What is it that is so bewitching about the island dwelling musical marvel Johnny Lynch, aka Pictish Trail? Is it the mellifluous beauty of his voice or his ability to weave a cracking tune into everything from a EDM banger to an alt-folk lullaby. ‘Torch Song’ now joins ‘Hold It’ and ‘Infinity Ooze’ as the portents of his forthcoming album Life Slime. I love the music, the man, and his record label Lost Map, whose artists have featured often on the digital pages of Joyzine. Here is Johnny Lynch’s take on the new track:
“For the most part, I try to avoid writing sad epics with big swaying choruses, but this one just came pouring out and I couldn’t resist. ‘Torch Song’ is a confessional ballad that channels the unease of late-night solitude, where the screen’s glow becomes both torchlight and mirror. As the song started to build, it got me thinking about how phones are used as torches at big concerts, and wondering what my own version of that might be. It began with a lo-fi bassline I recorded on my 8-track machine, which runs throughout, and when I was demoing it with Rob Jones he added these amazing piano chords that brought it to life. The torch songs that have hit me hardest are things like Magnolia Electric Co.’s ‘Hard To Love A Man’ or Radiohead’s ‘Karma Police’, and producer Mike Lindsay encouraged me to lean into the mournful chaos of the latter for ‘Torch Song’s ending. It’s about as close to a guitar solo as I’ll get, one messy swell of sound stretched and pulled apart, until there’s nothing left.”
Over the limping drums, gorgeous chords with the wonky crinkle of pub piano, dry crunch of guitar and marshmallow bass Pictish Trail swoons a melody that conjures up the image of a small stage, a single spot on the artist playing the song that has the man at the end of the bar crying into his beer and bourbon chaser.
There are many ways to buy and stream the forthcoming album including the fan first / tour exclusive pre-release Primordial Blue-In-Pink Goo Edition is available to order now on vinyl and CD via Fire Records and Lost Map. That tour exclusive can be picked up at all Pictish Trail shows from the end of October through to the end of November:
Fri 24 Oct @ Rockfield Centre, OBAN
Sat 25 Oct @ Community Hall, KNOYDART
Sun 26 Oct @ LAS, Portree, ISLE OF SKYE
Mon 27 Oct @ Bowling Club, PITLOCHRY
Tue 28 Oct @ Tolbooth, STIRLING
Wed 29 Oct @ Hug & Pint, GLASGOW
Thu 30 Oct @ Playhouse, MONTROSE
Fir 31 Oct @ Hallowe’en Party, Leith Cricket Club, EDINBURGH
Sat 1 Nov @ Good Vibes (in-store), EDINBURGH
Sun 2 Nov @ Waiting Room, STOCKTON-ON-TEES
Thu 13 Nov @ The Engine Room, NORTH SHIELDS
Fri 14 Nov @ The Gregson, LANCASTER
Sat 15 Nov @ Amped, HUDDERSFIELD
Sun 16 Nov @ The Castle, MANCHESTER
Mon 17 Nov @ Blue Bird, YORK
Tue 18 Nov @ Future Yard, BIRKENHEAD
Wed 19 Nov @ Wiltshire M.C., BRADFORD-UPON-AVON *
Thu 20 Nov @ Hare & Hounds, BIRMINGHAM *
Fri 21 Nov @ Jam Jar, BRISTOL
Sat 22 Nov @ Islington A.M., LONDON *
Sun 23 Nov @ Cornish Bank, FALMOUTH
Mon 24 Nov @ Patch at Bobby’s, BOURNEMOUTH
Tue 25 Nov @ The Lighthouse, DEAL
Wed 26 Nov @ The Social, LONDON
Pictish Trail: Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | YouTube
Review by Paul F Cook
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