THE DAMNED SHARE TRACK BY TRACK INFO FOR NEW ‘EVIL SPIRITS’ ALBUM
OUT FRIDAY APRIL 13TH ON SEARCH AND DESTROY / SPINEFARM RECORDS
PRE-ORDER ALBUM HERE
ANNOUNCE SELECT NORTHWEST DATES IN JULY AFTER BURGER BOOGALOO
US TOUR THIS FALL (DETAILS FORTHCOMING)
Following a hugely successful UK tour which saw British punk legends The Damned rev up 2018 by playing to thousands of rabid fans, including two back-to-back sold-out London shows, the band returned last month with a double A-side single culled from their forthcoming ‘Evil Spirits’ album, released April 13th via Search And Destroy/Spinefarm Records. The single featured the tracks ‘Look Left’ and ‘Devil In Disguise’,, two songs that perfectly represent the album’s many shifting moods and styles.
Recorded by legendary producer Tony Visconti, ‘Evil Spirits’ is the result of a frantic, high-energy burst of creativity at Atomic Sound studios in Brooklyn in October of 2017, with ‘Black Album’ and ‘Strawberries’-era bassist Paul Gray back in the fold.
Select shows in the Northwest have just been added, following their headline slot at Burger Boogaloo in Oakland July 1st. A US tour will be announced at a later date (details forthcoming).
‘EVIL SPIRITS’- TRACK BY TRACK:
‘Standing On The Edge Of Tomorrow’ (watch video)
Up-to-the-minute garage psychedelia that gallops like Scott Walker’s ‘The Seventh Seal’, amid ominous ‘dies irae’ chorale and mucho post-millennial frustration. Vanian: “An optimistic song even though it is about a dark subject. In a world obsessed by ‘self’, this is a cry for humanity to recognize its humanity, before it’s too late. There is a strong influence of Joe Meek here: ‘Telstar’ was a glorious song about the opportunities of the future. I’d like to think that ‘SOTEOT’ reflects a similar sentiment.”
‘The Devil In Disguise’ (listen)
Another energetic garage-punk monster, replete with Monty Oxy Moron’s era-specific Farfisa organ. Pinch: “People gravitate towards blaming individuals rather than the systems they are part of. Figureheads are only puppets. It’s the puppet masters we should be concerned about. The enemy of our enemy is our friend, apparently.”
‘We’re So Nice’
“Where there’s dispute you’ll find us there…” Sensible’s broadside against Anglo-American imperialist meddling around the world bops along gleefully on a Motown beat amid a deluge of melodic excellence. Sensible: “With all that we know about the Iraq war, and its consequences, does anyone still think we were the ‘heroes’?”
‘Look Left’ (listen)
Sugar coated mind grenade, addressing post-millennial society’s “media-induced coma” Vanian: “The weird thing about Pinch is, he listens to the most obnoxious music a lot of the time – all the real hardcore punk stuff – and he a very loud drummer, too, but then he goes and writes this great big show tune – like a massive ensemble cast coming on to sing at the end of the play!” Pinch: “While everybody’s looking left, what the hell is happening right? Tough subject matter is easier to digest when coated in honey rather than vinegar and the message in this song is so important, I couldn’t risk it being a throw away aggro punk tune that was immediately overlooked. I see it more as a love song to the human race. The future is here, and until you awaken your mind, I’ll wait for you.”
‘Evil Spirits’
Fantastically searching, in the best sense ‘progressive’, rocker, with vague echoes of The Who’s ‘Magic Bus’ and The Rolling Stones’ ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’, and some commensurately exploratory soloing from Sensible. An urgently free-spirited riposte to today’s political stasis. Sensible: “Whoever you vote for, nothing changes. Labour or Tory, two cheeks of same bum.” Vanian: “The Who are never far away from The Damned’s sound. We’ve had some big noses in this band, too. I suppose there are some parallels between us, because they were a high-energy band, too, but then Pete started writing his rock-opera stuff, stretching out, looking for different ways of writing. Queen did the same sort of thing as well – we’re one of those bands whose music can cover different genres of music, within one song.”
‘Shadow Evocation’
Quintessential Vanianism, about espousing the night and finding a better way forward than “chasing ghosts of the past”. Features acrobatic backing vocals from American singer-songwriter Kristeen Young. Vanian: ”Kristeen has a remarkable vocal range reminiscent of Yma Sumac [1950’s Peruvian-American soprano]. Her singing at the end of the song was originally played on a Theramin but once Kristeen sang the part, there was no need for the instrument anymore.”
‘Sonar Deceit’
Another garage-psych belter, propelled by a jaunty His Latest Flame-style bassline. “What makes a fish desert the sea?” ponders the Captain in this hard-hitting critique of whales and dolphins being driven insane by bombardment by deafening sonar.
Sensible: “What could it possibly be that drives whales and dolphins to prostrate themselves on beaches around the world?”
‘Procrastination’
Noel Coward-esque study of creative deferral, with more mid-’60s Farfisa from Mr Oxy Moron. Sensible: “One of Monty’s, this one. A bit of self-analysis here: what could be the reason that this band’s last album was recorded back in 2008? It’s good to be able to laugh at yourself – well, at least I think he’s talking about himself there… Isn’t he? Or is it me? Blimey!”
‘Daily Liar’
Co-written by Sensible (tune) and Vanian (lyric), another anger-fuelled barnstormer, with a Kinksian introductory fanfare, a driving beat, and a stirring melodic ascent. All together now: say “no, no, no…no-no” to media misinformation! Sensible: “For his own selfish reasons, Trump started a discussion about ‘fake news’, but it’s one that some might say has been long overdue. Not a pinch of salt required – you need a whole cellar of the stuff these days.”
‘I Don’t Care’
Punk heedlessness rebooted as a triptych of political disaffection, spanning moody piano balladry, Who-y explosiveness, and nocturnal jazz
Vanian: “This should have been a short song, perhaps only a minute long, written on a rainy afternoon in my study. Demoing the song, I almost forgot that there were two more sections, turning it into a three-part epic in about the same amount of minutes, which seems longer because of the differing moods.”
Evil Spirits is available on digital download via Spotify and i-Tunes, on CD and 180g vinyl available to pre-order HERE
Photos: Dod Morrison
LIVE SHOWS:
EUROPE:
May 17 – Frankfurt – Batschkapp
May 19 – Lausanne – Les Docks
May 20 – Milan – Magnolia
May 22 – Munich – Strom
May 23 – Berlin – SO36
May 19 – Lausanne – Les Docks
May 20 – Milan – Magnolia
May 22 – Munich – Strom
May 23 – Berlin – SO36
May 25 – Hamburg – Fabrik
May 26 – Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle
May 27 – Amsterdam – Melkweg Oude Zaal
May 26 – Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle
May 27 – Amsterdam – Melkweg Oude Zaal
May 29 – Paris – Petit Bain
UK:
June 16 – Birmingham – Genting Arena *
June 17 – Manchester – Arena *
June 19 – Glasgow – The SSE Hydro *
June 20 – London – The SSE Arena, Wembley *
US:
July 1 – Oakland – Burger Boogaloo Festival
July 5 – Vancouver – Commodore Ballroom (on sale 4/6 10am PST)
July 6 – Portland – Crystal Ballroom (on sale 4/6 10am PST)
July 7 – Seattle – Showbox at the Market (on sale 4/6 10am PST)
July 6 – Portland – Crystal Ballroom (on sale 4/6 10am PST)
July 7 – Seattle – Showbox at the Market (on sale 4/6 10am PST)
UK:
August 22 – Southampton – 02 Guildhall
August 23 – Holmfirth – Holmfirth Picture House
August 24 – Warrington – Warrington Parr Hall
August 25 – Belfast – Belsonic Festival (main support to Stiff Little Fingers)
* supporting the Hollywood Vampires
“…hard-charging ethos accented by smooth hi-fi production and a stylistic debt to pop’s pre-rock era.”Stereogum
The Damned have become, if possible, more eccentric and outrageous as they grow older.” – The Independent
“The King’s people have drunk from the Fountain of Youth. This truly is a band at the top of its game. Long Live The Damned”
– Louder Than War
The Damned are:
David Vanian – Vocals
Captain Sensible – Guitar
Monty Oxy Moron – Keyboard
Pinch – Drums
Paul Gray – Bass
Captain Sensible – Guitar
Monty Oxy Moron – Keyboard
Pinch – Drums
Paul Gray – Bass
Keep your mind open.
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