Taken from their forthcoming album ‘Franklin‘ on Hudson Records, Kings of the South Seas have shared their new video for Death of a Gull which opens to some gorgeous banjo and some highly intuitive freestyle drumming, all of which gives the song a southern gothic feel and a darkness accentuated by the trippy flight of gulls upon that dark stormy sky.
The British expeditions in search of the NW Passage through the North of Canada and in particular the loss of Franklin’s expedition to the ice during the 19th Century affected many. The Navy and families who waited at home, the Inuit encountered and the British public who looked on from afar and seemed to signal the beginning of the end of British Empire. These losses and failures left a large wealth of musical, theatrical and literary material as the nation tried to make sense of events.
Following their acclaimed 2014 self-titled debut, this second release by Kings of The South Seas vividly brings to life the music left by these events and their cultural fallout. ‘Franklin’ (Hudson Records – 2nd Feb 2018) features Canadian Voyageur paddling songs, English folk ballads and songs composed on-board ice-bound wintering ships to Victorian parlour pieces – all delivered in powerful, foreboding and affecting style by this unique band
Kings of The South Seas are:
Ben Nicholls – vocal, concertina, organ, banjo (The Full English, Seth Lakeman Band, Nadine Shah Band)
Richard Warren – guitar (Spiritualized, Mark Lanegan Soulsavers)
Evan Jenkins – drums (Neil Cowley Trio)
‘Franklin’ was produced and mixed by Ben Hillier (Blur, Elbow, Depeche Mode) and will be released by up and coming indie folk label, Hudson Records on 2nd February 2018
Pre-order link: https://kotss.lnk.to/franklin