Acclaimed alt-folk duo Memorial team up with Lomelda for the new single "Guardian" - taken from their forthcoming album 'Redsetter' out May 10th through Lucy Rose's Real Kind Records
NEW ALBUM ‘REDSETTER’, OUT MAY 10TH THROUGH REAL KIND RECORDS
PRE-ORDER HERE
PRAISE FOR MEMORIAL:
“A brass-flecked heartbreaker that recalls Simon & Garfunkel and Sufjan Stevens”
SUNDAY TIMES CULTURE
"Friendship is at the heart of the musical endeavour that is Memorial. Comprised of best friends Ollie Spalding and Jack Watts, their music emerges from the natural connection and openness that comes from really knowing and being comfortable with someone. Listening to a Memorial song is like being allowed to observe a friendship from within, being included in all the revelations that it brings.” NOTION
“Real aural therapy… wonderful” SIAN ELERI, BBC RADIO 1
“This is very beautiful…Kings of Convenience meets Simon and Garfunkel at their harmonious best.. Very beautiful… lush and gorgeous harmonies there” – CHRIS HAWKINS, BBC 6MUSIC
“This really struck a chord with me… that sounds absolutely fantastic” – JOHN KENNEDY, RADIO X
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With the likes of BBC Introducing, 6Music and Radio X showing love for their recent singles “Silver”, “Circle” and “Corduroy”, acclaimed alt-folk duo Memorial deliver the final preview of their second studio album ‘Redsetter’, the sweeping Lomelda collaboration “Guardian”.
Continuing to explore more of that warm and lofty appeal the pair are looking to bring to their latest LP, “Guardian” finds them in one of their most heartfelt guises to date. Accompanied by a stunning new video, created by artist/animator Beattie Hartley, both Memorial and Lomelda soar across this alluring new swoon, elevating their tender approach to songwriting at every turn.
Speaking about new release, they said, “Guardian is about empathy and forgiveness without losing integrity. Exploring a place of vulnerability within kindness. Choosing forgiveness over bitterness. Acknowledging the stories behind your emotions. It feels like a reminder that it is possible to honour your feelings and remain kind through empathy.”
Adding about the video, “The video created by the incredible Beattie Hartley (don’t hug me I’m scared) is intended to be a look at life through the eyes of the Inner child. All made by hand and animated by hand it’s a beautifully innocent journey into the strong heavy thematic meaning of the song.”
To tie in with their latest album, Memorial will be embarking on a full UK tour in the months around the release. See below for the full list of confirmed shows so far.
MEMORIAL - UK TOUR DATES:
May 2024
Wed 22 - Bristol, Jam Jar
Thu 23 - Manchester, Low Four Studio
Sat 25 - Newcastle, A Stone's Throw Festival
Sun 26 - Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete's
June 2024:
Tue 4th - Birmingham, Hare & Hounds
Thu 6th - Brighton, Folklore Rooms
Sun 9th - Nottingham, Metronome
Mon 10th - Cambridge, Portland Arms
Tue 11th - London, Paper Dress Vintage
Wed 12th - Southbourne, The Wight Bear
Memorial is a project rooted in friendship, one fuelled by unflinching honesty. Ollie Spalding and Jack Watts were friends first, and songwriting partners second, and this quality sets them apart. They’re marked by that peculiar alchemy when two voices become one, a special sense of human connection wrought through harmony and emboldened with experience. New album ‘Redsetter’ is their coming-of-age moment – gilded indie-folk with an optimistic sense of maturity, it dares to look towards the light.
“We had literally no idea what was gonna happen!” Ollie gasps when looking back on the pair’s self-titled debut album. Sculpted over the pandemic and released on Real Kind Records – the boutique Communion imprint chaired by Lucy Rose – the record displayed their core values. “The emotion has to be right,” says Oliver. “When we record songs, we want to stay true to the emotion – as though those songs had just been written seconds before they were recorded.”
It’s this facet that sparked ideas for Memorial’s second album. The success of their debut brought fresh experiences – writing with Flyte, collaborating with everyone from Matthew & The Atlas and Victoria Canal to Talos and Olafur Arnalds – but also new challenges. New LP ‘Redsetter’ takes them from their base in Brighton to a remote part of Texas (and back again); it’s a record that’s driven by a special kind of determination, dealing with intimate bonds, familial connections, and a quiet sense of renewal.
The album deals with the push and pull of new challenges, and fresh commitments. Ollie was set to become a father for the first time a few months after recording, something he tackles in-depth on heart-swelling new song ‘River’. It’s a double-edged sword, though: recording in Texas took him away from his pregnant partner. Jack, too, has his own circle of support – he works in the mental health sector which often includes overnight shifts with vulnerable people. “Managing the new responsibilities in our lives has been challenging,” say the duo. “When coexisting and planning a future - kids, marriage and buying a house - it completely changes the foundations of why this is important to us and the drive required to make it work.”
Even the album’s title is a reference to growth, and maturation: ‘Redsetter’ is named after a breed of dog that takes longer to mature than most. “We chose to view this creatively rather than personally, despite it being accurate either way,” the group commented. “When the album was complete it felt like we’d returned to our bodies with a new understanding.”
Looking for perfect moments within our imperfect lives, Memorial have displayed an extraordinary sense of character to drive themselves forwards. “We’ve let go of trying to make everything sound perfect,” says Jack. “Being vulnerable in that way means that the end product is truer to you than it ever could be. There’s a realness to it.” Memorial have taken true ownership of their lives, pushing through enormous challenges to unlock new aspects of their artistry, and actualise their dreams.
‘Redsetter’ Tracklist:
White Campion
Corduroy
Guardian ft. Lomelda
Good Nature ft. Molly Parden
Redsetter
Inbetween
Circle
Silver
Honey
River
Warrener
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