Nightingales are arguable one of the UK’s most criminally underappreciated and underrated bands. They have a career that started in 1979 and has spanned eleven studio albums, twenty labels, inexplicable cult obscurity and saw them become the third most Peel ‘Sessioned’ band (after The Fall and Half Man Half Biscuit). Based around vocalist Robert Lloyd, the band, now consists of Lloyd, Andreas Schmid, Fliss Kitson and James Smith. In recent times the band has seen a deserved resurgence in their career with critically acclaimed releases and successful extensive club tours.
Available as a download only single on June 12th 2020 on Tiny Global Records, ‘Everything, Everywhere, All Of The Time’ is taken from their current record Four Against Fate which was released on May 22nd 2020.
Recorded at Faust Studio, Germany, the track is a deliciously wonky and typically idiosyncratic release from this inventive band. Based around a throbbing drum machine beat and demented dual vocals from Lloyd and Kitson, the track is bolstered by a thick bass and a guitar that ebbs and flows driving the catchy repetitive riffs. This is all replete with Metal Micky esque vocoder backing vocals. Mental.
This is unlike anything you will hear at the moment and it is testament to the bands innate ability to be fiercely independent, yet incredibly inventive and creative. As I said, Nightingales are criminally underrated and a band that you definitely need in your life, especially in these weird times.
Later this year will see the release of the Michael Cumming-directed, Stewart Lee-written film on Robert and the band’s incredible and joyous slow rise, King Rocker (Fire Films). Not to mention a number of reissues and retrospective releases will be on their way too. Nightingales will be touring this autumn on twenty-one dates throughout the UK, with continental European and American dates to be announced soon.
Watch the hilarious lo-fi band produced video below and try your best not to giggle at its silliness. Nightingales are a well needed tonic. Listen to them now.
Review by Ioan Humphreys
thenightingales.org.uk