After three years of, as they put it, “all manner of esoteric adventures, oddball one-offs, inspired shindigs, and ambitious undertakings;” the release of “Ballad Of The War Machine” marks the long-awaited return of Midnight Juggernauts.
The tracks is the lead single taken from their upcoming third album, set for release mid-year through Remote Control and the band’s own label, Siberia Records.
Unbeknownst to most, the video was actually secretly leaked weeks ago on YouTube under a Russian alias. It’s easy to see why the release went unnoticed, as the trio have done quite a good job imitating an eccentric Russian art-pop band performing on a Soviet state-run music program 30 years ago.
Never admitting an association with the Midnight Juggernauts, the clip was spread by Russian colleagues across different blogs and websites around the world, eliciting confusion everywhere as it reached over 30,000 views. Whilst non-Russians believed it to be genuine, native speakers noted their accents and concluded that they were a foreign band touring Moscow at the time.
“I guess we’ve always been into Russia plus we’d been watching lots of Tarkovsky films while making the album.” – Midnight Juggernauts.On their website, the band said of the experiment, “[it] has been fun releasing it this way. I guess we’ve always been into Russia plus we’d been watching lots of Tarkovsky films while making the album.” The clip was shot on the streets of Moscow last year.
Featuring their usual glittery, synth-laden psychedelic pop, the song features an introduction from a Russian host, adding to the video’s authenticity. Without any real build, “Ballad Of The War Machine” doesn’t stray far from the band’s known formula yet is more lo-fi than usual.
This is Andrew Szekeres, Vincent Vendetta, and Daniel Stricker’s first release since their second LP, 2010’s The Crystal Axis. Their first album, Dystopia, garnered them international success and saw them grace the stages of Big Day Out across Australia as well as internationally at Glastonbury and Fuji Rock in 2008.
2013 also sees the band embarking on a national tour. Playing shows along the east coast, they will be joined by YesYou and various guests in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Full details are below.
The news of Midnight Juggernauts new album is the latest in a string of great new releases from domestic acts in 2013, including the Cat Empire’s latest, the second album from Melbourne twosome Big Scary, and a heap of new albums from the likes of Bernard Fanning, Birds of Tokyo, Hermitude, Airbourne, Super Wild Horses, and new material from Perth outfit Pond.
It joins a long list of exciting new album releases in 2013 from international acts. Including the disco-influenced album from Parisian duo Daft Punk, the latest from grunge veterans Mudhoney, a new record from Iggy and the Stooges, new material from Brooklyn outfit The National, the latest from Parisian indie popsters Phoenix, the fifth LP from New Yorkers The Strokes, David Bowie’s first new album in a decade, and anticipated releases from the likes of Vampire Weekend, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and The Knife’s 98 minute opus, Shaking The Habitual.
Midnight Juggernauts 2013 Australian Tour
Friday 19 April – The Zoo, Brisbane
With special guests YesYou and Young Men Dead
Tickets available via 1300 762 545, www.oztix.com.au and Oztix outlets
Saturday 20 April – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
With special guests YesYou and Four Door
Tickets available via 1300 GET TIX, www.moshtix.com.au and all Moshtix outlets
Wednesday 24 April – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
With special guests YesYou and Client Liaison
Tickets available via 03 9427 9198, www.cornerhotel.com and The Corner Box Office
