State Broadcasters – A Different Past (Album Premiere)

Take a first listen to the long-awaited third album from Glasgow quartet State Broadcasters

Feature by The Skinny | 22 Mar 2017

Marking four and a half years since the release of their previous LP Ghosts We Must Carry, this also marks a new chapter for State Broadcasters as they bid farewell to founding member Graeme Black and welcome new bandmate David McGinty (ex- of Endor and Fake Major) into the fold. McGinty is joined by Pete MacDonald of Randolph's Leap, De Rosa collaborator Gillian Fleetwood, and bassist Cameron Maxwell, with additional appearances by cellist Susan Appelbe and Stanley Odd's Andrew Samson.

Sonically, the new album fuses folk, pop and indie influences together, offering a mixture of upbeat cuts and melancholic tracks. The ten songs blend into a smooth whole which urges its listener to strive for a kinder and fairer society. Listen to A Different Past in the player below. 

Introducing the new album, MacDonald says: "It has been such a long time since the last album came out, it's a surreal yet wonderful feeling to finally be able to release some new music into the wild. For a while it felt like this album may not see the light of day, as Graeme decided to call it a day with the band during the recording process. The rest of us felt strongly that we had a really good album in the making though, so we took some time to recalibrate the band a bit with David McGinty joining us. I'd like to think that it has been worth the effort, as all of us (Graeme included) are really proud of the end result.

"The whole album was recorded and mixed at home, so we were able to take our time making each song work the way we wanted. There are some quite contrasting moods within the record – some of the songs are poppier than we've ever done before, but there are some moments that are possibly more melancholy than anything we've previously made too.

"We think this light and shade works well, and we're really looking forward to seeing how folk respond to it. Hopefully there's enough in there to please old fans of the band, while offering something different to appeal to people who might not be acquainted with us."

State Broadcasters launch A Different Past with a show at The Wee Red Bar in Edinburgh on 24 Mar and a follow-up gig at St Peter's Church in Partick on 26 Mar; the album is released on the same day, available in CD, vinyl and download formats via Olive Grove Records.

http://thestatebroadcasters.co.uk/