Pugwash return with what is being billed as their first internationally released studio album. This is actually their sixth album, dating back to the 1999 release ‘Almond Tree’, to say nothing of lead singer Thomas Walsh’s work with Neil Hannon in the Duckworth Lewis Method.

This is album that rejoices in the word ‘pop’, a collection of twelve songs that bounce along with pleasant melodies and harmonies. Most tracks are guitar based, but it is restrained beast, layered in amongst the bass and drum, with the vocals ruling the roost. There is always the temptation to mention bands of yester year such as XTC and ELO, but in truth they are following a noble tradition, while making it their own.

Find out more about the band here.

Available on CD, translucent red LP (for first pressing) and digital.

Lead single, ‘Hung Myself Out To Dry

Track Listing:
1. Kicking and Screaming
2. Lucky in Every Way
3. Feed His Heart With Coal
4. Just So You Know
5. Clouds
6. The Fool I Had Become
7. You Could Always Cry
8. Hung Myself Out to Dry
9. Silly Love
10. Oh Happy Days
11. All the Way From Love
12. We Are Everywhere

Play This Intimately (As If Among Friends) is the highly anticipated, new studio release from Pugwash, its first in four years. The album, which had a September 4, 2015 release on Omnivore Recordings in the USA, but is only getting a proper launch here in Ireland at the end of October.

Recorded at Konk Studios (founded by the Kinks), and engineered and mixed by Guy Massey (the Beatles reissues mastering engineer), Play This Intimately contains 12 new tracks that demonstrate the songwriting genius, range in styles and brilliant musicianship their fans have come to know and love from Thomas Walsh (vocals, guitar), Tosh Flood (guitar), Shaun McGee (bass) and Joe Fitzgerald (drums). While their previous albums have featured guest appearance from friends like Ben Folds, Dave Gregory (XTC), Jason Falkner (Jellyfish), and more, this release boasts an impressive pedigree of contributors including Ray Davies (the Kinks), Andy Partridge (XTC), Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy and Walsh’s partner in the Duckworth Lewis Method), and even a “shout” from Jeff Lynne of ELO — long a major influence on Pugwash.

To launch the album, the band headed to the U.S. of A. for a 15,000 mile, 22 gig tour, which included 19 club gigs and 3 house gigs, and all done in one van! The actual US album launch took place in Studio 3 at East West Studios, where The Beach Boys recorded Pet Sounds.

Regarding the US trip, Walsh said: “I, we, us, them, those do solemnly swear to smile 24/8 every time we realize that we’re releasing our first ever ‘new’ album with Omnivore Recordings in the U.S. of actual A.!! I still have to pinch my slabs of flesh to believe it. But you know . . . we’re not half bad. Long live pop.”