THE SLEEPING SOULS – have shared “Weathering The Storm”, the latest single to be plucked from their debut album ‘Just Before The World Starts Burning’ (out 24 November 2023 via Xtra Mile Recordings).
The new single follows the recent announcement of the band’s first ever headline UK tour – with shows in Glasgow, Nottingham, Manchester, Bristol, and London all on sale now here.
Striking a deft balance between raw expressionism and reflective introspection, “Weathering The Storm”, finds The Sleeping Souls grappling with the struggles of balancing personal adversities with the perpetual anxieties of the world imploding around us. As the band explain of the new track:
“”Weathering The Storm” is about being caught up in a situation that is completely out of your control. And trying to navigate your way through as best you can. It was written around the time Russia threatened to nuke Ireland and the UK. They had an animation that they showed on Russian TV of it being dropped off the coast of Donegal and obliterating everything — all of this just after I had moved there, of course! The stress of possible nuclear fallout coupled with some personal family struggles at the time helped me imagine an escape to a nearby island where I could survive the fallout.”
“Weathering The Storm” arrives as the fourth track to be taken from The Sleeping Souls’ forthcoming debut album ‘Just Before The World Starts Burning’. Recorded over the last 3 years between Frank Turner’s rehearsal space in Oxford and Badlands studios in Ireland, its 12 varied tracks take their cues from a wild array of influences, from the explorative post/rock sounds of Radiohead or Death Cab For Cutie, to the tempestuous punk thrashings of Plosivs and Hot Snakes, to the introspective alt/folk of the Elliot Smith and Ryan Adams canons. Speaking about making the album, Cahir adds:
“It’s been a very collaborative experience with everyone bringing ideas and throwing them into the mixing pot… Lyrically the album touches on a few different subjects – lost love, frustration, escapism and obsession – but at its core it’s about my relationship with my family. The process of writing and recording this album has been cathartic and helped me survive.”
With its tracklist including anthemic lead single “Liar/Lover”, the highly charged polito-punk follow-up “Caught Up In The Scrape” and explosively antagonistic “Rivals” as well as latest offering “Weathering The Storm”, The Sleeping Souls’ debut album ‘Just Before The World Starts Burning’ will be streaming everywhere on 24 November 2023 (via Xtra Mile Recordings).
To celebrate the album’s release, the band will also be heading out on their own headline tour in January 2024, accompanied by co-headliner Sean McGowan + his full band. The tour will mark The Sleeping Souls’ first live appearances outside of their usual day jobs of touring with Frank Turner. Tickets are on sale now here, and full dates and details can be found below.
THE SLEEPING SOULS UK TOUR 2024
JANUARY
23 GLASGOW King Tuts
24 NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
25 MANCHESTER Band On The Wall
26 BRISTOL Thekla
27 LONDON The Garage
Tickets on sale now here:
Tickets on sale now here:
The Sleeping Souls have toured alongside Frank Turner for over a decade, having previously recorded six studio albums with the punk icon, including 2022 #1 ‘FTHC’. They’ve headlined Wembley Arena, performed at the 2012 London Olympics and played across the world many times over.
The Sleeping Souls comprise Tarrant Anderson (bass), Matt Nasir (piano), Callum Green (drums), Ben Lloyd (guitar). They are joined by fellow road warrior Cahir O’Doherty (Fighting With Wire, Jetplane Landing and currently New Pagans) who has filled in previously for Frank on guitar, as well as Tarrant and Ben at different times. The band has decided now is time to branch out with their own independent project.