June 30, 2015
Photo by Joseph H. Adams
Pugwash Banishes Negativity on “Kicking And Screaming.”
Irish band Pugwash has kept busy overseas for nearly 20 years, but it took until 2014 for the group to put out its first worldwide release, the compilation A Rose In A Garden Of Weeds. They’re back for more with Play This Intimately (As If Among Friends), a collection of 12 new songs that includes “Kicking And Screaming.” The tune premieres today on Speakeasy.
The song is layered with brash guitars and choruses full of luminous vocals harmonies, along with an odd, quick shout-out from Jeff Lynne, the ELO founder and Traveling Wilbury, at about 2:45.
In addition to Lynne, who Walsh counts as a considerable musical influence, “Play This Intimately” includes contributions from Ray Davies of the Kinks, Andy Partridge of XTC and Neil Hannon of the Divine Comedy. Hannon is also Walsh’s partner in another musical project, the Duckworth Lewis Method.
Walsh began performing and writing songs as Pugwash in the early ’90s, recording scores of demos before signing a record deal in 1997 and expanding Pugwash into a four-piece band. The group released its first album, Almond Tea, in 1999.
Play This Intimately (As If Among Friends) is due Sept. 4 on Omnivore Recordings, and Pugwash is scheduled to start a U.S. tour Aug. 24 in Yakima, Wash. See their itinerary here.
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