I can remember 25 years ago on the eve of my first trip to the England, and a British friend said, "Don't go to Hackney though!" I don't know about that place lately, but good things can come from Hackney, I guess, especially bands like this one.
Hackney outfit The Early Years were first signed to Beggars Banquet some 20 years ago. They put out a record on Sonic Cathedral about a decade after that, and they've just announced a new one for this May. The first taste is "A New Way of Living", a tune that hits all the sweet spots for me. Clearly influenced by Berlin-era Bowie, and a ton of the other things that shaped me and my generation of listeners, "A New Way of Living" is a track that's easy to love. It's also similar to peak Kitchens of Distinction, Interpol, and Doves cuts, with a driving force behind it that makes it one fine piece of music. I dig it a lot. Expect to see more on The Early Years here the closer we get to the album release date.
Modern Moonlight by The Early Years will be out on May 22. Details via Sonic Cathedral.
[Photo: Brian David Stevens]