Underneath the ceaseless sun-dappled expanse of Los Angeles’ sky, a new melodic creation emerges from the creative minds of Lol Tolhurst, Budgie, and Jacknife Lee (U2, R.E.M., The Killers, Bloc Party). They’ve woven together an anthology of songs revolving around the City of Angels. This collection of tunes, aptly named “Los Angeles,” is set for release on the 3rd of November, via of Play It Again Sam.
The project initially was conceived as a trio of drummers, including Kevin Haskins (Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, Love and Rockets), but then “Kevin had to go and play with Bauhaus,” Tolhurst said. The album also suffered further delays due to the pandemic. But happily, after a whirlwind of evolution, changed plans, and guest stars, they are ready to release “Los Angeles.”
A fascinating ensemble of guest performers breathes life into the album, a veritable constellation of music industry stars. Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream), The Edge (U2), avant-garde artist Lonnie Holley, Mary Lattimore, Starcrawler Wildchild, Arrow de Wilde, Mark Bowen from IDLES, Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock, and a host of others make appearances on the album, but for the blistering rant about the ills plaguing Los Angeles, they recruited the man with the right blend of unhinged pathos: LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy.
“Adding some vocalists that we like was obviously going to make it more attractive to people, so over the space of about 18 months to two years, we got a whole bunch of them in, and as far as lyrics went, we just said, ‘You make something up!’” says Lol Tolhust.
Delving into the pulsating, neon-lit core of modern-day Los Angeles, the album presents an intimate portrait of the city that served as its cradle. It’s a place where the horizon is stretched wide with boundless opportunities, yet simultaneously, it mirrors a plague-ridden, inhospitable wasteland, a pseudo-paradise where, in Murphy’s incisive lyrics, it “eats its children.” Here, dreams break against the sharp edges of reality, racial disparities loom large, and homelessness spirals into a seemingly unsolvable conundrum.
The genesis of the album was abruptly halted, then unexpectedly nurtured by the suffocating grasp of a global pandemic, adding another layer of dread to an already tense atmosphere. The spectre of a ‘new Cold War’ further amplifies the palpable fear permeating the record.
The album, however, is more than a mere mirror reflecting grim realities – it throbs with an energy both desperate and elating. The relentless rhythm, distorted and twisted instrumentation, and an ensemble of exceptional vocals carve out a realm of release, resonating with the sheer ecstasy of artistic creation.
“Los Angeles” is a prophetic and imaginative masterpiece; a hauntingly beautiful rendition of a city on the brink, mesmerizing, yet terrifying. Murphy’s caustic New Yorker’s take on Los Angeles “pulled it all together for us, what the album was about, and even what the overall title should be,” Budgie muses,
Those eager for a first taste can stake their claim here with this gorgeously filmed music video from the imaginative lens of John Liwag. This cinematic experience showcases the skateboarding prowess of icon Mason Silva, a team of goth cheerleaders headed by the vivacious Sydney Love, and the rhythmic drumming and convincing lip-synching from Lol and Budgie.
Watch the video for “Los Angeles” below:
Born from a flame of curiosity that could not be dimmed, the triumvirate of “Los Angeles” features two shining luminaries of the post-punk drumming sphere, The Cure’s Lol Tolhurst, and Budgie, best known from Siouxsie & The Banshees and The Creatures. Adding to this potent mixture is the remarkable producer and multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire, Garret ‘Jacknife’ Lee. The result of this fusion? A bold, electrifying, 55-minute voyage into the edges of electronic experimentalism.
Anchored by their unchallenged expertise in percussion, the album unfurls an abundant array of synths and guitars – a realm where Jacknife notably excels – enhanced by auxiliary percussion that adds rhythm and vibrance to the sonic landscape.
An array of first-rate strings and brass embellish the soundscape, wrapping listeners in an aural tapestry that’s rich and immersive. Donning his super-producer mantle, Lee, with the finesse of a master craftsman, tweaks, molds, and adroitly shapes each stratum of sound into a tour de force of musical mastery.
There are plans underway to bring the record “Los Angeles” from the studio to the stage for live performances that will showcase this new collaborative project worldwide.
The album can be pre-ordered now on CD and vinyl via the band’s webstore.
Tracklist below:
Follow Lol Tolhurst x Budgie x Jacknife Lee:
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