This April will see the release of the sophomore album from Melbourne’s Super Wild Horses via Dot Dash/Remote Control.
Crosswords is the name of their second studio album, and the lo-fi garage duo of Amy Franz and Hayley McKee recorded it last year just outside of Castlemaine at Newstead Butter Factory, the same location where labelmate Chet Faker covered Burial’s “Archangel” as part of his Live Sessions EP.
The duo initially lay down a whopping 22 tracks over three days at the factory, before beefing up their sound with extra percussion and vocals at Northcote’s Transient Studios. Together with engineer Jack Farley (Twerps, Beaches) and friends Liam Kenny (Bitch Prefect, Peak Twins) and Rick Milovanovic (Twerps, Boomgates), they settled on 13 songs for the final release.
In a press release for the new album, the two ladies described the album as “a reflection on the guessing game of life; the times you get it right, and the times when you’re left staring at the aftermath of a bad decision.” Fans will be pleased to hear that it still contains all the fuzzy, garage alt-pop they’re known for, but sees them drawing on other genres like country and soul, and “at times, even more melancholic tones, as well as their unique brand of garage-driven goodness.”
Crosswords comes nearly three years after their lauded debut, Fifteen. Their breakthrough LP garnered much attention at home, particularly in community radio where it made album of the week on Melbourne’s Triple R, Sydney’s FBi and Perth’s RTR.
Overseas, it was released on underground rock n roll Chicago label HoZac Records followed by a tour of the States, including a slot at Goner Fest in Memphis, Tennessee. Pitchfork applauded Fifteen, stating that the self-professed amateur musicians had “a confidence well beyond their years.”
This album is the latest in a string of great Australian releases due this year from the likes of Bernard Fanning, Birds of Tokyo, the AMP shortlisted Hermitude, Hilltop Hoods, Airbourne, Boy & Bear, Matt Corby, Washington, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The Drones, a swathe of new material from Pond, and the just-announced album from Big Scary.
There is also a strong selection of international albums due out this year, including Fall Out Boy‘s latest, The Strokes’ fifth LP, Daft Punk’s long-awaited fourth studio album, their first after switching labels to Columbia Records, David Bowie’s first new album in a decade, and let’s not forget new records due soon from Vampire Weekend, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and The Knife’s 98 minute opus, Shaking The Habitual.
You can view the artwork and track-listing for Super Wild Horses’ Crosswords – out Friday 5 April 2013 via Dot Dash / Remote Control – below
Crosswords Track-listing:
1: Alligator
2: Memphis
3: Don’t Gamble
4: Heavy Step
5: You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
6: Meant For Two
7: Dragging The Fog
8: Ono In A Space Bubble
9: West Coast
10: Running With Wolves
11: You Have Two Feet (So Run)
12: Waikiki Romance
13: Setting Sun
