“We’re gonna get through this and much more, Yeah you know – we probably will” The Miserable Rich tentatively reassure us here. An unlikely song that took its initial inspiration from Murphy’s Law, it revolves around the repeated vocal refrain of “we probably will” in each verse. Featuring sweeping guest violins courtesy of Mike Siddell (The Leisure Society / Hope of The States) and breathtakingly operatic backing vocals from Kelly Barnes, it sees the band deliver a rousing anthem about finding hope in the face of our daily adversities.
Emerging from a series of chance encounters, from words inspired by a misheard Japanese Breakfast lyric to twisting the band’s arms to give it a shot at the very end of their album recording session, vocalist James de Malplaquet explains how this exquisite single almost never came to be:
“This was the last song written for the main album and nearly didn’t make it… the band agreed to ‘squeeze it in’ at the end of the day’s studio recording if we had time. I’ll admit that making a song about Murphy’s Law and giving it this title was a bit playful and I did quite like taking it to the band for that reason. Will has had quite a few accidents in his time, including losing his passport at the airport bar on the first day of a you. That sense of fun led me to putting the joke in the middle section, something I first thought about while listening to a Japanese Breakfast song. I realized on second listen, she hadn’t said what I thought she had – so I did. Sort of…. Overall – though it was almost an afterthought – I think the song fits very closely to the paradoxical and contranymic essence of the album.”
The single comes with a humorous official video by creative team Belafonte – the team behind the award-winning short film The Girl Is Mime, starring Martin Freeman. The video follows a Sylvanian Families couple whose loving spark has faded. Can some expert counselling from a hedgehog save their relationship?
Fortunately, “Probably Will” will very definitely feature on The Miserable Rich’s upcoming album ‘Overcome’, alongside the previously released AA-side single “Quietly” // “We All Know”, plus teaser tracks “Crows”, “Glue” and “FHS”.
The album will be their first for some thirteen years, a comeback record that ultimately took tragedy, mutual support and, inevitably, alcohol and pizza to get them back together. The follow-up to 2011’s ‘Miss You In The Days’ on 12 February 2024, ‘Overcome’ was born out of trauma but also stands as a testament to deep friendship and love. Featuring twelve new songs, ‘Overcome’ encapsulates all the charms of the band’s earlier string-laden, crafted music, which has seen them garner widespread acclaim and a dedicated fan base. From the exuberant “Ballad Of Young Finn” to the hugely personal “Glue”, the increasingly defiant “Quietly” to the heartfelt closer “Poem For Suzanne”, via the elegant “Penny For” – described by de Malplaquet, perhaps flippantly, as “somewhere between Kruder & Dorfmeister and Supertramp, where we’ve always belonged!” – it’s an unmistakable sound, blending elements of indie folk and chamber pop. This time, however, piano, electronics and brass add to their customary mix of acoustic instruments, whether on the rambunctious folk-pop of “FHS”, which boasts an unlikely New Orleans twist, the richly textured “Everything Bright And New” or the hushed “If Only”, with the latter pair featuring Alabaster de Plume on saxophone.
The album was largely recorded at the five-piece’s various home studios by James de Malplaquet (vocals), Jim Briffett (guitars, piano), Will Calderbank (cello, keyboards, piano), Rhys Lovell (double bass) and Martin Deering (drums) with production assistance and mastering from Lotte Lindenberg’s Wolfgang Gottlieb. It also features guest appearances Love Supreme Jazz Festival co-founder Jack Kendon (trumpet, vocals), Dan Cartwright (saxophone), Miserable Rich co-founder – also of The Leisure Society, and formerly Hope of The States and Mumford & Sons – Mike Siddell (violin), Jennifer Left, Bex Fidler (vocals) and the aforementioned Alabaster de Plume (sax) and Kelly Barnes (vocals).
Released digitally and on standard weight black or blue vinyl, ‘Overcome’ will be available through their own label, Rags To Ruins, via all major streaming platforms and digital stores on 2nd February 2024.
SOURCE: Official Bio