Pale Blue Eyes (UK) with HIGHTEENS at Meteor Nov 22nd / $20 / 8pm doors
The third album from Pale Blue Eyes is called New Place – a title that connects with fresh horizons and extensive travel, including a move from Devon for Sheffield. For PBE, 2024 started with a tour of 12 European countries with Slowdive. The year’s end brought more movement for the married couple at the band’s core – singer and guitarist Matt Board and drummer and synth expert Lucy Board. Sadly, family tragedy catalysed a move from South Devon to South Yorkshire. Pale Blue Eyes first two albums, Souvenirs (2022) and This House (2023) were recorded at the studio Matt and Lucy had built at Matt’s family home in rural Devon. Then Matt’s mum died, following a long-term illness. The family home had to be sold. The band’s studio had to be relocated.
“Change is a theme throughout the new album,” says Lucy. “It’s about being in a new place,starting again but reflecting on the journey and what and who got us to this place.“
This change took Lucy back to Sheffield, where she’d grown up, playing in teenage bands. As with the first two PBE albums, the new album is mixed and mastered by a noted Sheffield musical figure.
Dean Honer is renowned for his musical output (Moonlandingz, I Monster,The Eccentronic Research Council) and for his production and mixing work (Róisín Murphy, Add N To (X), The Human League). The original PBE touring and recording trio had been completed by bassist Aubrey Simpson, who’d grown up in the Devon town of Totnes. Pale Blue Eyes released their debut single in 2021 – the Motionless/Chelsea double A-side, on the band’s Broadcast Recordings label. MOJO called PBE “a shimmering Kraut-rail trip to Asgard.” The band were snapped up by the Full Time Hobby label. Debut album, Souvenirs, was widely praised. Uncut called the album “Joyous...propulsive… exhilarating”. The album was indeed joyous but also encompassed deep sadness. As the band had worked toward the LP , Matt’s father had died. The second PBE album, This House, was released in 2023 and again was greeted by sustained praise. MOJO: “Compelling confirmation of their standing as pop auteurs.” But, with the death of Matt’s mum, the album was juxtaposed with more family tragedy. A touching photo of Matt’s parents became the image on the front cover. PBE’s third album, New Place, is released on the band’s Broadcast Recordings label. Guests include two musicians who have featured in the PBE live line-up – Tom Sharkett, music producer and guitarist with W.H. Lung, and music producer and musician Lewis Johnson-Kellett.
“The new album comes with a new landscape,” says Matt, summing up. “I hope the result is uplifting. The album reflects the end of an era and embracing new beginnings. But when we were unpacking in our new house in Sheffield we found an old slide projector that had belonged to my parents. We spent hours looking through old 35mm slides and we decided to use one for the album cover. It feels like a lifetime of memories – but now beside a world of new beginnings.” Roy Wilkinson
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