A magic realist psychedelic waltz
from Nathan
“I’ve seen the Tombs of Tremorfa,
The Sphinxes of Splott,
I’ve seen the Witches of Whitchurch
I like them a lot
I’ve seen the Gorgons of Grangetown
But I looked away
I see the Harpies of Habershon Street
Every day”
From “Waltz of the Weekend” by Soft Hearted Scientists, 2023.
Ever wondered what a magic realist psychedelic waltz about a trip from Splott to Tintern Abbey, with a middle section that resembles “Bohemian Rhapsody” on a budget mashed up with “Stonehenge” by Spinal Tap sounds like? You won’t have to wait too much longer.
New Scientists in May (or, maybe, June)
from Nathan:
Aiming to finish mixing this month, get the album mastered next month and possibly released in May. June latest.
It’s turning into an epic with many songs stretching out, then stretching out some more. Quite cinematic, very trippy.
Probably an hour long. Maybe more. It’s got a life of its own.
Soft Hearted Scientists in the studio
news from Nathan
Mixing a deceptively cheerful pop song with echoes of The Who about bumping off domestic abusers called “The Fixer” (“Right wing views and an atom bomb disposition/Suddenly he disappeared but I’m above suspicion”).
An astonishing amount of instrumental and vocal overdubs so having to be brutal and cull a few for the sake of clarity. Seriously thinking of an alternative overspill album of lost overdubs. Spencer Segelov plays some heroic Keith Moon chaos drums.
‘Golden Fleece’
from Nathan:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
GOLDEN FLEECE BY NATHAN HALL AND THE SINISTER LOCALS IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER ON BANDCAMP.
14 songs of technicolour psychedelia with a heart.
Awash with songs, sounds and lyrics to infuse your day with colour and hope, induce flashbacks to childhood, lift your mood and transport you around the solar system from the comfort of your sofa without the need to ingest illegal substances.
Preorder here
Songs about being transported to Laurel Canyon in 1967 via red wine and antihistamines.
Songs about nervous breakdowns set to disturbingly cheerful music.
Songs about putting your demons to work to pay their rent.
Songs about taking a pill that makes your face look like the Green Goblin.
Songs about beautiful dead actresses.
Songs about “Jason the joyrider, chased by police, poor man’s never going to find the Golden Fleece, his Argonauts have all settled down or are doing time”.
Songs about joyriding a Ferris Wheel and riding it down Garth Mountain then dumping it in Caerphilly.
Songs about joy deferred set to music that sounds like a lost 1966 Beach Boys track.
Songs about the British Weather finally getting its act together so you can go to the damned seaside.
A song that invents a new dance called “The Jellyfish”.
Songs about “Strumming while Rome burns” to block out the insanity of the world.
Preorder here
Plans for new SHS, Sinister Locals albums
From Nathan:
Hi everyone. Just an update. The release of a Fruits De Mer compilation of Soft Hearted Scientists material is a lovely compliment which we hugely appreciate. But personally it underlines the need for a new SHS album which we began in January but has come to a halt because of Covid.
It may be that we cannot resume studio recording until January absolute earliest or even summer 2021 meaning a 2022 release. I find this INCREDIBLY frustrating.
However I hope to be releasing the 4th Sinister Locals album before Christmas as this is home recorded. The only positive side effect of Covid has been the ridiculous amount of writing new material I have done.
Seriously, Sinister Locals 5 is mainly written as is the SHS album and more SHS material for after that. So I just want to put the record straight in case you think we are coasting on “past glories”. I care about that kind of thing.
And I recorded 2 new songs last night. And every Saturday night. Or else I’m not allowed to open a bottle of wine. I ain’t kidding. It’s the law. Thanks for listening. Nathan Hall.