Six months after the release of the critically acclaimed album ‘COMMON GROUND‘, Big Big Train are pleased to announce a new album ‘WELCOME TO THE PLANET’, due out on January 28th, 2022 on their own label, English Electric Recordings.
The band have recorded a video announcing the new album, which you can watch here:
Big Big Train founder Gregory Spawton explains the short time between albums: “The experience of the pandemic has shown us that we need to make the best use of our time on Earth. With that in mind and with new band members on board giving us a fresh head of steam, we decided on a speedy return to the studio to write and record Welcome To The Planet.”
As with ‘COMMON GROUND’, ‘WELCOME TO THE PLANET’ sees Big Big Train retain their progressive roots but also take influence from all spheres of music. The album’s opener ‘Made From Sunshine’, co-written by guitarist Dave Foster and singer David Longdon, has guitar lines redolent of Johnny Marr and vocal harmonies reminiscent of the Finn Brothers/Crowded House, with violinist Clare Lindley sharing lead vocals with Longdon.
Elsewhere on the album, keyboard player Carly Bryant gets her first Big Big Train writing credit and lead vocal on the captivating title track. The two recent singles ‘The Connection Plan’ and ‘Lanterna’ are included along with a winter themed song ‘Proper Jack Froster’, a bittersweet tale of childhood. The album is completed by the delicate acoustic ‘Capitoline Venus’, the beautiful ‘Oak And Stone’ and a pair of dazzling instrumentals, ‘A Room With No Ceiling’ and ‘Bats In The Belfry’, written by guitarist/keyboardist Rikard Sjöblom and drummer Nick D’Virgilio respectively.
For their March 2022 UK tour, which will be their most extensive to date and which will culminate with a show at the prestigious London Palladium, David Longdon (lead vocals, flute), Nick D’Virgilio (drums, vocals), Rikard Sjöblom (guitars, keyboards, vocals), Greg Spawton (bass), Carly Bryant (keyboards, guitars, vocals), Dave Foster (guitars) and Clare Lindley (violin, vocals) will be joined by a five piece brass ensemble. In addition to two further UK shows in September, the band expects to announce North American and continental European tour dates shortly.
New studio album • Limited edition SDE-exclusive CD with bonus tracks • Signed CDs • Limited coloured vinyl. First album in 17 years • SDE exclusive CD
arly in 2022, Tears For Fears will release The Tipping Point, their first studio album in over 17 years. Furthermore, SDE is pleased to announce that, in collaboration with the band and their record label (Concord Music), we are taking pre-orders (via the SDE shop) for a unique global exclusive deluxe CD edition which features three bonus songs. This will not be available anywhere else (including in Japan and America!).
Seven years in the making, and well into their fifth decade as collaborators and friends, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith have defied the odds, seen off the doubters, jumped around between record labels, changed management, naval-gazed, almost split up again, ditched the first version of the new album and have come back with a superb 10-track record that embraces the strengths of each band member and most importantly sounds like Tears For Fears!
SDE has heard the whole album and can confirm that The Tipping Point is full of brilliant pop songs that traverse darkness and light and at times chart both personal and global crises. The title track is the first single and you can preview this below.
Roland Orzabal says, “Before everything went so right with this album, everything first had to go wrong, it took years, but something happens when we put our heads together. We’ve got this balance, this push-me-pull-you thing – and it works really well.” Curt Smith agrees, “If that balance doesn’t work on a Tears For Fears album, the whole thing just doesn’t work. To put it in simple terms, a Tears For Fears record and what people perceive to be the sound of Tears For Fears – is the stuff we can both agree on.”
The band had initially started writing the new record with some of today’s hit songwriters (2017’s ‘I Love You But I’m Lost’ was co-written with Bastille’s Dan Smith and Mark Crew) which was an idea suggested by Tears For Fears previous management and what Roland and Curt pithily refer to as “speed dating”. This did not work out. Orzabal explains that “Eventually, that pressure and tension divided us not just from our management, but from one another too”.
But Tears For Fears regrouped and changed their management. The new team subsequently raved about the five songs Roland and Curt could agree on and with new purpose and inspiration they completed the album, which is largely produced by Orzabal, Smith and Charlton Pettus, although producers and songwriters Sacha Skarbek and Florian Reutter contribute to a few songs.
Album highlights include the disarming opener ‘No Small Thing’ which takes the listener on a journey from campfire acoustics to full on TFF widescreen production; the pure pop of ‘Break The Man’; the irresistible stomper that is ‘My Demons’, the plaintive and soulful ‘Rivers of Mercy’ and the rueful ‘End of Nights’. The album closes with ‘Stay’, one of the tracks first included on the Rule The World greatest hits in 2017 (there’s no sign of ‘I Love You But I’m Lost’, the other new song on that compilation).
The Tipping Point Green Vinyl LP
Side A
No Small Thing
The Tipping Point
Long, Long, Long Time
Break The Man
My Demons
Side B
Rivers of Mercy
Please Be Happy
Master Plan
End Of Night
Stay
The standard 10-track version of The Tipping Point is available on CD, black vinyl LP and limited indie green vinyl. The retail deluxe CD features one bonus song, the Target (USA) and Japanese editions will have two bonus songs but only the SDE deluxe CD offers all three bonus songs on one physical package! Viva la CD!
The Tipping Point Green SDE-exclusive CD
No Small Thing
Tipping Point
Long, Long, Long Time
Break The Man
My Demons
Rivers of Mercy
Please Be Happy
Master Plan
End of Night
Stay
Bonus Tracks
Let It All Evolve
Secret Location
The Shame
Additionally, the SDE deluxe CD offers enhanced packaging (8-panel digi-sleeve) and a 32-page booklet (the standard has 24 pages) which exclusively features a new interview with Roland and Curt by SDE editor Paul Sinclair.
Be aware that the SDE deluxe CD is a limited edition. There are just 2,000 units available for the UK and the Rest of the World and this is a one-time pressing. Once they are gone, that’s it!
Amazon in the UK are also offering signed CDs, although note that these are the standard 10-track edition.
The Tipping Point will be released on 25 February 2022, via Concord Music.
Well, after what seems like an age we finally have some positive Galahad news to share in the form of the rather beautiful LP release of our 1998 ‘Following Ghosts’ album in no less than THREE colors!…..
“Following on from the release of the very expansive ‘Following Ghosts’ 3CD set last year we are now very pleased to announce that, finally after being delayed somewhat by recent world events and in conjunction with our friends at Oskar Production in Poland, the album will be released as a rather lovely double gatefold vinyl LP for the first time ever.
The version on the LP will be Karl Groom’s 2019 mix which was painstakingly put together from the digitized original two-inch 24 track tapes which date back to 1997. This mix has freshened up the original tracks breathing new life into this twenty-four-year-old album.
The ‘Following Ghosts’ LP is available in several versions including a standard black vinyl version, a limited edition gold version (200 copies only), and a very limited orange and red splatter disc version of which only 100 copies have been pressed.
Each LP also contains a CD of ‘Alternative Ghosts’ which contains recently recorded alternative versions of every track from the original album.
We hope to commence shipping albums during the first week of October.
The Following Ghosts LP (in all available colors) can also be ordered from the Polish partner ‘Independent Music Market’ official website: independentmusicmarket.com
We are obviously very happy to ship worldwide but our overseas friends need to be aware that because of global increases in postage and carriage costs in the last couple of years or so the carriage costs are higher than we had hoped but you can rest assured that we will only charge the actual cost of postage and packing (in some cases slightly less!) and not mark it up anyway.”
Tracklisting: Side One 1. Myopia (4.53) 2. Imago (5.56) 3. A Short Reflection on Two Past Lives – Part One (3.52) 4. Karma for One (6.05)
Side Two 5. Perfection Personified (4.50) 6. Bug Eye (13.54)
Side Three 7. A Short Reflection on Two Past Lives – Part Two (6.01) 8. Ocean Blue (7.12) 9. Rejuvenation (2.13) 10. Easier Said Than Done (4.29)
Side Four 11. Shine: (14.14) i. Like A Bolt Out of the Blue ii. The Pain She Feels Inside
11th August 2021: Tony Kaye today releases Flight 11 as the first track from his forthcoming debut solo album End Of Innocence on Spirit Of Unicorn Music (distributed via Cherry Red Records). Listen to the track here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWFP4U46NkU The former YES keyboard legend was moved to commit his thoughts and feelings to a heartfelt personal musical interpretation following the terrible events of 9/11. End Of Innocence is a requiem for those who lost their lives and all those touched by those horrific events, a powerful and emotional suite, both beautiful and sinister, reflecting the dark forces at work that day. The drama of that fateful day began when terrorists seized control of American Airlines’ Flight 11 from Boston to LA. This track reflects the struggles on board, portrayed by Jay Schellen’s (CIRCA, YES) dynamic drum solo and the plaintive calls made to the tower by flight attendants Amy Sweeney and Betty Ong, before the plane was flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Centre. Kaye’s response to 9/11 was to retrieve his keyboards, stored away in his garage for 5 years having retired from the music business, and begin to interpret his feelings in the only way he knew, through his music. “I’ve been friends with Jay Schellen from YES for a long time,” said Tony Kaye, “and reconnected on the 50th anniversary in 2018 when I came back into the band for a little while. So, I asked him to help on this track depicting the scene inside the planes. I wanted a drum solo – Jay’s just the guy to do that – and it includes the conversations stewardesses had with the tower. It was an emotional track and Jay did great drums on it. “I lost friends,” Kaye adds. “I knew a lady who was on one of the planes. It made it personal, knowing that she was on the plane.” End Of Innocence is released in CD Format on 10th September 2021 via Spirit Of Unicorn Music (distributed through Cherry Red Records) to mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11. End Of Innocence Track Listing: 1. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star/Twilight Time2. 911 Overture3. NYC Blues4. Battle Cry5. 285 Fulton Street6. Let’s Roll7. Tug of War8. Flight 119. Towers Fall10. Sweetest Dreams11. Aftermath12. Heroes13. The Battle14. Hope and Triumph15. Homecoming16. Ground Zero Produced by Tony Kaye All tracks composed by Tony Kaye except Sweetest Dreams by Dani Torchia. Pre-order the album here: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/tony-kaye-end-of-innocence/ Tony Kaye, Spirit of Unicorn Music and Cherry Red Records are donating 10% of all profits from End of Innocence to https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/ The charity supports veterans, defenders and first responders in times of hardship.
About Tony Kaye Tony Kaye is best known as the original keyboard player with prog legends YES, his Hammond organ giving their ground breaking The YES Album it’s most distinctive sound within the YES catalogue. Following his departure from YES in 1971 Kaye was involved with a number of other bands including David Bowie, Badger and Badfinger before returning to YES for their greatest commercial success 90125 in 1983. Kaye remained with YES for several albums and tours before retiring from the music business in 1996. Following the re-awakening of his musical inspiration in 2001, Kaye accepted an invitation from current YES bassist Billy Sherwood to work on projects which led to the formation of CIRCA, in 2007, and has yielded four albums to date. Tony Kaye – END OF INNOCENCEReleased on 10th SeptemberPre-order the album here: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/tony-kaye-end-of-innocence/Formats: Standard CD Jewel case
Music legend and XTC co-frontman Colin Mouldingis back with new music, this time as a solo artist, presenting his new single‘The Hardest Battle’, which will be released as a CD single in 4-panel digisleeve via Burning Shed on July 2.
Containing two songs – ‘The Hardest Battle’, ‘Say It (original version)’, and an exploratory demo of the title track, The Hardest Battle represents XTC founding member Colin Moulding‘s first-ever fully solo release.
This release offers a tantalizing glimpse into the creative process of one of the UK’s finest songwriters, showcasing Colin’s English pop vision with XTC’s trademark qualities of melody, rhythm, variety, and idiosyncratic subject matter, mixed in with nostalgia and a degree of pensiveness.
Following two releases withoriginal XTC drummer Terry Chambers under the TC&I moniker – the ‘Great Aspirations’ EP and the album ‘Naked Flames: Live at Swindon Arts Centre’, ‘The Hardest Battle’ is the first new material from Moulding in many years.
“To be nobody but yourself – in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you like everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle any human being can fight”… I saw these lines in a book I picked up in a secondhand bookshop and thought…maybe there’s a song there …I think it’s by the poet EE Cummins,” says Colin Moulding.
“And there it was. All I had to do was come up with some music to marry to this notion. I do think most people aren’t themselves really, or become themselves eventually. And that struggle isn’t easy. I recorded this pretty much in isolation as most people have been this past year or so. One crazy year for all of us. Perhaps ‘The Hardest Battle’ we humans have faced externally, as well as the one we fight internally everyday,”
Founded in 1972, XTC only had their first UK charting single in 1979. Moulding wrote the first three charting singles (‘Life Begins at the Hop’, ‘Making Plans for Nigel’ and ‘Generals and Majors’). Moulding continued with frontman Andy Partridge through the group’s dissolution in 2006. In 1984, they also, along with XTC bandmate Dave Gregory and Ian Gregory, formed The Dukes of Stratosphear, anticipating and celebrated by retro-minded movements such as the Paisley Underground.
“About ‘Say It’, I just felt this track deserved a better fate than it got really. I wrote it for the XTC album that never was . But it ended up on a promo disk amongst XTC’s ‘Last Days of Rome’ This version feels much more akin to my original song mindset compared to the expedient I agreed to at the time,” says Colin Moulding.
Regarding ‘The Hardest Battle (First Exploratory Demo)’, Moulding adds, “I think demos are much more of a demonstration to ones self than for other people. You have to find out what works and what doesn’t. Therefore, you shoot from the hip and just fire it out, and see what sticks. Larkin always said that he didn’t know what his poems were about initially until he got some way into them ;- that’s what this is;- I’m just ‘Larkin’ around until it presents itself. Then the crossword puzzle can begin.”
TRACK LIST 1. The Hardest Battle 2. Say It (Original Version) 3. The Hardest Battle (First Exploratory Demo)
CREDITS Produced by Colin Moulding and Stuart Rowe Mixed by Stuart Rowe All instrumentation by Colin Moulding except on ‘Say It’, where Jon Buckett plays piano All songs written by Colin Moulding Mastered by Jason Mitchell at Loud Mastering Manufactured by Noisebox Digital Media Artwork by Andrew Swainson from a concept by Colin Moulding Recorded within the Sound of Christ Church Bells Released by Burning Shed. Cat No: CMCD001
We often start naive and green and either blossom into something remarkable, or we fizzle out – resigning to the life that we feared all along; the one we’ve been resisting – an uncertain path, a repetitive/menial existence, and the promise of a life without limitations. How far are you willing to go to either abandon or protect the way of life that you’ve been leading?”
These words paint the scene for the first act of alternative progressive rock quartet Head with Wings’ next chapter.
Amidst sweeping changes felt on a global scale, aspirations were put on hold, radiant futures dimmed, lives ended prematurely, and dreams were left to rot on the vine. For so many, the struggle was a silent one – a daily war waged alone.
On their forthcoming EP, “Comfort In Illusion,” Head with Wings draws the listener into the isolated, agonizing, and momentarily euphoric struggle for self-actualization amidst the stifling frame of an increasingly unfamiliar world.
The collective’s first output since 2018’s critically-acclaimed debut, “From Worry to Shame,” presents a concise summation of the group’s collective growth as artists and individuals. “Comfort in Illusion” dives deeper into the quartet’s textural and emotive sound exploration with a timely personal narrative of self-discovery and the anxiety of change.
Says lead vocalist Josh Corum, “‘The Comfort in Illusion’ EP has a two-fold meaning, but we realize that it’s subject to the listener’s interpretation and we fully embrace that. To the band, it operates in a binary fashion narratively; connecting to the protagonist of our debut album From Worry to Shame (2018), while also paving the way for an alternatively surreal story, that is told in tandem with a specific point in the protagonist’s timeline on the debut (parallel to the songs “From Worry to Shame” and “Beyond the Wall”). Admittedly, this wasn’t my initial intention, but intuitively I wound up here some years down the line after these songs were initially conceived. The music on this EP isn’t motivically or thematically linked to the debut, but rather, connected through narrative/thematic concepts and visual interpretations through our music videos.”
“Of Uncertainty’s” hypnotic sway and surreal acoustic and electric voice-painting opens the three-movement suite in arresting fashion. A fitting bridge from the world of old to that of the new, the single embodies everything in seven crisp minutes that make Head with Wings a singular presence in a rock landscape that has been all too content to echo the hallmarks of yesteryear.
Andrew Testa’s inspired and mature drum performance radiates intention; giving the song an addicting sense of weightless movement, while Brandon Cousino and Mike Short’s soulful and dexterous lead guitars shade and illuminate the scene around the striking vocal character of Joshua Corum. These qualities are further enhanced by the single’s immersive visual accompaniment provided by Black Soil’s talented animation crew.
Cathartic and soothing, “Contemplating the Loop” exercises the group’s fluid command of abstract rhythm, leaving the listener to feel, rather than think their way through its floating, ever-shifting pulse. Anchored by Steve Hill’s silky bass runs, the song sets the constant ebb and flow of self-doubt and willful determination to sound.
Finally, the tumultuous, mathy voyage of “In a House Without Clocks” brings the concise three-track journey to a poignant coda. Bittersweet and overflowing with yearning, Corum leaves the listener with the parting questions: “Would you consider a life without a path … or would you fear it would all just fall apart—the plan that never started, the waters left uncharted?”
The odyssey feels both hopeful and grave—reckoning with an ever-fleeting sense of a gratifying future drifting further away each day, and the uncertainty of correcting course. The dark side of pursuing one’s dreams and the toll time takes on ambitions that were once so vivid are laid bare. Swelling into heart-searing vocal peaks and commanding streaks of expressive lead guitar, “In a House …” sets the tone for a pivotal moment of change, with Corum rising to the occasion as one of the eminent voices in modern alternative music.
The delicate beauty and lushness of “Comfort in Illusion” was carefully captured by Greg Thomas (END, Misery Signals) and Chris Teti (The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die) at Silver Bullet Studios. Thomas’ spacious, engrossing mix is heightened by Kris Crummett of Interlace Audio’s adept mastering – delivering a shimmering, modern sound that listeners will discover in new ways with each pass.
The themes of conviction and change, etched into the fibers of these songs, are also reflected in the band, whose own internal makeup shifted in a similarly bittersweet way. Capturing what amounts to founding drummer Andrew Testa’s most stylistically-definitive performance, the EP also serves as a fitting send off for a member who was integral to crafting the core architecture of the band’s sound. His legacy will be continued and expanded upon through the deft percussion skill of Head with Wings’ resident multi-instrumentalist, Mike Short, who shifts from his co-lead guitar role on the recording of the new songs to drums going forward.
We can never again return exactly to where we have been, and the same can be said of the distinctive lineup of performers in their designated roles on this special output—a moment in time faithfully preserved.
“Comfort in Illusion” features a unique release format, with each song being followed by a cinematic companion piece delivered by the remarkably talented Vikram Shankar. The prolific composer, who was heralded for his expressive piano interpretations of songs on “From Worry to Shame,” expands his contributions to the Head with Wings collective with fully reimagined arrangements of each movement of the forthcoming EP. These remixes transform each track’s mood into a palpable visual scene listeners can explore in their own personal way.
June 25th marks the launch of the Bandcamp pre-order for the “Comfort in Illusion” digipak CD/standard digital edition, along with the pre-order for the digital expanded edition, which contains the Vikram Shankar remixes and instrumental mixes. As of today, all three songs from this EP are represented by animated music videos on the band’s YouTube channel. All formats of “Comfort in Illusion” will be available on July 16th.
Says Josh, “Truthfully, each of our songs has its own message and baggage, but globally, I think the band would be in agreement that we want people to push themselves to lead a life that is self-fulfilling and not one that was either chosen for them, expected or assumed. We want people to find themselves in this world and then double down on who they are. Part of being an artist is giving yourself to the unknown and unabashedly believing in yourself, sometimes to the point of delusion. It doesn’t matter what you do, but that you love doing it. Have no regrets about believing in yourself. This band travels through darkness to find empowerment and we want people to feel that too.”
All of the music/lyrics on this EP were written before the pandemic/quarantine. However, the band was dwelling on concepts of isolation and withdrawal on “From Worry to Shame,” where coincidentally, the protagonist withdraws from society for one year and then begins his reemergence as a “new man.” This EP occurs during his year of isolation.
The band is currently in pre-production for the next album, which will be the finale to the saga that was started on their debut. There’s talk about shooting a music video with Ingwar Dovgoteles (The Black Soil) in Ukraine for the next one and that is certainly exciting. Says Josh, “We’re looking to shoot more live action music videos, as we’ve really gone down the rabbit hole with animated videos. Regarding gigs, we’re taking stock of the venues and festivals that are re-emerging, as society crawls out of the clutches of the pandemic. Though we’ve been rehearsing, we haven’t played a show since our 2019 tour in Germany (where we played Euroblast Festival). We’ll be announcing new shows for late summer/fall on our Facebook page as they get confirmed. There is one festival on the books for us on May 20-22, 2022 which is Festival Terra Incognita in Quebec City.” Head With Wings is scheduled to perform at Space Ballroom in Hamden, CT opening for Moon Tooth on August 5th.
“Comfort in Illusion” was recorded at Silver Bullet Studios (Burlington, CT) between December 2019 and March 2020. The EP was tracked, edited, mixed and produced by Greg Thomas with additional tracking and mixing by Chris Teti. Mastered by Kris Crummett at Interlace Audio (Portland Oregon) in Fall 2020. All songs were written and performed by Head with Wings. Releasing July 16th.
“Comfort in Illusion” Track Order:
1) Of Uncertainty (7:00) 2) Contemplating the Loop (4:52) 3) In a House Without Clocks (6:02)
Run time: 17:54
Art Direction & Layout – Darcy Kelly-Laviolette // darcykellyl.myportfolio.com Album Design Concept – Joshua Corum & Darcy Kelly-Laviolette
On this EP, Head with Wings is: Andrew Testa – Drums Brandon Cousino – Guitars Steve Hill – Bass Mike Short – Guitars Joshua Corum – Lyrics, Lead & Backing Vocals
“From the moment the picked guitars of opener ‘Goodbye Sky’ make their sun-kissed presence felt, it’s clear this is an album boasting an embarrassment of riches on the melody front.” – Planet Rock Magazine
“There are more than enough points of melancholic majesty to make this well worth a listen.” – PROG Magazine
“There’s a passion in the vocal delivery that matches the subject matter.” – Powerplay Magazine
“Although at times melancholic and stark with lyrics to match, Head With Wings have put out a winner with ‘From Worry To Shame.’ I also commend the band for tackling some societal issues that many bands wouldn’t touch. A thought provoking and rewarding listen, both lyrically and musically. Recommended.” – Sea of Tranquility
“The music is delicate and flows organically from the deep lyrics and obvious passion that the band has for both art and humanity.” – The Prog Mind
“With this delicate subject, Head with Wings achieved a masterful debut album of maturity and emotion. This album is proof that the prog does not have to be outrageously technical to succeed in touching.” – Koid’9 Magazine Rock & Progressif
“It is an incredibly intense album, both lyrically and especially musically, so much so that at times it feels there is a weight, a physical pressure, being delivered. It is all part of the presence and forethought which has gone into it. Overall this is a wonderful debut, and I for one am certainly looking forward to the next one with great interest.” – Kev Rowland, Progressor
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
