The Wombats perform live at Rock City, The Main Hall, Nottingham
The three band members met in 2003 at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, soon becoming friends and starting to jam together. In 2006, the band released their debut single Girls, Boys, and Marsupials which was only available as a release in Japan.
In January 2007, the band released a second limited edition vinyl called Moving to New York, then in May of that year they released a third single entitled “Backfire at the Disco”, which reached number 35 in the UK Singles Chart. This was followed by then band’s first full single “Kill the Director” in late July. Their debut album, entitled The Wombats Proudly Present: A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation, coincided with the release of “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” in October 2007, and peaked at number 11 in the UK Albums Chart. This release was followed by a European tour ending with a thanksgiving party at Liverpool Academy.
The band started 2008 as the opening act at the opening ceremony of Liverpool, European Capital of Culture at Liverpool Arena. “Moving to New York” was re-released on 14 January 2008 and reached number 13 UK Singles Chart, becoming their highest charting release to date. On the 28th February 2008 the band was awarded ‘Best Dancefloor Filler’ for their single “Let’s Dance To Joy Division” at the NME Awards.
Announce new album ‘Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life’
Due via Kobalt Music Recordings this February 9th 2018
Stream new track “Lemon To A Knife Fight” https://thewombats.lnk.to/ltakf
Pre-order the album here https://thewombats.lnk.to/bpwryl
UK tour dates soon TBA
US headline tour announced for January 2018
Summer tour with Weezer & The Pixies begins June 2018
facebook.com/TheWombatsUK | @TheWombats | The Wombats on Spotify
The Wombats have announced full details of their fourth studio album, ‘Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life’, due for release this February 9th 2018 via Kobalt Music Recordings, shared brand new single ‘Lemon To A Knife Fight’, full US headline tour dates, and a tour with The Pixies and Weezer.
‘Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life’ sees The Wombats continuing to assert themselves as one of the biggest and best guitar pop sensations of our time. 2015’s ‘Glitterbug’ LP saw a UK Top 5 Album, headline show at Alexandra Palace, and has currently received over 200 million digital streams. Whilst June 2017’s headline performance at Brixton Academy to celebrate the tenth anniversary of platinum-selling debut album ‘A Guide To Love, Loss & Desperation’ sold-out in under 24 hours, not to mention two sold-out nights at the Sydney Opera House.
Having premiered as Annie Mac’s ‘Hottest Record’ on BBC Radio 1, ‘Lemon to A Knife Fight’ rides a push-pull rollercoaster of euphoria and desperation, delivered with the band’s signature animation and wit. Speaking of the track, frontman Matthew ‘Murph’ Murphy adds: “Lemon to a Knife Fight came around after my wife and I had a huge argument on Mulholland Drive. I’d been watching tons of David Lynch too, the song just kind of fell out of me.”
Stream ‘Lemon To A Knife Fight’ here – https://thewombats.lnk.to/ltakf
Written from three corners of the globe – drummer Dan Haggis in London, bassist Tord Øverland Knudsen nursing his new family in Oslo and frontman Murph in Los Angeles – Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life was created over long distance writing sessions, supplemented by intense two-week in-person sessions in Oslo. With the addition of producers Mark Crew (Bastille, Rag’n’Bone Man) and Catherine Marks (Wolf Alice), the album finds The Wombats pushing the boundaries of alt-pop innovation with a lush, ultramodern indie soundscape wrapped in Blade Runner synths, future grooves, celestial solos and space age melodies.
“I wanted to make an album that had more swagger, was a bit more laid back, something that wasn’t punching you in the face every time you listen to it,” Murph explains. “On every level, musically and interpersonally, we’re much closer.”
Debuting in the Top 5 on the UK Album Chart and Billboard 100, 2015’s ‘Glitterbug’ saw lead single “Greek Tragedy” receive over 70 million combined Spotify streams, surpassing even the band’s euphoric hit singles ‘Let’s Dance To Joy Division’, ‘Moving To New York’ and ‘Kill The Director’ that established them as chart-quashing champions of the noughties guitar pop explosion.
Where ‘Glitterbug’s exploration of the mythology of Los Angeles and Murph’s budding long-distance relationship, ‘Beautiful People Will ruin Your Life’ finds the singer newly married and relocated to LA.
“The last album was about me meeting someone and my life going upside down in Los Angeles, partying too hard and getting myself in trouble,” Murph explains. “This album is about me battling against that, trying to live an adult life. And failing.”
Rocketing between psychedelic euphoria and dark disfunction, ‘Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life’ captures The Wombats’ unique pairing of irrepressible hooks and tragi-comic lyricism with a newfound maturity and moving emotional depth. Together, the Liverpool-formed trio have created a record that’s still instantly sing-along but demands to be taken seriously.
With UK tour dates soon TBA for 2018, The Wombats have detailed North American headline shows for this January, as well as US summer shows with The Pixies and Weezer through June and July. Full dates below.
Pre-order ‘Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life’ here – https://thewombats.lnk.to/bpwryl
New single ‘Be Your Shadow’ impacts June 22nd
“Indie electro-pop is declared well and truly Back With A Bang.” – NME
“Zesty and upbeat with some dark lyrics and a sparser, crisper rhythm.” – The Independent
“They’re onto something here.” – Q
“Packed with anthemic hooks.” – Pitchfork
“Crammed full of sunny synths and glassy-eyed, glammy pop.” – Rolling Stone
Fresh from announcing their biggest London show to date at Alexandra Palace, The Wombats can now confirm a full UK tour which will commence in September. The tour will follow a packed summer festival schedule which includes Reading, Leeds and T in the Park, plus international dates in a further fourteen countries including America, Australia and Russia.
The trio’s most recent tour in support of their new album ‘Glitterbug’ (which hit #5 in the UK and #2 in Australia) was entirely sold-out, and included a London date at Brixton Academy. The NME’s review of their Bristol show stated: “This sold-out comeback tour is where the fun bursts back into gig going.” NME’s subsequent feature added that The Wombats “were met with heroes’ welcome from their public” at shows across Europe.
Their performance of ‘Be Your Shadow’ from the Brixton show can be seen at https://youtu.be/N1ABXYMEj-I.
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