are suggestive snapshots of loosely knitted observations, depicting quiet moments between friends and lovers and half-remembered celestial occurrences. In her songs, the memory of the past and glimpses of future stretch out on either side of you, and the present is unsteady and always shifting. 

If you were to ask Hannah Read what Lomelda means, you'd probably end up with some kind of non-answer and a new topic. It is a guarded secret reserved for those who really pry. It is a high school attempt at describing something vast and powerful yet uniquely quiet and complex. And it is ever-changing. Lomelda is about memory, intimacy, and the tragedies of distance. As a band, it has appeared in several forms over the years, but always, to Hannah, Lomelda has been about discovering friendship and connection. Close collaborators have become closer friends. And when you see Lomelda, when you hear it, it is apparent that Hannah cares deeply about the connection made with the people on stage, the connection with you. Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

We featured Lomelda back in July stating then that "her vocals are gentle, a little vulnerable perhaps and beautifully melodic, supported by some fresh, intricate and understated music."  'From Here' carries a little more weight or body to the soundtrack, and Hannah Read's vocal delivery trades up accordingly to the increase in energy, doing so without losing any of her fabulously intense charm.


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The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer - Get Ready.

Background - Armed with a sack of harmonicas, a mess of foot percussion and a road-worn Telecaster, Shawn Hall (The Harpoonist) and Matthew Rogers (The Axe Murderer) kick out raw and primal blues while electrifying the genre with a lightning bolt of new life. Hall and Rogers limit their sound to whatever they can play between them, using only their mouths, hands and feet. Hall provides soul-tinged vocals and blues harmonica, while Rogers simultaneously lets rip on guitar and foot percussion.

These days it feels like our world is on the verge of collapse. But it’s with near-end times in the breeze  that we plunge deeper into the pleasures of sex, revelry and entertainment. ‘Apocalipstick’ begins with  the doom-laden warning call of ‘Get Ready’ (to be released as a UK single). Set to a contrastingly  bouncy drumbeat, Shawn Hall alerts us to “Get ready for the hard times / Get ready for the heavy load  / Get ready for the who knows what”. “Ben Rogers [guest vocalist] first sang ‘Get Ready’ to us by the  piano in the basement of my home,” says Hall. “It was instantly familiar to us and embodied this loose  campfire-like group vocal thing, which carried right into the recording sessions. The beauty of this song is the impression of hopefulness it leaves you while layered in a bed of chaos.” With the fate of  the world certainly in question, ‘Apocalipstick’ delves into lustful begging with ‘Pretty Please’,  summons complete heartbreak in ‘Treat Me Kind’, while ‘Nancy’ and ‘Forever Fool’ touch on themes of bullying and revenge. 

Framed by psychedelic landscapes and world-ending jam-outs, The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer ignite the gritty, blues-rock grooves they have been acclaimed for by adding drummer John Raham  (The Be Good Tanyas) and keyboardist Geoff Hilhorst (The Deep Dark Woods) into the melting pot as  well as the golden voices of Dawn Pemberton, Andrina Turenne, Alexa Dirks (Begonia), Ben Rogers,  Khari Wendell McClelland, Erik Nielsen and Ricardo Khayatte. Add equal parts soulful, sweaty vocals  and biting guitar and you have an album perfect for any doomsday date-night. Website here.

Some chunky rhythmic rock vibes, provide just the right musical arrangement for the vocals and soulful harmonies on 'Get Ready'. It's a catchy rocker where energy and passion are there in equal amounts!


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Castle Black - Trapped Under All You Know (EP).

Background - NYC’s female fronted punk-rock/grunge outfit Castle Black  have just released their new EP Trapped Under All You Know. With gritty female vocals backed by powerful but masterfully layered instrumentation, their music demands to be heard. Reminiscent of famous acts such as Sleater-Kinney, The Dead Weather, Hole, Savages, and Bikini Kill, Castle Black brings an infusion of genres and influences to their music, hurtling through social anthems and pure emotion.

The album kicks straight into gear, with the first track “Seeing In Blue” providing a driving anthem, full of lively drums, hooky melodies and demanding lyrics. The track premiered earlier this month via The Big Takeover. The album’s intriguing title, Trapped Under All You Know, comes as a line from the song “Blind Curtain”. “That line/title was decided upon because it best represented the themes of this album and the trajectory of the songs as ordered on the album,” shared vocalist/guitarist Leigh Celent.

Celent described the EP as a cohesive project, which provides a story experience when consumed in its entirety. Despite this purposeful intention, she also invites listeners to take away their own interpretations. “…while I may have written a song from a certain perspective, that doesn’t mean the words can’t be emblematic of other situations. There have been times that I’ve started writing a song about one thing, but by the time it was done, it was about something else, or a different perspective on the initial topic.”

In addition to their talented instrumentals, Castle Black utilizes vocal harmonies heavily throughout. “It’s been a running joke in the band, that if we want to add something outside of the three instruments, just ask Lisa to vocalize it! So, some of her vocal parts end up being these wordless vocals for this very reason and we like how it contributes to the overall vibe.” Website here, Facebook here.

From the first song 'Seeing In Blue' the band set out to ensure the new EP 'Trapped Under All You Know' doesn't disappoint. The mixture of frenetic punk orientated pieces alongside some hook laden grunge keeps the four song collection powerful and pleasing throughout.

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Hoots & Hellmouth - Local Motive - Grant Earl Lavalley - Dave Wesley

Hoots & Hellmouth - The Down Part of Town.

Background - Philadelphia roots rockers Hoots & Hellmouth have released their newest EP, Uneasy Pieces, on The Giving Groove. With Uneasy Pieces, their sixth release, Hoots & Hellmouth edge toward rock and soul with grit and grace. Their signature bluesy Americana sound forms the foundation, layered with fuzzy, reverb-y guitar and warm organ, offering easygoing grooves and upbeat hooks that belie the tension beneath.

Frontman Sean Hoots’ voice cuts with clarity and cracks with vulnerability, soaring over rough-edged arrangements that swell from delicate acoustic guitar articulations to rich, densely textured choruses, driving rhythms always propelling forward. It’s atmospheric, it’s deeply personal, and it invites you to linger.

Uneasy Pieces was recorded at Mt. Slippery studios and mastered by Fred Kevorkian at Kevorkian Mastering. The album is released in limited-edition, hand-numbered black vinyl; MP3 and WAV downloads are available.

Following The Giving Groove’s “artist-friendly, socially conscious” model, Hoots & Hellmouth will donate half of all album proceeds to Pass the Beat, which brings instruments, lessons, and other music education resources to disadvantaged children around the world. Website here, Facebook here.


'The Down Part of Town' is gently melodic, with the vocals almost immediately adding a sense of passion and determination that need to be heard. The band are tight and build the groove slowly into a powerful matching piece. This is top notch roots rock, leaving me in anticipation of whats to follow.

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Local Motive - Grams (Album).

Background - As a followup to their debut 4-song EP, “Superconductors,” this new album captures the electric energy of a Local Motive performance, bursting with lyrical messages, irresistible soulful melodies, and the spirit of old-school rhythm & blues. 

The “Grams” LP is bookended by “Twig” & "Symbiosis" to begin & end on a hopeful note, lyrically & musically, but the album also delves into darker tones, commenting on universal struggles of identity on tracks like “Killer” & “High Life.”

Influences of soul legends are apparent in both the singing of Chilean vocalist, Daniella Rojas & Chicago-native, Mike Vinopal, along with their contemporaries like Alabama Shakes, The Black Keys, & Gary Clark Jr. 

This powerful new record from Local Motive is a fully-realized statement of new songs from the band that flows from start to finish, with loads of hooks that you’ll be whistling to yourself the next morning. Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

The first song on 'Grams' is the vibrant and sprightly 'Twigs'. Duel vocals and harmonies are matched by some zesty musicianship, in what is a soulful, bluesy, rock song. The band just build from the opening number, with a mixture of lyrical themes, sometimes quite deep, always surrounded by top quality musical arrangements and naturally passionate vocals. Overall I am very impressed with the bands ability to bring a fresh & dynamic sound that mixes old school styles with modern techniques and does so to such a high and consistent standard.

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Grant Earl Lavalley - The In-Betweens.

Background - Grant Earl Lavalley is an American singer-songwriter.  Ohio’s misfit son exposed to harsher California desert landscapes delivers on the long lost love letters you waited for at the mailbox all of those years. Hoping for a promise of return, you receive word of yet another lonely voyage.  Are you remembered?

Isolation waters the fertile land stretching out in all directions.  LaValley’s unapologetic crooning calls the banshees back from the frozen wilderness and welcomes them into his modest desert cabin.

A small crew of creative visitors contribute to LaValley’s debut full length, From LaValley Below.  Harmonica, lap-steel, and female vocals move around acoustic guitar, all the while the crestfallen and introspective lyrics roll downstream like gravel under water, catching the light and sweeping the riverbank grasses along with it.  A kindred spirit with contemporary songwriters like Ryley Walker, LaValley also conjures images of a gothic Gene Clark collaborating with a desert-dwelling Bonnie “Prince” Billy---with the blessing of Townes Van Zandt.

LaValley’s songs are infused with communalism and camaraderie.  However, the album’s creation was not without incident.  One day while recording, an unknown neighbor of LaValley’s in the Joshua Tree desert---apparently unnerved by the recording session going on up the hill from their fortified desert home---fired multiple rifle shots into the cabin where LaValley and company were working.  Thankfully no one was injured by the potent incursion, but perhaps the incident cast a shadow on the album’s recording.  Ultimately, From LaValley Below proves that beauty is bulletproof.  We believe that Grant Earl LaValley’s debut full-length illustrates this maxim both literally and figuratively. Soundcloud here.

'Grant Earl Lavalley has put out an enticing lead song with 'The In-Betweens' a refined track where his vocals are deep, rich and delivered with passion. It's the first of nine tracks on the album, which builds in depth and creativity as it progresses.

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Dave Wesley - Laranja Swadhisthana 67_5 - EPv1.

Background - Arctic Dub (Sursumcorda) has announced it will release a new single from Dave Wesley, a veteran experimental dub techno and ambient producer and DJ from Minneapolis, who is now based in Porto, Portugal.

Called “Laranja Swadhisthana 67_5 - EPv1”, this new single is comprised of two tracks, transmitted to us from a beautiful but “lonely ceremony place”. The spectacular single is, in his words, “constructed with the principles of sacred geometry and tuning… using parts of the north and the south… and with the fury.”

Dave Wesley’s music style integrates chill, dub techno, experimental, and ambient genres. His music revolves in the same realm as Michael Brook, Brian Eno, Passion-era Peter Gabriel, Deepchord (a.k.a. Rod Modell), output from Echospace Recordings and Basic Channel. It is also shares similar vibes as the work of Philip Glass, for whom Wesley even remixed 'Why Are We Here?' for the Philip Glass album 'Glass: Glasscuts', released on his own label Orange Mountain Music, in addition to DJing at the NYC release party for this album. 

Known for his adventurous DJ sets, Dave performs regularly in Portugal and Europe. He produces under several different names: Dave Wesley (ambient dub techno), Existente (ambient), Xerography (dark cinematic techno), and The Mayhem Lecture Series (experimental and field recordings). He’s also teamed up with Casey Borchert under the moniker The Push. As an active DJ and performer, he mixes eclectic deep sets and also performs live space ambient guitar with TV Crush, an experimental and an improvisational chill music ensemble.

Using production techniques based on the principles of sacred geometry, Dave’s music is captivating, seamlessly exploring evolving soundscapes, iteration and meditation, and seducing the imagination forward into transcendental realms. Arctic Dub website here, Facebook here.

Those of you who have visited Beehive Candy over a longer period of time might have noticed that high quality ambient music, alongside the occasional dub track have appeared on here when received. 'Laranja Swadhisthana 67_5 - EPv1' combines these genres in a creative and imaginative manner, in fact this is beautifully addictive music. I would even reference Krautrock pioneers Can, from their 'Soon Over Babaluma' era. Fabulous!

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A Shoreline Dream - Bootblacks - The Beautiful Ghosts - The Pains Of Being Pure at Heart

A Shoreline Dream - Room For The Others.

Background - Colorado’s A Shoreline Dream have revealed the video for their single ‘Room For The Others’. This is the fourth track from their ever-evolving new album, with each being released digitally as stand-alone singles, one at a time.

The video features a somewhat distorted and dream-like vision of the current state of self expression. Featuring Denver's live performance duo Scissor Sweethearts, the video is somewhat of a sequel to ASD's 2016 video 'Revolvist', in that it takes both Serana and Siara past their performance element and on the streets. As the sweethearts prepare and leave their domain feeling confident in themselves, we see how the public reacts to even the slightest "out of the ordinary look" in an increasingly more stereotype driven society. 

Featuring layers of the band, dream sequences and textures, the video comes together similarly to the production of the music itself. Hazy, vivid and surreal. "Given the nature of all the amazingly overwhelming things going on these days politically, socially, etc., this track became a personal reflection on it all. Both the good and the bad. The love and the sadness," says Ryan Policky. "I found myself feeling emotions from all sides of the spectrum, and room for the others is just that... a spectrum of emotions. This song goes out to those who may have ever felt just a little bit of place... who just wanted to stand in line with the rest."

While the original wave of shoegazers chose textures and otherworldliness over conventional clarity and 90’s post-rockers opted for progressive and fluid structures rather than traditional form, A Shoreline Dream are the keepers of both of those flames. Delivering a heady cocktail of dream-pop, shoegaze, neo-psychedelia, goth and progressive rock, the new single also brings a gothic undertone set against a pulsing, energetic rhythm and is, on the whole, more in keeping with northern European atmosphere than the warm sidewalks of Denver’s suburbs. A Shoreline Dream is Ryan Policky on vocals, guitar, keys, bass and programming and Erik Jeffries on guitar. Website here, Facebook here.

It's just one day short of a year since we last featured A Shoreline Dream and the new video for the song 'Room For The Others' is very welcome. Musically it's overriding genre is shoegaze, however there are some welcome dream pop influences, that ensure the track has some fine hooks.

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Bootblacks - Hold & Dissolve.

Background - Brooklyn-based Bootblacks have shared the debut single from their forthcoming album. The band's Panther MacDonald explains that the track is about "knowing you have to leave people behind, and how hard that is. And even though letting go is difficult, you can both find the time to remember someone while remembering that it’s not over yet.” 'Fragments' is out 9/14 via Manic Depression Records.

Since the group's founding in 2010, Brooklyn-based Bootblacks have been enthralling audiences with their frenetic live shows from the U.S. to Europe. Their sounds has been described as a balance of contradictions: both pensive and buoyant, referential and modern. Fitting, as the Bootblacks name is derived from novelist William Burroughs' description of the dark underbelly of glitzy New York City.

Vocalist and frontman Panther MacDonald lists an eclectic set of influences: Depeche Mode, New Order, Simple Minds, Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division, Early U2, as well as The Beatles and David Bowie for lyrical inspiration.

With the addition of Barrett Hiatt (The Harrow I Automelodi) in early 2017, fans can expect an even more synth heavy, atmospheric and "bigger-sounding" Bootblacks than before, with the followup to Veins set for release in early fall 2017 on Manic Depression Records, followed by a European tour. Website here, Facebook here.

Post punk with energised synths & some fabulous goth like vocals 'Hold & Dissolve' is a stirring and atmospheric song, the eclectic influences cited above are not without merit.

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The Beautiful Ghosts - Atomic Disco.

Background - Ottawa-based alt trio The Beautiful Ghosts specialize in dreamy blends of indie rock and ambient synth pop, infused with high-energy electronic components. They don’t really appreciate such labels and prefer to be associated with other artists who defy current standards such as Joy Formidable and Metric, among others.

The trio of Butch Gerald, Catherine Sugrue and Alisha Everett formed in the early 00’s. They all either worked or shopped at a popular record store in their hometown of Ottawa. Butch was actively searching for a female to sing his songs and found that Catherine and Alisha had strikingly similar voices with separate and unique traits. Their original project, Tones For Twilight, experimented with their newfound tonal arrangement but it wasn’t until 2012, when they reformed as Beautiful Ghosts, that they began to officially release material. Their new sound, helmed by producer/songwriter Gerald and featuring the haunting vocal blend of Sugrue and Everett, culminated in their forthcoming self-titled album, out August 25th.

The album is a clear statement from a band whose sharp take on synth rock comes from a genuine love of the original format. Gerald’s infatuation with analog gear dates back a few decades, and goes hand in hand with a deep nostalgia which is rooted in ‘actually’ living through the 80’s. “Seeing kids these days try to connect to the simplicity and innocence of past generations is interesting. They’re trying to explore these retro qualities but still seem to be slaves to new mediums.” Butch asserts, citing The Beautiful Ghosts music as an authentic alternative to the hype. “Songwriters tend to identify with what moves them and for me, it often reaches into a very sacred place”. Facebook here.

'Atomic Disco' mixes swirling synths, rhythmic vibes and fabulous vocals and harmonies, this is a catchy alt pop song that also doubles as a mood lifter.


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The Pains Of Being Pure at Heart - My Only.

Background - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart have long set the benchmark for big-hearted, idealistic pop songs. With The Echo of Pleasure, The Pains push beyond their many inspirations and embrace their role as indiepop heroes in their own right. Showcasing the deft songwriting of frontman Kip Berman, The Pains’ fourth album is their most confident and accomplished. After three critically-acclaimed records, 2009’s The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, 2011’s Belong and 2014’s Days of Abandon received praise from The New York Times, Pitchfork, The Guardian and Rolling Stone, they have put together a collection of songs that possess a timeless grandeur, deeper and more satisfying than anything the band has done since their iconic debut.  

From their earliest days of C86-worship to Alternative Nation-sized anthems to a matured, “Simple and Sure” pop refinement, The Echo of Pleasure is what Berman describes as sounding “heavy and hopeful, like love.” It’s an album that reflects the band’s most joyous moments while maintaining Berman’s candid and critical lyricism, free of the self-abasing insecurity of youth. “The album is loving. The music is heavier, more expansive,” he says. “To me, songs about love shouldn’t be thought of as light. Love is big - sometimes it’s emphatic, overwhelming or simple - other times it’s tense, anxious or just exhausting. But at its best, it makes you want to be something better.”

In their decade long career, Berman has stood at the center of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and with a changing lineup, it’s become more apparent. “On [the last album] Days of Abandon, I was on my own. There was no one in the room making decisions with me. It felt strange experiencing that isolation while trying to make sense of it through writing,” Berman admits. “That album was about loss, and I think it conveyed that feeling well –  but I’m glad to move on from that place.” On The Echo of Pleasure, he’s learned to take full agency of something he’s always owned. “With this record, I’ve made peace with the fact I am Pains. It’s always been my band, but I haven’t been super comfortable saying that, partly because I’ve enjoyed working with so many talented friends, and also because the songs I wrote seemed to mean more than anything my actual life could live up to.”

The Echo of Pleasure navigates variability and safety without unraveling. Berman is no stranger to fragility; here, it’s structured with warmth, the kind found after life-altering moments. It’s reflected in the album title, too: “The Echo of Pleasure could be the near-symmetry of love,” he explains. “It’s the reflection back and forth, modulating over time, of two people who are together. It’s not a mirror - but a perpetual answering and asking. When one person is absent, that echo ceases or, as the title track laments, ‘fades into these silent days.’ In that sense, remembering is a kind of echo, each instance slightly less vivid than the one before.”

The record is augmented by guest vocals featuring previous Pains collaborators: Jen Goma on “So True” (A Sunny Day in Glasgow), bass guitar by Jacob Danish Sloan (Dream Diary), and horns by Kelly Pratt (Beirut, David Byrne, St. Vincent). The Pains of Being Pure at Heart live band consists of long-time guitarist Christoph Hochheim (Ablebody, ex-Depreciation Guild), bassist Jacob Danish Sloan, drummer Chris Schackerman (ex-Mercury Girls, ex-Literature) and vocalist/keyboardist Jess Rojas.  The band will tour the UK in late May, returning to New York for Northside Festival in June with more selective dates set to be announced shortly. The Echo of Pleasure arrives later this summer. Website here, Facebook here.

The first of nine tracks on the new album 'The Echo of Pleasure' is 'My Only'. Vibrant and richly layered indie pop manifests itself throughout this hook filled album, the featured track sets the pace, and it's a fabulous ride from there on in.

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