Blossoms Announce Fifth Studio Album 'Gary', Share Title Track
Monday, 03 June 2024
Written by Jon Stickler
Blossoms have announced their fifth studio album.
The follow-up to 2022's 'Ribbon Around The Bomb' is titled 'Gary' and will arrive on September 20. Produced by long-time collaborator James Skelly of The Coral, alongside Jungle's Josh-Lloyd Watson, it comprises 10 tracks, with Dublin artist CMAT landing co-writing credits on I Like Your Look and Why Do I Give You The Worst Of Me?.
As a preview, the Stockport indie-rockers have shared the record's upbeat title track, an acoustic guitar-driven song that comes with a video directed by Ewan Ogden and the band's lead vocalist Tom Ogden. Take a look below and keep an eye out for cameo appearances from Rick Astley and Everton Football Club boss Sean Dyche, who reprises his role from Blossoms' previous video What Can I Say After I’m Sorry?. Tom Ogden commented:
"The video is directed by myself and my brother Ewan Ogden and it picks up where our last video left off. The song is based on a true story I heard on the radio last year - Gary the 8-foot fibreglass Gorilla was stolen from Reynard Garden in Carluke, Scotland. We’ve recreated the story on screen with Rick Astley playing Andrew Scott, the owner of the garden centre, and the band stealing Gary. This video was so much fun to make and was shot again on 16mm film, on location around Stockport, the Peak District, and Derbyshire.
"The song itself is the centrepiece of the album and after toying with different titles, we kept going back to Gary. In the end, it could only be 'Gary'."
On the album, he added: "The heart of this record is about the five of us recording live in a room together for the first time in years. We wanted to capture the energy of what it’s like when five friends decide to start a band and make music together.
"We collaborated more than we ever have on this record too, and alongside working with long-time collaborator James Skelly, we brought in Josh and CMAT (Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson). We hired an AirBnB on the seafront in Anglesey and locked ourselves away for the writing session with Ciara and it was one of the most inspiring few days we’ve had as a band. During the writing process, we were listening to a lot of Bowie, Blondie, and Hall & Oates."
Of the LP's other tracks, he explained: "The album tracks themselves are based on different stories, mostly from personal experience. On Big Star after seeing a well-known music journalist in the Chateau Marmont, I debate going over and introducing myself but then shyness gets the better of me and I don’t. I Like Your Look is a tipping of the hat to Blondie's Rapture and a wink to Joan Baez Time Rag, and lyrically it explores a tongue-in-cheek approach to high fashion. Mothers is an ode to my and Joe’s friendship and it references the fact that our mothers were friends back in the 80s."
Blossoms will support Tom Grennan at London's Gunnersbury Park on August 10, following festival slots at Isle Of Wight and TRSNMT. They'll wrap up their summer with their biggest headline show to date at Wythenshawe Park, Manchester on August 25. Tickets for all dates are on sale now.
'Gary' tracklist:
1. Big Star
2. What Can I Say After I'm Sorry?
3. Gary
4. I Like Your Look
5. Nightclub
6. Perfect Me
7. Mothers
8. Cinnamon
9. Slow Down
10. Why Do I Give You The Worst Of Me?
Blossoms Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Sun August 25 2024 - MANCHESTER Wythenshawe Park and Gardens
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