Mercury Prize-nominated Barry Adamson has announced details of a brand new six track special EP,
LOVE SICK DICK, available on vinyl, CD and download on
April 14th.
The EP features ‘
Sweet Misery’, which premiered on Mark Radcliffe’s 6Music show in the UK and on Henry Rollins’ KCRW show in the US and the video for
‘They Walk Among Us‘, was recently previewed on Dangerous Minds.
LOVE SICK DICK has the superb combination of the classic Adamson we’ve all come to revel in plus some fresh new twists, as he takes us on a journey and probes the inner workings of one lovelorn guy in all of his downhearted, paranoiac, grieving, hapless and helpless self! From the pulsating futuristic blues of ‘Sweet Misery’ where Adamson circles his condition, knowing there isn’t any other place to go, to the vampiric, prowling roam of ‘They Walk Among Us’, where parasites joylessly feed off each other and dance macabre.
Throughout the recording, Adamson says it all with a vocal that is on point and as strong as it has ever been. The other tracks offer no less than sheer forensic testimony to the central theme and condition he is examining. ‘
One Hot Mess’ unashamedly dances forcefully into an intended’s ego to tear it apart and claim it, with a confessional punchy bass and thematic disco swagger. ‘
I Got Clothes’ is a manic poem that begs mentor Nina Simone for guidance as it rips and spits out the opening; bluesy and dark and fat at the low end, running and chasing down the object of the character’s desire. ‘
People Like Us’ acts as a contemporary pit stop, like Adamson has turned on a nineties radio station while he fills up on fuel and considers the situation at hand before driving off into the distance. ‘
On Golden Square’ is where Adamson digs into his soul to find nothing but a dull, pathetic ache, laid bare by a promise that he can never deliver, his endless optimism (and oddly, his mother’s!) convincing us and himself that what is ‘all right’ is also ‘so right’ as synths swirl around and tease an old school fifties style riff.
Just like the singular central character in Adamson’s new record, Barry recorded the whole project solo, living up to his multi-instrumentalist hallmark by programming, playing live and sampling and stealing every note you hear on each track, exploring some really interesting techniques in doing so and using modern technology to make an old wail.
To quote Adamson: ‘The blues is the blues and if the heart aches then that’s the sound that will come out, whether you are playing guitar, a synth, a piano or performing futuristic guitar solos on your iPhone!’
Also announcing a solo tour in April, Adamson says;
“I’m launching myself from the studio into a unique solo show. I’ll be playing songs from my new record which range from futuristic blues, soul and electronica and also of course, careering through my back catalogue to bring you the full “Barry Adamson experience.”
All dates below. North American dates forthcoming.
Barry Adamson 2017 Tour Dates:
19 April – FR, Paris, Boule Noire
20 April – BE, Brussels, Botanique Rotonde
21 April – NL, Amsterdam, Paradiso (Upstairs)
22 April – UK, Manchester, Ruby Lounge
24 April – UK, Glasgow, King Tuts
26 April – UK, Bristol, Thekla
27 April – UK, London, M.O.T.H Club
30 April – DE, Berlin, Frannz Club
2 May – DE, Munich, Kranhalle
3 May – DE, Cologne, Blue Shell
4 May – DE, Hamburg, Jazz Café
Love Sick Dick pre-order available from: www.barryadamson.com
Some history:
Barry Adamson has been creating all of his life. Perhaps his greatest creation is himself as a multi-disciplined artist. The self-taught musician rose to prominence as the bass player in Magazine and toured extensively. His establishment as a solo artist came after a three year stint with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and heralded the release of his seminal first solo album, ‘Moss Side Story’. Critically acclaimed, it raised Adamson’s name as a composer of diverse complexity; able to tell a story with music, where the images were those supplanted in the minds of the listeners. Offers quickly followed and saw Adamson work with some of the film industry’s most intriguing mavericks including Derek Jarman, David Lynch, Oliver Stone and Danny Boyle.
Having released nine studio albums, including the 1992 Mercury Music Prize nominated ‘Soul Murder’, Adamson has continued to tour globally with his talents being in as much demand by new generations of artists, as he was after his first solo release. He is constantly sought across all art forms for commentary and contribution. His music being both the platform and background for documentaries, TV series, adverts, computer games and even an Olivier Award winning ballet performance by Sylvie Guillem and the Ballet Boyz.
It was always a logical progression for Adamson to move behind the camera and once again his brooding film noir style and dark comedy has seen him write, direct and score a number of short films. His latest offering, ‘The Swing The Hole and The Lie’, being shown at the Cannes Film Festival this year.
Rising phoenix like from the flames of his previous work, Adamson continues to push himself and blur the lines of film, music and art.
Earlier this year he returned to the studio to begin recording a soon to be released new solo album, which shows him embracing all of his diverse influences into a more commercial undertaking.
Musician, composer, writer, photographer, filmmaker. Barry Adamson is not a man to take it easy.
www.barryadamson.com
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