The follow-up to 2017’s Pure Mind, was produced by Josh Korody (Breeze, Beliefs) & Michael le Riche, and will be out on September 16th via Hand Drawn Dracula Records. Pre-order your copy here.
Lemons evolves from the 00's angular guitar rhythms that defined the post-punk foundations of Fake Palms' first two releases. It switches out some of the irregular time-signatures of 70's college rock and first-take recording approach, this time moving with confidence into more dissonant yet accessible directions of brighter melodic structures.
Just the third proper release from a one-man band that le Riche routinely manifests in the flesh onstage in Toronto as a sort of amorphous, all-star underground-Toronto noise-pop “supergroup,” this is an album that fully derives its antisocial scorch through the increased clarity and precision of the Fake Palms vision. Lemons is slippery, spiky, not a little psych-y and more than a little lyrically sour, not to mention frequently, subtly tricked-out from a minimalist, nerdo-instrumental perspective that doesn’t demand that you dork out over the arrangements but will always leave the option open if and when you decide to do so.
More than anything, though, Lemons is the record where Le Riche – who also plays in the steamy synth-pop outfit Sauna and formerly of art-rock troupe the Darcys – fully exposes his talents as a bona fide popsmith.
Speaking about the new album, Michael explains: “This record is the most direct thing I’ve ever done,” says Le Riche. “All the distorted guitars playing 16th-note riffs in different time signatures, washes of noise and buried vocals are basically gone. In their place we made a record that’s lean and a punch to the gut. There are still some moments where the guitars get a little tricky but, in general, we tried to be as immediate as possible. The songs are all fairly short and there are almost no extra production tricks. I was inspired by records like the Dead Boys’ Young, Loud and Snotty and the Buzzcocks’ Another Music in a Different Kitchen. Maybe because of what was going on in the world at the time, or maybe just as a reaction to the last Fake Palms record – which was flush with production flourishes – it just felt necessary to kick the door down instead of knocking.”
Lead single "Satellite", surfs spectacularly along sometime Dilly Dally drummer Benjamin Reinhartz’s pummelling rhythm track to a tingly, soaring chorus that’s impossible to shake after first exposure. "Satellite" is sonically Magazine meets A Flock of Seagulls. Captained by a jagged, muscular guitar part that’s surrounded by an atypical rhythm section it thematically tackles modern technologies, mob mentality and safe havens from doom scrolling.
Check out the album's tracklist and watch the video for "Satellite", below.
Lemons Tracklisting:
1. Drain
2. Visions
3. Satellite
4. Wasted Silhouettes
5. Civil Liberties
6. The Curl
7. Flags
8. Bloom
9. Soft Fear
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Tags: Fake Palms
