Gritty St. Helens trio Spectral Chorus, aka Fran Baxter (Vocals Guitar), Martin Baxter (Vocals, Bass) & Ewan Johnson (Vocals, Guitar) have announced their debut EP, out on Monday June 1st via James Skelly’s (The Coral) Skeleton Key Records. Baxter and Johnson met after being sacked from their jobs, and the band ended up living together, eeking out an existence of regular trips to pawn their gear, and living on the hotel breakfasts that Ewan made by day. They were able to use these experiences (and more) to good effect when writing the dark, haunting songs.
We’re premiering the EP opener Old House on Backseat Mafia today. Its this gentle, atmospheric track that rolls forward, propelled by delicately picked guitars (reminiscent in a way, of Johnny Marr on The Smiths’ Back to the Old House) with static keys and gradually unfurling strings giving it this earthy, almost angelic quality. Over the top the warm vocal of the verse is shrouded in this theatrical harmony for the chorus, gives the whole thing this dark, hazy beauty. Heart-stopping.
Check out the video, here.
