JIM LOCKEY & THE SOLEMN SUN – return with the invigorating indie-rock cut: “Medicine”.
The latest track to be lifted from their first album in nearly a decade, ‘Colour’ (out 28 July, via Xtra Mile Recordings), finds the Cheltenham four-piece in the rudest of health. A revitalizing dose of what they do best, its blend of heart-racing guitar riffs, captivating chorus hooks and a high-stakes lyrical narrative make “Medicine” an essential new addition to the JL&SS catalogue.
Describing that feeling of watching something you love slipping through your finger-tips, Jim Lockey explains of “Medicine’:
“Medicine’ is an admission of feeling powerless; trying to gain perspective of where things went wrong but also understanding there’s little I can do to stop what’s on the horizon. Sometimes the things you work hardest at are the things you’re most likely to lose. ‘You and I will never know why, we had it all and let it go’”
Swiftly following lead single “Reno” – a song all about fresh starts, which broke their nine year-long hiatus from music – both tracks will feature on their eagerly-awaited third album ‘Colour’, which will land on 28 July. Marking a return to their old label Xtra Mile Recordings (who released their 2021 album ‘Death’), the new record will witness Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun tackling dense lyrical themes while shifting their sound into cathartic new stratospheres.
Focused on prominent occurrences in Jim’s life in the years that have passed since their last record, ‘Colour’ deals with the premature end of a marriage, rediscovering himself as an individual and finding ways through life when it feels like a labyrinth. Balancing open-hearted songwriting with arrangements from the Solemn Sun that veer from the ambitious to the abrasive, it’s an album that features enormous anthems like “You & I”, rampant indie rock-tinted cuts like “Mercy Wave” to grittier, more melodic moments like “Always” or “Shame”. A record that takes in a diverse palette of sounds to reflect every shade of life’s rich tapestry, there was only ever one title the band had in mind for their 2023 comeback album… As Jim says:
“The title ‘Colour’ suited these songs and my experiences perfectly. For me colour is what defines a life: it controls our moods, changes our perceptions and decides how we experience the world. We’re constantly searching for colour in our lives, and immediately feel its absence.”
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Forming as a folk-punk band in 2009, Cheltenham four-piece Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun originally signed to Xtra Mile Recordings in 2011, before releasing their acclaimed album ‘Death’ a year later.
Completing two UK headline tours, playing sets at festivals around the world including SXSW and supporting the likes of Mumford & Sons, Johnny Flynn and Peter Doherty, the band rounded out that whirlwind year with an unforgettable set opening for friend and fan Frank Turner.
Gaining widespread praise from the likes of Radio 1, John Kennedy at XFM, BBC 6 Music, Kerrang Radio and more, the band also gained a ‘Next Hype’ accolade from Zane Lowe and played a live session at Maida Vale. ‘Death’ also landed two Top 10 chart positions in the iTunes singer-songwriter chart (#7) and the Record Store Chart (#5), and the band were tipped as one of NME’s bands to watch for the year.
Back with a vengeance with new album ‘Colour’ out next month, Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun have also announced their first UK shows of the year, including an appearance at 2000 Trees festival. Dates below.
JIM LOCKEY AND THE SOLEMN SUN – LIVE DATES 2023
5 July – 2000 Trees Festival, Cheltenham – Tickets
30 July – Guild Hall, Gloucester (Xtra Mile Recordings 30th Anniversary Show) – Tickets
-Official bio
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