Black Grape return with the brand new album ‘Pop Voodoo’, which will be released on UMC (Universal Music) on 4th August 2017. The album showcases the band’s first new material in 20 years and is sure to reinstate them as one of the most influential bands of all time.
They always were a grimily cosmic musical jigsaw, melding rock, hip-hop, acid house, psychedelic pop and reggae with Shaun Ryder’s gutter poetry, delivered in his inimitable shyster’s bark. Album opener and teaser track ‘Everything You Know Is Wrong – Intro’ sees the band launching into a statement of intent in which cultural icon Shaun Ryder takes sharp aim at Donald Trump. The forthcoming album is testament to Ryder’s reigning social and political commentary.
As Irvine Welsh writes in the band’s biography: I’m delighted to report that Black Grape are back on the road, and with new album Pop Voodoo that really does rock the fuck out of the discotheque. Shaun’s word play has never been deployed to such devastating effect, and he scores a bullseye whether he hits the obvious targets (Trump), and the more obscure ones…well, find out for yourself. The world is in a bit of a state right now, and bullshit reigns more than ever, and perversely disguised as candour. We need Manc street sass, intelligence and wit more than ever right now. This album has that in spades.
Ryder’s triumphs, struggles and diversions have been well documented. The usual contract and money hassles, a best-selling account of life in the Mondays, a stunning electropunk album from nowhere in Amateur Night in the Big Top, a serious and informative investigation of UFO’s as an author and broadcaster, a reality TV bon vivant and now, a life as a clean-living family man, which has supplanted his old ways. In 2005 he sang lyrics on the Gorillaz track ‘Dare’ which delivered the band their only No.1 single off their debut album. And of course, there was the reformation of the Happy Mondays in 2012.
Ryder and Kermit have teamed up with producer Youth (Martin Glover) on this album, who has previously worked with the likes of The Verve, U2, Primal Scream, Guns N’ Roses, Pink Floyd and Depeche Mode to name but a few.
Ryder has grown from a wild young tearaway into a British National Treasure. Commenting on the new album, he says, “We had a great time making the album – we wrote, recorded and mixed it within four weeks.” Kermit adds that the album is, “Me and Shaun eyeball to eyeball.”
Widely regarded as one of the most innovative and iconic bands of the last twenty years, Black Grape have had 4 Top 10 singles and their debut album It’s Great When You’re Straight… Yeah shot straight to No.1 in the UK charts upon its release in 1995 and went Platinum. Follow up album Stupid Stupid Stupid went Gold in 1997.
Pop Voodoo is available to pre-order now: https://BlackGrape.lnk.