The Xcerts – Release new single, album and tour with Futures
aaamusic | On 13, Aug 2010
THE XCERTS return with their second album and follow up to 2009’s ‘In The Cold Wind We Smile‘; ‘Scatterbrain‘ will be release on the 4th October through Xtra Mile Recordings (Frank Turner, Reuben, Far, Straight Lines…) preceeded by new single ‘Young (Belane)‘ a week earlier.
‘Scatterbrain‘ is the first album by a UK act to be overseen by US producer Mike Sapone (Taking Back Sunday, Brand New, Crime in Stereo…) who began work on the record with the band at his home studio in Bethpage, New York earlier this year. Mastered by Emily Lazar (Anti-Flag, Vampire Weekend, David Bowie…), the album shows an angrier side to the band’s music which harks back to the early days of 90’s Grunge. It has a brilliantly sinister, dirty and earthy quality without turning its back on the pop-sensibilities and catchy melodies that the band captured so well with their debut.
Speaking of the record frontman Murray Macleod says “If we didn’t sound different, I’d be worried”. The first album was – as for most new bands – something of a ‘greatest hits’ from the band’s early years, when they were still finding their feet. This time, the album was almost entirely written in a six-week break between tours and as a result paints a much more vibrant picture; a single body of work that makes sense; a proper album that it would seem blasphemous to shuffle.
The influences have changed too. “There are certain records that we’re all really into that have a similar sound – a balance of raw emotion and good production. ‘In Utero’ by Nirvana, ‘Pinkerton’ by Weezer, ‘Either/Or’ by Elliot Smith, ‘The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me’ by Brand New, ‘Nebraska’ by Bruce Springsteen and ‘For Emma Forever Ago’ by Bon Iver. That’s pretty much exactly how we wanted this record to sound.”
“There’s a lot of experimentation on this album,” says Macleod, who credits Sapone for encouraging and cultivating the creative process. “He came up with crazy ideas, and watching him come out with them, I didn’t feel worried about throwing an idea into the hat. It was almost like Mike was the fourth member of the band – there’s parts that would never happened, had we not worked with Mike.”
“This is an album lover‘s album for the fans of the band. It‘s not about a particular track or single and should be listened too as an entire body of work with an open mind. We hope everyone falls in love with it like we have.“
‘Scatterbrain’ track listing:
1. Tar
2. Scatterbrain
3. Distant Memory
4. Gum
5. Slackerpop
6. I Scare Easy
7. Young (Belane)
8. He Sinks. He Sleeps
9. Carnival Time
10. Hurt With Me
11. Lament
In support of the release of ‘Scatterbrain‘ The Xcerts will be hitting the road in support of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. and Futures before headlining their own national tour. Dates below:
AUGUST
12th Rock City Basement, Nottingham w/Get Cape.Wear Cape.Fly
13th Electric Circus, Edinburgh w/Get Cape.Wear Cape.Fly
SEPTEMBER
18th Southsea festival, Portsmouth
21st Joiners, Southampton w/Futures
22nd Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff w/Futures
23nd Borderline, London w/Futures
25th Roadhouse, Manchester w/Futures
26th Underground Festival, Gloucester w/Futures
27th King Tuts, Glasgow w/Futures
28th Cockpit, Leeds w/Futures
29th Academy 2, Newcastle w/Futures
