| The Wedding Present – Valentina (2012) |
The Wedding Present - Valentina (This Will Be Our Summer)
Location: Leeds, England, United Kingdom
Release Date: Mar 20, 2012
Record Label: This Will Be Our Summer Records
Tracklist:
01.) You're Dead
02.) You Jane
03.) Meet Cute
04.) Back a Bit...Stop
05.) Stop Thief!
06.) the Girl from the DDR
07.) Deer Caught in the Headlights
08.) 524 Fidelio
09.) End Credits
10.) Mystery Date
≡ The Wedding Present’s eighth studio album, Valentina, comes four years after 2008’s critically acclaimed El Rey. Recorded in the wilds of France, the suburbs of Los Angeles and the lanes of Brighton… it shimmers with near perfection. The ten track Valentina rumbles in with the crunchy statement track You’re Dead vibrating with familiar overdriven guitars and Gedge’s words dripping with finality. The first single, You Jane, comes next; a rhythmic rock ‘n’ roll treat, laden with forlorn wanting… and letting the thing you love go free. The record was mixed by the legendary Andrew Scheps who adds The Wedding Present to an impressive list of clients such as Adele, Iggy Pop and Johnny Cash. It has been said that Scheps’ production adds a live feel to the recording while retaining the power of the band. ≡ Unsurprisingly, there is no filler on this album… each track has its own distinct atmosphere and David Gedge’s lyrics explore the same beginning and ending of relationship material, but with his ever-fresh take on the highs and lows of a lovelife. Back A Bit… Stop, another high point, is The Wedding Present at their pop-guitar best… driven by a delightfully overdriven bass line… and punctuated by what can only be called a drum ‘performance’. At the end of the record, Mystery Date twinkles and lilts… tricking you into thinking that it’s going to be a soft story of the very beginnings of love… but then absolutely thunders in with a cacophony of tempo changes and soaring guitars… leaving you gasping for breath as a Japanese voiceover trails on… The Wedding Present have found the best recording studio, the best mixing engineer and the best set of songs to complete what may very well be their best album to date.
Members:
≡ David Gedge - singing, guitars
≡ Patrick Alexander - guitars
≡ Pepe le Moko - bass, backing vocals
≡ Charlie Layton - drums
Website: http://www.theweddingpresent.co.uk
Press contact: Jessica -
Record Label: http://www.oursummerrecords.com/2012/02/preorder-the-wedding-presents-new-lp-valentina
≡ Recorded in the wilds of France, the suburbs of Los Angeles and the lanes of Brighton, it shimmers with near perfection.
BIOGRAPHY:
≡ The Wedding Present was born in 1985 with the release of the debut single GO OUT AND GET EM’ BOY! The band’s first album, GEORGE BEST, followed a couple of years later. ≡ With the early releases on their own label, the band acquired a reputation for bittersweet, breathtakingly honest love songs immersed in whirlwind guitars, so it was quite extraordinary that they decided to explore traditional Eastern European folk music for their major label debut on RCA in 1989. [UKRAINSKI VISTUPI V JOHNA PEELA] However, this was soon to be followed by the more traditionally incendiary BIZARRO, which featured their first hit single KENNEDY.
≡ The band’s next step was to enlist noise-mongering [and, at that point, relatively unknown] sound engineer Steve Albini’s aid. The resulting SEAMONSTERS, recorded in the snowy wilds of Minnesota in just 11 days, suggested a more thoughtful Wedding Present.
≡ A unique plan was hatched in 1992. By the end of December of that year, The Wedding Present had released twelve 7” singles, one per month and equalled Elvis Presley's 35-year-old record for "most hits in one year". A gang of impressive names, including Ian Broudie [The Lightning Seeds] and legendary Rolling Stones producer Jimmy Miller collaborated on the industry-challenging project, ultimately to be compiled on the two HIT PARADE LPs.
≡ 1994’s WATUSI, produced by Steve Fisk (a prime mover in the celebrated avant-garde scene of Seattle) whisked the band off into another new area with its lo-fi pop, three-part a capella harmonies and Waikiki-ready surf strains. The band returned to a more familiar sound in 1995 with the car themed MINI, in which Gedge cloaked his tales of love and lust with automobile symbolism.
≡ The self-produced Top 40 album SATURNALIA was released in 1996 by Cooking Vinyl to a flurry of critical approval, but it was at this point that Gedge started work on his solo project, CINERAMA. A fittingly titled outfit, Cinerama indulged Gedge's love of film music from John Barry to Blaxploitation via Ennio Morricone.
≡ At the end of 2002, Gedge split up with Sally Murrell, his long-time girlfriend and chief Cinerama collaborator. He decided to leave Leeds [UK] his home for the preceding twenty-four years and move to Seattle [USA], where he began writing a collection of songs apparently influenced by his despair over the split. TAKE FOUNTAIN, the resultant album, was recorded in Chicago and Seattle by Steve Fisk and released, perhaps ironically, on St. Valentine’s Day, 2005. This long awaited LP brought them back into the spotlight with all the style and sophistication associated with a legendary group, but fans were also pleased to see the band had lost none of the growling angst with which they had burst onto the scene with their 1985 debut, “George Best”.
≡ In January 2008 the band assembled in Steve Albini’s Chicago studio to record EL REY, which was released in the summer of that year to further critical acclaim. The NME described the album as “a beauty… some of the funniest, cleverest and most relevant indie you’re likely to hear this year” while The Guardian newspaper agreed that “Gedge has consistently been way ahead of other, more lauded musicians”. At the end of 2008 Gedge fulfilled a long held ambition by releasing a bona fide Christmas song, HOLLY JOLLY HOLLYWOOD, a duet with Los Angeles based chanteuse, Simone White.
≡ In 2010 The Wedding Present celebrated the 21st Anniversary of the release of their BIZARRO LP by playing the album live on tour throughout Europe, North America and Japan while in 2011 Gedge’s Brighton festival AT THE EDGE OF THE SEA, now in its third year, was joined by a northern counterpart, AT THE EDGE OF THE PEAKS, in Holmfirth, Yorkshire. In the summer of 2011, the band put the finishing touches to their latest batch of songs, which are scheduled for release in March 2012. Also in 2012 the band will head out on the road to celebrate the 21st anniversary of their album, SEAMONSTERS by touring in North America (including the SXSW festival), Australia, Japan and Europe.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Wedding-Present/10748026934?v=wall
The Wedding Present performing at Cultura Quente in Caldas de Reis, July 11, 2009. Author: Berto Garcia
| The Wedding Present – Valentina (2012) |
The Wedding Present - Valentina (This Will Be Our Summer)
Location: Leeds, England, United Kingdom
Release Date: Mar 20, 2012
Record Label: This Will Be Our Summer Records
Tracklist:
01.) You're Dead
02.) You Jane
03.) Meet Cute
04.) Back a Bit...Stop
05.) Stop Thief!
06.) the Girl from the DDR
07.) Deer Caught in the Headlights
08.) 524 Fidelio
09.) End Credits
10.) Mystery Date
≡ The Wedding Present’s eighth studio album, Valentina, comes four years after 2008’s critically acclaimed El Rey. Recorded in the wilds of France, the suburbs of Los Angeles and the lanes of Brighton… it shimmers with near perfection. The ten track Valentina rumbles in with the crunchy statement track You’re Dead vibrating with familiar overdriven guitars and Gedge’s words dripping with finality. The first single, You Jane, comes next; a rhythmic rock ‘n’ roll treat, laden with forlorn wanting… and letting the thing you love go free. The record was mixed by the legendary Andrew Scheps who adds The Wedding Present to an impressive list of clients such as Adele, Iggy Pop and Johnny Cash. It has been said that Scheps’ production adds a live feel to the recording while retaining the power of the band. ≡ Unsurprisingly, there is no filler on this album… each track has its own distinct atmosphere and David Gedge’s lyrics explore the same beginning and ending of relationship material, but with his ever-fresh take on the highs and lows of a lovelife. Back A Bit… Stop, another high point, is The Wedding Present at their pop-guitar best… driven by a delightfully overdriven bass line… and punctuated by what can only be called a drum ‘performance’. At the end of the record, Mystery Date twinkles and lilts… tricking you into thinking that it’s going to be a soft story of the very beginnings of love… but then absolutely thunders in with a cacophony of tempo changes and soaring guitars… leaving you gasping for breath as a Japanese voiceover trails on… The Wedding Present have found the best recording studio, the best mixing engineer and the best set of songs to complete what may very well be their best album to date.
≡ David Gedge - singing, guitars
≡ Patrick Alexander - guitars
≡ Pepe le Moko - bass, backing vocals
≡ Charlie Layton - drums
Website: http://www.theweddingpresent.co.uk
Press contact: Jessica -
Record Label: http://www.oursummerrecords.com/2012/02/preorder-the-wedding-presents-new-lp-valentina
≡ Recorded in the wilds of France, the suburbs of Los Angeles and the lanes of Brighton, it shimmers with near perfection.
BIOGRAPHY:
≡ The Wedding Present was born in 1985 with the release of the debut single GO OUT AND GET EM’ BOY! The band’s first album, GEORGE BEST, followed a couple of years later. ≡ With the early releases on their own label, the band acquired a reputation for bittersweet, breathtakingly honest love songs immersed in whirlwind guitars, so it was quite extraordinary that they decided to explore traditional Eastern European folk music for their major label debut on RCA in 1989. [UKRAINSKI VISTUPI V JOHNA PEELA] However, this was soon to be followed by the more traditionally incendiary BIZARRO, which featured their first hit single KENNEDY.
≡ The band’s next step was to enlist noise-mongering [and, at that point, relatively unknown] sound engineer Steve Albini’s aid. The resulting SEAMONSTERS, recorded in the snowy wilds of Minnesota in just 11 days, suggested a more thoughtful Wedding Present.
≡ A unique plan was hatched in 1992. By the end of December of that year, The Wedding Present had released twelve 7” singles, one per month and equalled Elvis Presley's 35-year-old record for "most hits in one year". A gang of impressive names, including Ian Broudie [The Lightning Seeds] and legendary Rolling Stones producer Jimmy Miller collaborated on the industry-challenging project, ultimately to be compiled on the two HIT PARADE LPs.
≡ 1994’s WATUSI, produced by Steve Fisk (a prime mover in the celebrated avant-garde scene of Seattle) whisked the band off into another new area with its lo-fi pop, three-part a capella harmonies and Waikiki-ready surf strains. The band returned to a more familiar sound in 1995 with the car themed MINI, in which Gedge cloaked his tales of love and lust with automobile symbolism.
≡ The self-produced Top 40 album SATURNALIA was released in 1996 by Cooking Vinyl to a flurry of critical approval, but it was at this point that Gedge started work on his solo project, CINERAMA. A fittingly titled outfit, Cinerama indulged Gedge's love of film music from John Barry to Blaxploitation via Ennio Morricone.
≡ At the end of 2002, Gedge split up with Sally Murrell, his long-time girlfriend and chief Cinerama collaborator. He decided to leave Leeds [UK] his home for the preceding twenty-four years and move to Seattle [USA], where he began writing a collection of songs apparently influenced by his despair over the split. TAKE FOUNTAIN, the resultant album, was recorded in Chicago and Seattle by Steve Fisk and released, perhaps ironically, on St. Valentine’s Day, 2005. This long awaited LP brought them back into the spotlight with all the style and sophistication associated with a legendary group, but fans were also pleased to see the band had lost none of the growling angst with which they had burst onto the scene with their 1985 debut, “George Best”.
≡ In January 2008 the band assembled in Steve Albini’s Chicago studio to record EL REY, which was released in the summer of that year to further critical acclaim. The NME described the album as “a beauty… some of the funniest, cleverest and most relevant indie you’re likely to hear this year” while The Guardian newspaper agreed that “Gedge has consistently been way ahead of other, more lauded musicians”. At the end of 2008 Gedge fulfilled a long held ambition by releasing a bona fide Christmas song, HOLLY JOLLY HOLLYWOOD, a duet with Los Angeles based chanteuse, Simone White.
≡ In 2010 The Wedding Present celebrated the 21st Anniversary of the release of their BIZARRO LP by playing the album live on tour throughout Europe, North America and Japan while in 2011 Gedge’s Brighton festival AT THE EDGE OF THE SEA, now in its third year, was joined by a northern counterpart, AT THE EDGE OF THE PEAKS, in Holmfirth, Yorkshire. In the summer of 2011, the band put the finishing touches to their latest batch of songs, which are scheduled for release in March 2012. Also in 2012 the band will head out on the road to celebrate the 21st anniversary of their album, SEAMONSTERS by touring in North America (including the SXSW festival), Australia, Japan and Europe.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Wedding-Present/10748026934?v=wall
The Wedding Present performing at Cultura Quente in Caldas de Reis, July 11, 2009. Author: Berto Garcia