A new release on DIY label Reckless Yes is usually a pretty good predictor of quality, and when combined with veteran indie imprint Gringo Records for a joint release, enjoyment is all but assured. So it was the with baited breath that we approached ‘Lady’s Mantle’ the new single from Order of The Toad‘s forthcoming second album Re-Order of The Toad, out on 17th July as a collaborative endeavour between the two labels. It does not disappoint.
Mixing baroque influences with psychedelic pop and hints of dark country, the trio formed of Gemma Fleet (The Wharves), Robert Sotelo (Upset the Rhythm), and Christopher Taylor inhabit their own strangely skewed musical universe.
Of the single Gemma Fleet said, “The song is about past lives, readying the body for conception and fate. Lady’s Mantle or Alchemilla Mollis is a herb I found out about last year. It’s a good anti-inflammatory and strengthens the uterus. I started using it dried as a tea and have found it superb as a natural way to treat cramps.
In spring I planted a crop in the front garden, it grows readily in Scotland and as the Baader-Meinhof effect took hold I began to see it spring up everywhere, in parks and gardens across the city. The leaves trap dew in perfect drops. Local horticulturalist and neighbourhood garden botherer ‘Danny’ told me that the drops are supposed to have all sorts of magical properties including turning ordinary metals into gold, hence the name – Alchemilla.”
‘Lady’s Mantle’ will be released digitally via Gringo Records / Reckless Yes 17 July 2020. The album Re-Order of The Toad is available to pre-order via Bandcamp now ahead of its release on CD, vinyl and digital download in the Autumn. A planned UK tour is currently on hold due to coronavirus. Revised dates to follow.
Article by Paul Maps