A country is known for its landscape, i’s history, its creature comforts, and what it produces, including its art and music. The latter, in particular, can be modern and futuristic or can take you to a different place and time, like a journey brought to you with the finest of traditions and melodies – like a vortex of powerful emotions. In the case of Irish-born singer-songwriter Perry Blake, his inspirations seem to be numerous, wedged between the past and future, his musical creations taking us to explore a musical landscape of hope, grief, lament, survival, renewal and joy.
His new album ‘Death of a Society Girl’ brings us to a special milestone in Blake’s musical career, marking 20 years as a recording artist. It is also Blake’s first album in three years, following the critically acclaimed ‘Songs of Praise’ (5 Star MOJO). The album will be released on CD, as well as digitally, on June 21 via Moochin’ About Records. Co-written and co-produced with long-term collaborator Graham Murphy (Clannad, Sharon Shannon, Marie Brennan), the new album features nine compositions with Blake’s hallmark surrealist lyrics and original artwork by Syrian-born artistHelen Abbas.
Ahead of the release of this beautiful dark cinematic classic, he presents the epic title track ‘Death of a Society Girl’, featuring world-renowned British actor Paul McGann (Dr. Who, Withnail and I). As the passengers on this worthy journey, we can luxuriate in Blake’s generous, comforting voice – spotting traces of Bryan Ferry and Midge Ure, OMD and David Bwie. Co-writing and production by Graham Murphy serves the project well, allowing us to blissfully get lost in Blake’s musical vision. McGann’s involvement is the icing on the cake, involving the listener in the time-spanning love story he narrates. Already associated with adventures and collapsing time as Dr. Who in the epic BBC series, McGann breathes life into this enigmatic role alongside Perry Blake, resonating with positive intrigue and transcending the ordinary. The result is a song that is memorable, catchy and perfectly harmonious.
Born in Ireland’s Sligo county, Perry Blake has been dubbed one of music’s great untapped resources, known for his delicate, downtempo and beautifully melancholic output and uniquely soothing timbre. He debuted in 1998 with the eponymous ‘Perry Blake’ album, released via Polydor UK, including three singles chosen as ‘Singles of the Week’ on Jo Wiley BBC Radio 1, Blake moved to France. There, he achieved cult status across Europe since then, releasing a string of critically-acclaimed studio albums, a live album recorded at Cirque Royal Brussels with a full orchestra, as well as the soundtracks for ‘Presque Rien’ (2004) for French art-house director Sebastien Lifshitz’s hugely acclaimed film of the same name) and ‘Trois Petites Filles’ (2004).
Apart from writing two songs for Françoise Hardy’s platinum selling album ‘Tant de belles choses’, he has appeared regularly on French TV and toured Europe with Carla Bruni, as well as with the French National Jazz Orchestra. Perry Blake’s melancholic, melodic soundscapes have also been featured in many European TV series and cinematic works. Between 2006 and 2011, these include ‘Tiger Lily’ and ‘Clara Sheller’ (France’s version of ‘Sex in the City’), plus the hit Italian movie ‘L’uomo cheama’ starring Monica Belluci.
Over the years, his musical endeavours has led him to collaborate with numerous musical luminaries, including Steve Jansen (Japan, Rain Tree Crow), Glenn Garrett (Dead Can Dance, Brendan Perry), Neil Conti (David Bowie, Prefab Sprout), Rik Carter (The Mission, All About Eve), Marco Sabiu (Ennio Morricone, Tanita Tikaram, Luciano Pavarotti), Dickon Hinchliffe (Tindersticks), and world-renowned French electronic artist Émilie Simon.
Perry Blake has published the children’s book‘Gatos em Lissadell’ in Portugal, as part of a collection by 12 authors, including former U.S president Jimmy Carter, Actors Will Smith and Julie Andrews. Blake also has a separate collaborative music project with Glenn Garrett and Graham Murphy, called Electro Sensitive Behaviour.
As of June 21, ‘Death of a Society Girl’ will be released on CD and available everywhere digitally, including Apple Music, Spotify andBandcamp, where it is now available for pre-order.
CREDITS
All songs written by Perry Blake & Graham Murphy
Recorded at Orchardleigh, North West Ireland & the Production Suite Dublin
Engineered and mixed by Perry Blake & Graham Murphy at the Production Suite Dublin
Mastered by Steve Hall at Future Disc America
Produced by Perry Blake & Graham Murphy
Perry Blake – Vocals, Backing Vocals, Keyboards
Graham Murphy – Bass, Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Additional Drum Programming, String Arrangements.
Artwork by Helen Abbas
Album cover design by Jason Lee Lazell
Released by Moochin’ About @2024
Distributed via PIAS @2024
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
Photos by Sid Rainey
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