The Strypes are pleased to announce their third album – ‘Spitting Image’ – due for release on June 16th on Virgin EMI. The news comes alongside the announcement of a UK headline tour in the summer.
Last week, The Strypes dropped a brand new track online, apparently out of nowhere and with no introduction. The new track, which is called ‘Oh Cruel World’, marked the first new music from the popular Irish 4 piece since their sophomore record ‘Little Victories’ was released back in 2015.
Now they announce their brand new third album – ‘Spitting Image’ – a fabulously diverse record that effortlessly transcends the bands roots in adrenalized R&B, which has been produced by Ethan Johns (Tom Jones, Paul McCartney, The Vaccines, Laura Marling) and son of the legendary Rolling Stones / Beatles studio giant Glyn Johns.
The explosive combo first invaded across the Irish Sea back in 2013, and the release of their brilliant debut album ‘Snapshot’ justifiably electrified the British music scene. The success that has followed has been born of a fabulously unique natural chemistry; they’ve all grown up within a few miles of each other, they’re all the same age and they’ve toured relentlessly together for over 5 years.
And it’s precisely this connection that they’ve striven to capture on ‘Spitting Image’ where the 4 focused lads ensured that things were done their way throughout, and with Johns at the helm, the band have managed to expertly bottle their fizzing onstage chemistry by recording the entire album live.
Every track on the album was rehearsed and recorded with all 4 musicians in the studio playing and singing live, with John’s working to ensure everyone was on the same page before starting. He even occasionally jumped in to play backing guitar himself. Most tracks required only a handful of live takes before everyone was satisfied and it’s this instant rawness and uniquely visceral energy that really defines ‘Spitting Image’ and the band as who they are, as of now.
Much of the albums identity has also come from the two places it was made in – in this instance it was written and rehearsed in the local Town Hall in the bands hometown Cavan, and recorded in legendary Rockfield in Wales. Both environments perfectly suited their self-proclaimed ‘gentle way of life’, and allowed them the space and silence they required.
‘Spitting Image’ will bowl people over with its breadth of styles and keenly observed pop smarts. Whilst The Strypes still pays diligence to the old R&B influencers that they have always loved and been attached too, they are now fully embracing a new found love for New Wave which has had equal, if not more influence on their new songs.
And of course, as with all Strypes records, the new album was built to be played live and therefore hand in hand with the album announcement comes a string of UK headline shows in June. Kicking off in Edinburgh on the 1st, the band will play a series of venues across the country, stopping off for shows at various festivals including Isle Of Wight on the 11thbefore they reach London’s Dingwalls on the 13th. See full dates below.
01/06 The Caves, Edinburgh
02/06 Trades Club, Hebden Bridge
03/06 The Sugarmill, Stoke-on-Trent
04/06 Wychwood Festival, Cheltenham
06/06 The Bullingdon, Oxford
07/06 O2 Academy2, Leicester*
09/06 Arts Club, Liverpool*
11/06 Isle Of Wight Festival, Newport
13/06 Dingwalls, London
14/06 The Globe, Cardiff
29/06 LiVe Venue @ Preston Guild Hall, Preston
30/06 Plug, Sheffield
01/07 Seaton Rocks, Hartlepool
06/07 The Assembly, Leamington Spa
07/07 The Waterfront, Norwich
09/07 TRNSMT Festival, Glasgow
‘Spitting Image’ will be released on Virgin EMI on June 16th. It’s available to pre-order here.
The Strypes
Official Website / Facebook / Twitter / Spotify / iTunes