WITH DESERVED rave reviews across the board for their second album, Which Way To Happy, out now digitally and with vinyl, cassette and CD following really early into 2022, the lovely Penelope Isles have dropped a new video, this time for the Lily-led “Have You Heard”.
They’ve also been added to the bill for Bella Union’s Winter Wonderland gig at the Union Chapel in Islington this very Saturday, where they’ll be bringing delight alongside Laura Groves, C Duncan and Deep Throat Choir – quite the bill, tickets here; and despaireth not, for the new year leg of their tour takes in just about everywhere – and that includes Falmouth, Guernsey and Pembrokeshire.
“Have You Heard” gets a gripping monochrome miniature movie video courtesy director Jamie Thraves, who made the video for Radiohead’s “Just”. He says: “I heard Penelope Isles on 6 Music and was blown away. They seemed to channel all my favourite bands in one.
“I’ve been into this idea of reaching out to new bands via Instagram to see if they’d be into my music video work and Jack and Lily were open from the get-go. They gave me an absolute gem of a track in ‘Have You Heard’ and they were totally open to what I wanted to do visually.
“This video is a nod and reference to a number of videos and short films I’ve made in the past, themes I’m interested in, and they gave me total freedom to do what I wanted. They are total stars and very down to earth and lovely people. They were so much fun to work with and we had a blast.”
And the song itself? It’s chock full of pedal-to-the-metal acid-pop thrills and spills, Lily in caress mode; cosmic and cute all at once. Hey, see for yourself, just below the tour dates.
There’s also a really comprehensive UK tour in support of album número dos – and I mean really comprehensive, with the tour pitching up in Falmouth, the tiny Welsh city of St David’s, and even St Peter’s Port, Guernsey. Those dates are as follows: tickets are available right now over at Penelope Isles’ website, here.
Friday, December 10th, Brighton, Concorde 2;
Saturday, December 11th, London, Union Chapel, Bella Union’s Winter Wonderland;
Monday, January 17th, Kingston upon Thames, Banquet (in-store);
Tuesday, January 18th, Bristol, Rough Trade (in-store);
Thursday, January 20th, London, Rough Trade East (in-store);
Friday, January 21st, Brighton, Resident Music (in-store);
Saturday, January 22nd, St Peter’s Port, Guernsey, St James;
Monday, January 24th, Totnes, Drift Records (in-store);
Tuesday, January 25th, Guildford, The Boileroom;
Wednesday, January 26th, Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach;
Thursday, January 27th, they’ll be signing at Southsea’s excellent Pie & Vinyl, followed by a gig at The Loft in Portsmouth;
Friday, January 28th, Reading, Face Bar;
Saturday, January 29th, Nottingham, Bodega;
Sunday, January 30th, Leicester, The Musician;
Tuesday, February 1st, Birkenhead, Future Yard;
Thursday, February 3rd, Dublin, The Sound House;
Friday, February 4th, Galway, Roisin Dubh;
Saturday, February 5th, Limerick, Kasbah Social Club;
Monday, February 7th, St David’s, RAFA;
Tuesday, February 8th, Manchester, Low Four;
Wednesday, February 9th, Leeds, Brudenell Social Club;
Thursday, February 10th, Bath, Moles;
Friday, February 11th, Exeter, The Cavern;
Saturday, February 12th, Falmouth, The Cornish Bank;
Wednesday, February 16th, York, The Fulford Arms;
Thursday, February 17th, Newcastle, Cluny 2;
Friday, February 18th, Glasgow, The Hug & Pint;
Sunday, February 20th, Blackpool, Central Library;
Tuesday, February 22nd, Birmingham, Hare & Hounds;
Wednesday, February 23rd, London, Hackney, Oslo;
Thursday, February 24th, St. Albans, The Horn;
Friday, February 25th, Ipswich, The Smokehouse, and
Saturday, February 26th, Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells Forum.
They’re both sweet and excellent live; do get yourself along.
Penelope Isles’ Which Way To Happy is out now digitally, with CD, cassette, with vinyl available from January 21st but also available to secure now; get your copy here.
