The Bats have been back at it, returning to the studio to record their tenth album Foothills. It comes out November 13th via Flying Nun Records.
Accompanying this announcement is the album's lead single Warwick. As means of a preview, The Clean's Hamish Kilgour said this about the new track:
“The enigmatic Roberto Scotti returns with the rollicking beat combo’s rockin new single with trademark folky swervings. Yet another slyly understated would-be smash pop hit in that “other” perfect world! ‘Warwick’ glides along with enigmatic’ ambiguous, idiosyncratic lyrics astride a Batsian chug and jangle. Freshly minted and hot to trot for The Bats growing classic cannon. Bend your ears, listen in. Sit back, tap your feet, jump up, or possibly shuffle about to another sideways classic. ‘Warwick’ is in the house!”
Well now you simply have to hear it for yourself! This video was made during New Zealand’s lockdown by Auckland-based Conor Bowden. Conor directed, filmed, edited and acted in the video.
You can stream or download Warwick here.
Full Press Release
Spanning the last 38 years, The Bats have clocked nine incredible albums; each one seeing the band evolve with new material from the prolific songwriting hand of Robert Scott. Add to that tally the extra singles, b-sides, EPs, compilations and tribute songs they’ve recorded, creating a succinct setlist is a nearly impossible task.
Foothills was recorded in Spring 2018 at a country retreat pop-up studio. At that time, 15 songs were captured and immortalised in the Canterbury foothills of the Southern Alps, Aotearoa (New Zealand). Only too well, The Bats know the possibilities, potentialities and sonic vistas that arise when one takes the reins for the recording process in a beautiful place that’s on home turf.
Robert Scott, on the making of Foothills has said “Time marches on... finally, we found a gap in our busy lives and chose a week to convene. We found a house that is usually inhabited by ski field workers — Kowai Bush, near Springfield about an hour west of Christchurch and of course nestled in the foothills of the mighty Southern Alps. The songs had been written, demo’d and arranged for some time, but still with a little room for trying things out in the studio. Many carloads arrived at the house, full of amps guitars and recording gear, we set up camp and soon made it feel like home; coloured lights, a log fire, and home cooked meals in the kitchen. We worked fast, and within a few days had all the basic backing tracks done, live together in one room, the way we like to do it - it’s all about ‘the feel’ for songs like ours.”
Foothills Tracklist
1.Trade In Silence
2.Warwick
3. Beneath The Visor
4. Scrolling
5. Another Door
6. Red Car
7. Field of Vision
8. Change Is All
9. As You Were
10. Smaller Pieces
11. Gone to Ground
12. Electric Sea View