The Bats are still swinging from the glorious imperious belfry as the legendary band announce the release of their new album ‘Corner Coming Up’ on 17 October, preceded by the release of the shimmering single ‘Luck Day’. Since the sad death of The Chills’ Martin Phillipps, The Bats continue to stand tall as survivors of the influential Dunedin sound brought to us by Flying Nun in the eighties.
The new single ‘Luck Day’ indicates this is a band that continues to glow with a blinding luminescence and exponentially grow in the process: their trademark fey and wistful pop sound augmented by glorious harmonies and a pure delicate and ethereal beauty in the melody. The track sparkles like the galaxies above with its jangly guitars and soaring vocals. There’s an aching beauty in the tension between the title and the melancholy, yearning delivery.
‘Luck Day’ comes with a low-fi video shot out of a suitcase by Marc Swadel, Julian Reid and Kermath, while on work trips, the accompanying psychedelic video was shot in Florence, London, Tokyo, Doha, Taipei, Liverpool, Zagreb, Manchester and Hong Kong with the band filming themselves in Christchurch. This is the fourth Bats video by director Marc Swadel (who has previously worked with Crowded House, Thurston Moore, The Datsuns, Jonathan Bree, Sparks, Liam Finn, Duran Duran, Head Like a Hole and The Chemical Brothers). Swadel says of the video:
When I heard the name of the song, I thought – lucky cat! The Japanese name for this creature is Maneki-Neko – and in their folklore the Bat is a sign of good luck – the Bakeneko – so it felt like a random but fun idea, to take a cat along on work and shoot as we go.
It’s as immersive as the single and captures the delicious melancholy:
‘Lucky Day’ is out today and can be downloaded and streamed here.
The much anticipated ‘Corner Coming Up’ is out on 17 October, can be pre-ordered here and through the link below. It was recorded at Chicks Studio in Port Chalmers by Flying Nun legend, Tex Houston, and will be out digitally, and on peach or black vinyl LP and CD on 17th October 2025 via Flying Nun Records.
The Bats are Robert Scott, Kaye Woodward, Paul Kean and Malcolm Grant.
If you know, you know – at the forefront of the unique Dunedin Sound from the eighties along with bands like The Chills and The Clean and epitomised by the innovation and creativity of the legendary Flying Nun Label, The Bats formed in Christchurch in 1982. They have consistently achieved musical heights with their unique jingle jangle guitars, dry laconic delivery and capacity to capture the most delicate and intricate melodies. Read my interview with Robert Scott five years ago when they released their last album ‘Foothills’.
1 comment