We can see most of the new releases coming from afar, but we didn’t expect this one from The Bug Club, especially since the South Wales indie rock trio is continuously touring with the infectious hits from their albums Green Dream in F# and Pure Particles. We didn’t hear any unfamiliar tunes when we saw them live a few months ago, but apparently they managed to write and practice fresh material in between shows. Mr Anyway’s Holey Spirits Perform! One Foot in Bethlehem is logically a concert album, and all the usual ingredients are there – rattling rock, clever hooks, appealing vocals, and wit reminiscent of Jonathan Richman. It’s not entirely clear how seriously we should take all this (it’s presented as “a mysterious band called Mr Anyway’s Holey Spirits”), and whether the 14 new songs will get as much eternal value as their previous output (“these tracks will never be recorded or released again, and might not be played again, either”), but it’s unmistakably The Bug Club we hear here, headstrong and enthusiastic as we know them.
Mr Anyway’s Holey Spirits Perform! One Foot in Bethlehem is out now digitally, and on vinyl LP from April 7, under exclusive license to Bingo Records.
Add to want list: Bandcamp
Pingback: New EP: The Bug Club || Picture This! – Add To Wantlist
FWIW they are playing the songs live right now – there’s definitely some I’d like to hear studio versions for. Really, see them live if you can absolutely cracking band.
@CALLCOPSE: Thanks for the addition! They sure are fun live!