ASYLUMS – Broadening The Edges

31st October 2022 Music News

Southend’s finest – ASYLUMS – release their fourth album: ‘Signs of Life’, via Cool Thing Records).

The world has changed, Asylums have changed…but one thing remains valid, making music is still an essential craft and serves as creative medicine for many musicians and listeners alike.

Recorded at the legendary Rockfield Studios (in the same room Queen recorded Bohemian Rhapsody) with genre-bending ‘Manic Street Preachers’ producer Dave Eringa in the driving seat, ‘Signs Of Life’ is a record that evolves the Asylums’ sound once again while still staying true to their musical and lyrical DNA.

Album opener and lead single ‘Scatterbrain’ comes out of the starting blocks like Dr Feelgood and The Jesus & Mary Chain gene-spliced with Richard III era Supergrass, urgent, pseudo sardonic but somehow still fun, it sets the tone for the whole album which was always intended to be life-affirming and joyous after a deeply reflective period.

Not since their much-loved single ‘Joy In A Small Wage’ have Asylums articulated their melodic and melancholic dimension so well – this time adding drummer Henry Tyler’s string arrangements into the mix. On ‘Instant Coffee’ the band entwine the fragile introspection of early Kurt Vile and Cat Power with the late 90’s song smithery of Blur and The Cardigans. The results are uplifting, soul searching and further evidence that Asylums are on top form. Of the record Asylums’ Luke Branch says:

“Making ‘Signs of Life’ was a total labour of love for us, it’s been a rough few years for most people and for us the writing, rehearsing, arranging, recording and the design of this album has just been something positive to escape into, connect us to one another and the outside world and ultimately share creativity. We hope it brings a little joy to anyone who might hear it because it was a joy to make”

Asylums ‘Signs Of Life’ draws inspiration from a spectrum of human emotions and examines how they intersected with technology during the accelerated change of the last few years. As well as dialling their manic rock sound up to 10, this record also draws from the likes of R.E.M., The Magnetic Fields and The Beatles who all arguably made some of their best work during a live hiatus.

Reflecting on how the record came about, producer Dave Eringa says of ‘Signs Of Life’:

“When Luke said he wanted to do an album at Rockfield in 8 days - all played live & to integrate big strings into their sound - it sounded so ridiculous I thought “let’s do this”! Only a band that can really play can do this kind of recording. No clicks, no tricks - all live off the floor, a few judicious overdubs, some amazing string arrangements from musical polymath Henry & a bizarre interruption from Countryfile - it was a pretty intense week and I couldn’t be prouder of them for what they achieved! They’ve really taken themselves to the next level!”

Pre-order ‘Signs Of Life’ HERE

Track Listing for ‘Signs Of Life’:

1. Scatterbrain

2. Understand The Psychology

3. Instant Coffee

4. Signs Of Life

5. Crypto Klepto

6. Erase The Edges

7. If You Can’t Join Them Beat Them

8. Say Goodbye Before You Die

9. Nursery Rhymes Against Humanity

10. Everybody Has A Space To Fill

11. Spat Out The Other Side

12. The Mirror

Summarising his feelings on the new record, Luke Branch concludes: “Musically speaking we tried to broaden the edges slightly on this album, quite frankly we didn't know if we would ever get to play it live so exploring the studio felt apt. We brought in strings, piano, organ and other sounds but still tried to stay true to our artistic values. I personally like to think of this album as our ‘Rubber Soul’ (The Beatles) or maybe even our ‘Out of Time’ (R.E.M.)”

ASYLUMS – IN-STORE SHOWSNOVEMBER2 – Pie & Vinyl, Portsmouth @ 1pm – TICKETS/DETAILS2 – Vinilo, Southampton – TICKETS/DETAILS3 – Vinilo, Bournemouth – TICKETS/DETAILS

* * * *Asylums are:Luke Branch: Vocals / GuitarJazz Miell: GuitarMichael Webster: BassHenry Tyler: Drums / Vocals

Shout out to these talented people…

Press Shot: Alistair Underwood Video: Director – JJ Eringa Cover Illustrations: Iron Brain

ASYLUMS – Broadening The Edges

Southend’s finest – ASYLUMS – release their fourth album: ‘Signs of Life’, via Cool Thing Records).

Pre-order ‘Signs Of Life’ HERE

https://www.facebook.com/asylumsuk

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