In the midst of pleasing crowds at Laneway Festival, City Calm Down have announced the release of their highly anticipated second album, Echoes In Blue – scheduled to infiltrate our ears on April 6th, 2018.
Synth-laden rock paired with moody, Bowie-esque vocals are what make the sound of Melbourne four-piece City Calm Down so special, and the good news of a forthcoming album has fans in raptures.
To compliment the news of the album release, the Melbourne based band has just released the opening track, ‘Jane… I’m Disappearing’, an emotional ballad that, according to lead singer Jack Bourke… “is about coming to terms with the dissolution of a long-term relationship and how neglect ultimately led to its breakdown.”.
If this is an indication of what the new album will sound like… get out your Kleenex tissues folks (homebrand won’t do). With their signature moody synth, the single gets off to a sombre start, before getting in to a full blown first person account of a relationship turned sour. With both triumphant moments and slow jams, the song is a well rounded single with the City Calm Down signature written all over it. Have a listen for yourself:
With an ambitious artistic direction in mind, City Calm Down are asking important questions that aren’t typically associated with an indie-rock band. They said this about their latest work:
“Echoes In Blue is not concerned with answering questions as much as it is with asking them. It is interested in the reality of being spread too thin, of being unable to shut out the noise, where we’re told to buy a house, with a mountain of debt, and do what we love, to be passionate and driven, whilst also making enough time for our wife or husband, boyfriend or girlfriend, for our children, parents and friends. Has life has ever been more exciting or more artificial? Why are we so connected yet feel so alone? Perhaps, in all this excitement, we forget to be bored and examine ourselves a little more closely. Or maybe we should just embrace the rage.”
It seems like City Calm Down are going to politely ask the city to (you guessed it) calm down, as they reflect on the hustle and bustle of our modern life through Echoes In Blue. For a well-respected Aussie band to probe and push at norms is refreshing, and their talent paired with an interesting artistic vision, I think we’ve got a real beauty inbound.
The band are touring the UK/Europe in May. If you’re lucky enough to be over there you can get tickets here…
