Many of our regular readers will be familiar with The Big Eyes Family Players, the Sheffield-based five-piece headed by artist/printmaker James Green who have previously collaborated James Yorkston (most notably on Folk Songs), Alasdair Roberts, Terry Edwards and Rachel Grimes to name but a few.
Now in their fifteenth year, the band have shortened their name to Big Eyes Family and announced their eighth album, The Disappointed Chair (Sonido Polifonico on 13 November 2020). Their sound has touched on folk music, modern classical and drone/noise at times, but for the last few years they have been working on a more psychedelic pop sound as noted by Thomas Blake on their last album Oh! (2016):
They have never been a straight folk band, despite the traditional albums of the past. Rather, they have a pop sensibility and an individuality that allows them to appropriate many genres without being in thrall to any of them. As the gloriously cacophonous finale of Like Saviours reaches a fever pitch of swirling psych and scuzz, it becomes clear that they are at the very top of their game, and that ‘Oh’ is perhaps their finest album to date.
Thomas Blake, Folk Radio UK
The Disappointed Chair features mostly original songs by James and vocalist Heather Ditch but as with Oh! which included one cover (Lal Waterson’s Song For Thirza), this new offering features a cover of Dusty Springfield b-side Summer Is Over, originally released in 1964.
With the album announcement, they have shared two videos: (Sing Me Your) Saddest Song which touches on how connections with people may only become true when you’ve seen their vulnerabilities, the video was created by Lee Mondo, and Cassini’s Regret, on the fate of a satellite orbiting Saturn, which was created by singer, songwriter and visual artist Marry Waterson.
Performing alongside James Green and Heather Ditch are also James Street, Guy Whittaker and Neal Heppleston…it’s a small world as Guy and Neal are also featuring on Jim Ghedi’s new album announced earlier today.
The sound of the album takes the fizzing psychedelic pop of the last release, and stretches it into all sorts of weird shapes, adding layers of synths, organ and guitar into the heady mix. The album was recorded in Sheffield, UK and produced by Sheffield maestro Dean Honer (I Monster, Eccentronic Research Council, Moonlandingz, International Teacher Of Pop, All Seeing I) and he played on several songs too. The band worked with Lee Mondo and folk musician Marry Waterson on the promo videos.
The Disappointed Chair is released on 13th November via Sonido Polifonico in two physical editions:
- Special edition of 100 copies of vinyl LP with a bonus lathe-cut 7inch, featuring remixes by Pefkin and Dean Honer, plus a screenprint, badges and a ceramic token.
- Standard vinyl LP edition of 150 copies.
Vinyl pre-orders from 6th November 2020.
Both editions come with a download code. The album is also available digitally on https://thebigeyesfamilyplayers.bandcamp.com/
To buy the album on vinyl (with download codes, bonus remix 7inch, badges, prints and more) go to: https://www.sonidopolifonico.co.uk
The album cover is from a painting by Corrina Rothwell.