Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake just came off a stellar 2010 thanks to the group's acclaimed Shadows LP, but it looks as if the musician will take a reprieve from the long-running jangle pop group to focus on his blossoming side-project Jonny.
A press release for the group explains that Jonny's upcoming self-titled debut, to be released on Merge Records, is a testament to the friendship between Blake and Gorky's Zygotic Minci member Euros Child. The pair had bonded initially in 1997 when their respective bands toured with each other, and a couple of years later Blake even contributed vocals to Gorky's 2001 album How I Long to Feel That Summer in My Heart.
"It just felt like he was part of the band... from that point on it always felt like we might do something together in the future, it just took a few years to actually get it organized," Child said in a statement.
The psychedelic pop project initially felt it would record an EP, a process that started at Blake's Glasgow home in 2006, but as the years went on and the pair played some live gigs, the outfit decided to go for a full-length.
If first single "Candyfloss" is any indication of the album's direction, Jonny play their mature pop sweetly without venturing too far into "Sugar, Sugar" territory. You can check out the video for "Candyfloss" below.
If you can't wait for Jonny's February 1 digital release date (a physical version of the album will drop April 12), you can get a free, four-song set of outtakes over here. And while they have yet to announce any North American tour dates, the duo will be hitting the European club circuit in a couple of weeks. You can check out the tour dates below.
Jonny:
1. "Wich is Wich"
2. "Candyfloss"
3. "Waiting Around For You"
4. "Goldmine"
5. "You Was Me"
6. "Circling The Sun"
7. "English Lady"
8. "The Goodnight"
9. "Bread"
10. "Cave Dance"
11. "I Want To Be Around You"
12. "I'll Make Her My Best Friend"
13. "Never Alone"
Free EP:
1. "Gloria"
2. "Beach Party"
3. "Continental"
4. "Michael Angelo (by 23rd Turnoff)"
Tour dates:
1/19 London, England - Water Rats
2/3 Brighton, England - Brighton Ballroom
2/4 Cambridge, England - The Haymakers
2/5 Reading, England - Play
2/7 Bristol, England - Cooler
2/8 Cardiff, Wales - Clwb Ifor Bach
2/10 Nottingham, England - Bodega
2/11 Liverpool, England - Mojo
2/12 Sheffield, England - The Harley
2/14 Manchester, England - Deaf Institute
2/15 Birmingham, England - Glee Club
2/16 York, England - The Basement
2/18 Middlesborough, England - Westgarth SC
2/19 Glasgow, Scotland - Platform
2/20 Newcastle, England - Cluny
2/21 Sunderland, England - Independent Room 2
A press release for the group explains that Jonny's upcoming self-titled debut, to be released on Merge Records, is a testament to the friendship between Blake and Gorky's Zygotic Minci member Euros Child. The pair had bonded initially in 1997 when their respective bands toured with each other, and a couple of years later Blake even contributed vocals to Gorky's 2001 album How I Long to Feel That Summer in My Heart.
"It just felt like he was part of the band... from that point on it always felt like we might do something together in the future, it just took a few years to actually get it organized," Child said in a statement.
The psychedelic pop project initially felt it would record an EP, a process that started at Blake's Glasgow home in 2006, but as the years went on and the pair played some live gigs, the outfit decided to go for a full-length.
If first single "Candyfloss" is any indication of the album's direction, Jonny play their mature pop sweetly without venturing too far into "Sugar, Sugar" territory. You can check out the video for "Candyfloss" below.
If you can't wait for Jonny's February 1 digital release date (a physical version of the album will drop April 12), you can get a free, four-song set of outtakes over here. And while they have yet to announce any North American tour dates, the duo will be hitting the European club circuit in a couple of weeks. You can check out the tour dates below.
Jonny:
1. "Wich is Wich"
2. "Candyfloss"
3. "Waiting Around For You"
4. "Goldmine"
5. "You Was Me"
6. "Circling The Sun"
7. "English Lady"
8. "The Goodnight"
9. "Bread"
10. "Cave Dance"
11. "I Want To Be Around You"
12. "I'll Make Her My Best Friend"
13. "Never Alone"
Free EP:
1. "Gloria"
2. "Beach Party"
3. "Continental"
4. "Michael Angelo (by 23rd Turnoff)"
Tour dates:
1/19 London, England - Water Rats
2/3 Brighton, England - Brighton Ballroom
2/4 Cambridge, England - The Haymakers
2/5 Reading, England - Play
2/7 Bristol, England - Cooler
2/8 Cardiff, Wales - Clwb Ifor Bach
2/10 Nottingham, England - Bodega
2/11 Liverpool, England - Mojo
2/12 Sheffield, England - The Harley
2/14 Manchester, England - Deaf Institute
2/15 Birmingham, England - Glee Club
2/16 York, England - The Basement
2/18 Middlesborough, England - Westgarth SC
2/19 Glasgow, Scotland - Platform
2/20 Newcastle, England - Cluny
2/21 Sunderland, England - Independent Room 2
