It’s a big day today for one of Australia’s premiere indie pop merchants Quivers who have announced their signing to the prestigious US label Merge Records as well as the launch on 9 August 2024 of a new album entitled ‘Oyster Cuts’. And if that wasn’t enough (and it never is), a new single ‘Apparitions’ has been released to whet our appetites.
And what a delight it is. Slightly fuzzy guitars heralds a thumping percussive entry before the vocals soar through the speakers delivering a scaling melody and a joyous, carefree chorus that is anthemic and catchy. The dual vocals add a lustre to the layered sound – there is a cathartic thrill to the delivery.
The DIY video, shot by the band on a camcorder and featuring costumes made by drummer Holly Thomas, follows a lonesome ghost owl as it gets ready for band practice. The band says of the charming video:
We made the filmclip for “Apparition” ourselves over two days with a borrowed Handicam. In our excitement to join our dream label, Merge, we thought it best to make no big moves, just deliver a $0 filmclip and be ourselves, albeit in homemade ghost owl costumes. The song is about trying to move on even while taking your ghosts with you, a realization that even grief has humor in it. It’s also a commitment to friendship, and playing in a band, and the idea that songs will clear the smoke and hold us together sometimes.
There is an innocent charm about it that perfectly matches the exuberant single.
This is welcome return from the band whose album ‘Golden Charm’ received universal accolades (see our review here). ‘Apparitions’ is out now and can be streamed and downloaded here.
You can pre-order ‘Oyster Cuts’ here.
Quivers will be performing at the Merge 35 Festival in North Carolina at the end of July. They will also be supporting Superchunk on their US tour in October. The band will be heading to Europe and the UK at the end of the year.
2024 UK/EU dates:
Dec 03 Dresden, DE – Ostpol. Tickets
Dec 05 Hamburg, DE – Hebebühne. Tickets
Dec 06 Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso. Tickets
Dec 10 Paris, FR – Supersonic
Dec 11 London, UK – The Lexington. Tickets
Dec 12 Manchester, UK – Castle Hotel. Tickets
Feature Photograph: Rick Clifford
