Surely the sun shines brighter the day we are blessed with another single from the living legends The Bats, one of the finest exports from Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud. It’s been five long years since their last album and The Bats have today released their new single ‘Loline’, while in the midst of recording a new album and the result is truly magnificent.
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 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’.
‘Loline’ features a slight fuzzing buzzsaw edge to the guitars and soaring harmonised vocals. Scott’s distinctive vocals shine with a trademark insouciant delivery, the lyrics dreamingly bright-eyed and romantic, Kaye Woodward’s harmonies adding a luscious luminescence. The track skips with an abandoned sense of joy, and as with any good pop song, flecks of melancholia threaded throughout.
The evocative music video features recent concert footage and shots of the band coating along on bicycles was directed, shot and produced by Martin Sagadin, assisted by Jack Freeman and Lucy Lallemant – and all with the support of New Zealand on Air.
Out through, of course, the magnificent Flying Nun Records, you can get the single here and through the link below. ‘Loline’ was recorded at Chicks Studio in Port Chalmers by Flying Nun legend, Tex Houston, with extra keyboards from Ryan Fisherman.
The Bats are Robert Scott, Kaye Woodward, Paul Kean and Malcolm Grant.
Feature Photograph: Richard Langston
