[Cover photo credit to Dion Ogust]
British Rock veteran Graham Parker is releasing his first album of new material since 2018, titled Last Chance To Learn The Twist. The album features backing by The Goldtops, consisting of bassist Simon Edwards, drummer Jim Russell, guitarist Martin Belmont and keyboard player Geraint Watkins, and contributions from the Easy Access Orchestra horns and backing vocal duo The Lady Bugs. The album is out now, with a limited-edition colored vinyl edition to follow in October.
Two early singles include “We Did Nothing” examining “the cost of inaction” and the Reggae-influenced “Them Bugs.”
Parker shares about the album:
My usual rather conservative arrangements went out the window on this album. The songs morphed as they grew: ‘Grand Scheme Of Things,’ and particularly ‘Sun Valley,’ became less about ‘parts,’ as in a typical pop song, but more about ‘movements.’ Bridges arrive in unusual places, songs were restrained and held to under three minutes, The Lady Bugs sang like street corner ruffians on ‘The Music Of The Devil,’ then floated like the choir girls that they actually are on the ballads, infused with old soul. The Goldtops gave me everything I wanted. Yes, I’m more than pleased with this one.
Parker will be supporting the new album with a series of full-band tour dates in the UK this Autumn.
