Willy Mason Collaborates With Peggy Sue On Longest Day Of The Year Blues

As a special solstice treat, Peggy Sue are very happy to be giving away an alternate take on a favourite song, Longest Day of the Year Blues, from their most recent album featuring their friend Willy Mason.

The Choir of Echoes LP is out now via Wichita Recordings and the band are set to play a string of festival shows later this year.

Peggy Sue had always thought that a US drawl would be perfect for this tale of untimely lost love and Mr Mason delivers the sad story perfectly over a newly recorded, reverb-soaked, drum-less version of the song. And of course Katy and Rosa added their gorgeous harmonies to perfect this extra-melancholy take on the song.

In the words of the band: “We met Willy Mason dressed in formal wear, surrounded by fake plants at Laura Marling’s Secret Cinema album launch last summer where we were both secret guests. When we decided to do an alternative version of Longest Day of the Year Blues inspired by the country ballads of Lee Hazelwood we knew he was the man for the job. We sent him a slow guitar and voices track to sing to via the miracle of the internet and he sent us back the accapella vocal which we’ve been listening with a mix of pride and awe ever since. Now reunited with the backing track we are massively excited to present this special day-before-summer-solstice free download: Willy Mason sings Longest Day of the Year Blues.”

Peggy Sue Reveal New Barbarossa Remix Of Album Track, And Always Is

With just a week until the start of their upcoming UK tour, Peggy Sue have shared a new Barbaroassa remix of album stand out track, And Always Is. The rework is a B-side on their upcoming single Figure of Eight which is out April 14 via Wichita Recordings.

Peggy Sue

Peggy Sue are currently on tour across Europe and will hit the UK next week, playing a series of dates across the country and finishing with a sold out show at Oslo in London on April 15. The band have also recently just been announced to play Knee Deep Festival in Plymouth later this summer.

London-based Barbarossa completely changes the dimensions of Peggy Sue in his rework of And Always Is. The original emotionally powerful track is injected with a hard bass line and mellow riff throughout, presenting the post-folk trio in totally new light.

You can catch Peggy Sue live on the following dates:

2 April – Brussels, Botanique (Witloof Bar)

3 April – Utrecht, Ekko

4 April – Paris, Point Ephemere

5 April –  Geneva, La Graviere,

7 April – Brighton, Green Door Store *

8 April – Coventry, The Tin

9 April – Manchester, Soup Kitchen *

10 April – Glasgow, Broadcast *

11 April – Liverpool, Leaf *

12 April – Sheffield, The Harley *

14 April – Bristol, The Old Bookshop * – SOLD OUT

15 April – London, Oslo – SOLD OUT

1 August – Knee Deep Festival, Plymouth

29 – 31 August – End of the Road Festival, Dorset

* – with support from Eyes & No Eyes.

Sky Larkin Reveal Video For Latest Single, Newsworthy

Leeds trio Sky Larkin have revealed a new video for their latest single Newsworthy to coincide with announcing their return to the road in 2014 with a slew of UK tour dates in April.

Following the release of the third album Motto last autumn and a run of celebratory dates, the band will be expanding their touring history with shows through April as well as a soon-to-be-announced run through Europe later in the Spring. Also in May, the band will be joining labelmates Cloud Nothings as part of new Leeds festival Gold Sounds, appearing at the Brudenell Social Club on May 26.

The video for Newsworthy was produced by visual artist Dan Tombs (collaborator with Gold Panda, Jon Hopkins and Factory Floor). It utilises footage taken from Prelinger Archives of educational, industrial and amateur films and has been visually treated by the artist. The end result is a beautiful and rather hypnotic take on the song’s title theme.

In the words of lead-singer Katie Harkin: “Please enjoy the read-along video for Newsworthy. It’s a memento from the age of tactile text, augmented by the wonderful Dan Tombs and now spat back out into the digital realm. Listen with your eyes.”

You can catch Sky Larkin live on the following dates:
April
8 Birmingham The Bull’s Head
9 Cardiff Clwb Ifor Bach
10 Northampton Ledgendary Labour Club
11 Bristol The Old Bookshop
12 Portsmouth Edge of the Wedge
16 Liverpool Kazamier
17 York Fibbers
18 Newcastle Cluny 2
May
26 Leeds Brudenell Social Club

Peggy Sue Release New Single, Longest Day Of The Year Blues

In anticipation of their forthcoming album Choir of Echoes, which is set for release on January 27 through Wichita, Peggy Sue have revealed a beautiful new track, Longest Day Of The Year Blues, from the record.

Peggy Sue

In the words of the band Longest Day Of The Year Blues: “…is a pretty straightforward break up song. One of those break up songs about getting dumped and having to go to work the next day when the next day happens to be the longest day of the year.

“I remember thinking to myself cynically ‘Well this sucks… But at least it’s wonderfully poetic.’ It has the word ‘baby’ in it five times. I guess I may have been listening to my Greatest Ever Doo Wop Song compilation a little too much last summer.”

You can catch Peggy Sue live on the following dates:
23 Jan – London, Rough Trade Instore
27 Jan – London, St Pancras Old Church * – SOLD OUT
27 March – Copenhagen, Ideal Bar @VEGA *
28 March – Hamburg, Kulturhaus III & 70 *
30 March – Berlin, Privatclub *
31 March – Munich, Kranhalle *
1 April – Cologne, Blue Shell *
2 April – Brussels, Botanique (Witloof Bar)
3 April – Utrecht, Ekko
7 April – Brighton, Green Door Store *
8 April – Coventry, The Tin
9 April – Manchester, Soup Kitchen *
10 April – Glasgow, Broadcast *
11 April – Liverpool, Leaf *
12 April – Sheffield, The Harley *
14 April – Bristol, The Old Bookshop *
15 April – London, Oslo
* – with support from Eyes & No Eyes.

Peggy Sue Reveal New Video For Latest Single, Idle

Peggy Sue reveal a new video for their latest single Idle in anticipation of their forthcoming third studio album, Choir of Echoes which is set for release on January 27 through Wichita Recordings. The band will play a sold out show at St Pancras Church on the same night to celebrate the album’s release. This will be followed by a full UK tour in April which includes a newly announced show in Coventry.

The striking vintage visuals of Peggy Sue’s found-footage collage finds a series of 1920s dancers moving in sync with the the sounds of this gripping track, making for a clip that’s captivating yet somewhat uncomfortable.

Choir of Echoes was produced at the legendary Rockfield Studio in South Wales by Jimmy Robertson (the man who made the “…Scorpio Rising” collection) and mixed by John Askew (who also worked with the band on their debut full-length, Fossils and Other Phantoms).

Choir of Echoes is an album about singing, about losing your voice and finding it again. Peggy Sue explain: “Voices keeping each other company and voices competing for space. The call and response of the kindest and the cruelest words. Choruses. Duets. Whispers and shouts.”

The past two years have allowed the band time to experience a vast array of new sights and sounds which have translated wonderfully into their new work. Choir of Echoes sees Peggy Sue come back around on their best form to date and provides an emotional venture into a realm of sensibility that this band have to offer.

You can catch Peggy Sue live on the following dates:
27 Jan – London, St Pancras Old Church * – SOLD OUT
27 March – Copenhagen, Ideal Bar @VEGA *
28 March – Hamburg, Kulturhaus III & 70 *
30 March – Berlin, Privatclub *
31 March – Munich, Kranhalle *
1 April – Cologne, Blue Shell *
2 April – Brussels, Botanique (Witloof Bar)
3 April – Utrecht, Ekko
7 April – Brighton, Green Door Store *
8 April – Coventry, The Tin
9 April – Manchester, Soup Kitchen *
10 April – Glasgow, Broadcast *
11 April – Liverpool, Leaf *
12 April – Sheffield, The Harley *
14 April – Bristol, The Old Bookshop *
15 April – London, Oslo
* – with support from Eyes & No Eyes