Photo credit: Sébastien Faits-Divers
The always busy Miki Berenyi Trio are quickly back with a fast paced piece of sharp guitar laden shoegaze pop, moving forward from their great debut album reviewed here last year, also announcing UK & Ireland tour dates that keeps their psychedelic bus on the road. Read on…
Ahead of a UK & Ireland tour that begins next month, Miki Berenyi Trio share propulsive new standalone single “Island Of One”, released today via Bella Union. “Island of One took shape because I became quite obsessed with the track ‘Just A Western’ by Nilüfer Yanya last year, and the Latin-y beat got me inspired”, says Miki Berenyi. “But I wanted a lively, catchy song to add to our live set, so it ended up less laidback and more 60s-breezy with some driving, scratchy guitars – once all three MB3 members pile in on the embellishments, a song ends up a fair distance from where it started! As ever, recording and production took place in our various home-studio set-ups, and the song was mixed by our brilliant Bella Union labelmate, Paul Gregory.” The live performance video for “Island Of One” was shot in North West London by longtime MB3 visual collaborator Sébastien Faits-Divers.
Commenting further on “Island Of One” Miki Berenyi says: “Lyrically, I’m at the age where a lot of my friends have elderly parents who are increasingly reliant on their help. It’s a new phase in a life relationship and can throw up a lot of emotions. But the words apply as much to all manner of family break-ups and the fraying of long-standing friendships. When you’re young, it’s much easier to justify walking away, but I’m acutely aware, as I get older, of how important even a thread of connection with people who have shared our lives can be, however difficult those relationships can be to maintain!”
Last year, Miki Berenyi Trio pressed a limited edition 7 inch single of “Doldrum Days”, backed with “Touché”, which sold out during the band’s October US tour. This time out, MB3 will have a similar limited-edition “Island of One / Stranger” 7 inch for the merch stall at the gigs, packaged in another beautiful sleeve by Chris Bigg and Martin Anderson.
Miki Berenyi Trio, or MB3 for short, is named after its lead singer – a direct way to convey the presence of the former singer/co-guitarist of Lush, and one of the most instantly recognisable faces of the ‘90s. However, the songwriting is entirely a three-way collaboration by Miki Berenyi, KJ ‘Moose’ McKillop and Oliver Cherer. This time last year MB3 released the album Tripla to across-the-board acclaim.
Miki Berenyi Trio UK & Ireland Tour dates:
Monday 20 April – Manchester – Yes basement
Wednesday 22 April – Dublin – The Grand Social
Thursday 23 April – Limerick – Kasbah
Friday 24 April – Waterford – Bank Lane
Saturday 23 May – Chelmsford – Hot Box
Sunday 24 May – Catton Park – Bearded Theory Festival
Thursday 18 June – Portsmouth – Wedgewood Rooms
Friday 19 June – London – Bush Hall
Saturday 20 June – Norwich – Norwich Arts Centre
Wednesday 24 June – Birmingham – Institute 2
Thursday 25 June – Liverpool – Academy 2
Friday 26 June – Hebden Bridge – Trades Club
Find Miki Berenyi Trio on Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Forewords by Wayne Carey, Reviews Editor for Louder Than War. His author profile is here
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