The Academy of Sun has officially released their new album titled ‘The Quiet Earth’. Epic in scope and broad in vision, ‘The Quiet Earth’ could, years from now, be considered The Academy of Sun’s magnum opus. At first listen, this album is massive, and, in some ways, a true concept album. The lyrics span the gamut from grandiose to obscure and everywhere in between. What impresses me, however, is that change is both gradual and back and forth. What I mean by this is while some changes and movements are gradual from song to song, some stylistic changes are sudden yet fit within the context at hand.
To me, the biggest change happens with ‘The Parts That Need Replacing’. This is almost a new band by the time this track comes around. Being the most radio-friendly track in my opinion, with a broad shift to a rock style hook yet retaining the overall feel that is ‘The Quiet Earth’ as a whole.
There will definitely be something here for everyone and, for those that love musical and artistic diversity, there is everything for someone.
‘The Quiet Earth’ LP is out now on CD and digitally, as well as across online stores and streaming platforms such as Spotify.
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About ‘The Quiet Earth’
Melodic alternative pop outfit The Academy of Sun present their new album ‘The Quiet Earth’, an expansive offering of breathtaking ambition with 15 tracks on offer. This follows up their latest single ‘Rose Devoid of Form’ and rip-roaring rocker b-side ‘Everything At Once Forever’. A rich textured taster of the full album, the accompanying video for ‘Rose Devoid of Form’ was directed and edited by Nick Hudson. Starring Kieran DeadK, it was shot by Sam Horn with lighting by Adrian Goycoolea.
Prior to this, the band released thee highly dynamic power pop-infused lead track ‘The Parts That Need Replacing’ and lulling shanty-pop single ‘The House’.
Formed nine years ago in Brighton, UK, The Academy of Sun is a psychedelic post-punk outfit led by Nick Hudson (piano, synths, Hammond organ, harmonium, vocals, percussion, synths) and joined by Kianna Blue (bass, synths), Guy Brice (guitars) and Ash Babb (drums).
Together, TAOS presents dystopian fantastic creations that combine the deeply personal and the poetically arcane. Dark yet buoyant, this is a controlled explosion of psychedelic and dark power pop with atmospheres couched in vast and expansive landscapes and cinematic arrangements.
“The Quiet Earth is the summation of all of The Academy Of Sun’s ambitions and aspirations so far – created over many creatively-fired months in Church Road Studios, Hove, with Paul Pascoe (Barry Adamson, etc.) manning the desk – it’s an opulent but human super-bolide meteorite sandblasted out into the world with love and fire, humility and humor, addressing our heinous disruption of the natural world, irradiated landscapes, extremes of human emotion, inhospitable frozen terrains, ‘transgressive’ lifestyles, queer sexuality, organized religion’s unscrupulous and historic censoring of the rebel spirit. Like if Werner Herzog made a chamber-prog-punk record under DMT in The Chelsea Hotel,” says Nick Hudson.
“If there’s a literal kernel to its ignition, it would be Plutopia by Kate Brown – a horrifying, impassioned and revelatory study on the plight of the communities left behind in the wake of the cold war nuclear arms race – both in Hanford, Washington and Chelyabinsk in the Russian Urals.”
Hudson’s fascination with the former Soviet Union ring through, with the latest single ‘Rose Devoid of Form’, But the links to Russia founded upon layered analog synths and samples from the Russian number station The Buzzer – alongside field recordings of a train pulling into Pripyat, the abandoned town near Chernobyl. It also features a field recording of birdsong I made at the gravesite of murdered Russian intelligence officer Alexander Litvinenko.
Following 2017’s ‘Codex Novena’ LP, which ranked in both Dangerous Minds and Sweeping The Nation end-of-year lists, ‘The Quiet Earth’ offers a colossal meditation on dystopia, irradiated landscapes and extreme states of human emotion. This 15-track collection of post-punk, chamber ballads, and darkly prog studio epos was recorded at Church Road Studios with Paul Pascoe, whose work includes the last 2 albums by Barry Adamson (Magazine / Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds).
Nick Hudson’s musical juggernaut has been active in various incarnations since 2012, always transcending expectations. The Academy of Sun has collaborated with Massive Attack’s Shara Nelson, Matthew Seligman (Bowie, Tori Amos, Morrissey), Wayne Hussey (The Mission), Canadian queercore icon GB Jones, members of NYC’s Kayo Dot and David Tibet (Current 93). TAOS has also performed or toured with Mogwai, Toby Driver, and Keith Abrams (Kayo Dot), and Timba Harris (Mr. Bungle, Amanda Palmer).
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/TheAcademyOfSun
https://nickhudsonindustries.bandcamp.com
https://www.twitter.com/theacademyofsun
https://www.instagram.com/The_Academy_Of_Sun
https://www.youtube.com/user/NickHudsonMusic
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5CxsNgEPz9v8iBgO52VUUd
