Written by: Matt Sloan
Stereo Embers learned this week that the legendary New Zealand band The Chills will be releasing a new album.
Our Editor Alex Green was so excited about the news, he wrote me this note:
“The Chills are a perfect example of pop genius. I’d put singer/songwriter Martin Phillipps up there with everyone from XTC’s Andy Partridge to Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. Erudite, thoughtful and discursive, they remain one of the most potent, mysterious and infectious bands I’ve ever heard. It’ll be good to have them back.”
That being said, let me give you a primer about the new album.
1. Silver Bullets is the Dunedin band’s first new full-length album since 1996’s Sunburnt. And their first new platter of recorded material since the 2004 EP Stand By.
2. The band was formed by Martin Phillipps and his sister Rachel back in 1980, but Martin is the only remaining original member of the band.
3. Silver Bullets’ first single is “America Says Hello.”
4. The Chills have had a revolving door of band member throughout the years–for Silver Bullets the lineup is: Martin Phillipps, James Dickson, Todd Knudson, Erica Stichbury, and Oli Wilson
5. Here’s the track listing for the eleven-song album:
01 Father Time
02 Warm Waveform
03 Silver Bullets
04 Underwater Wasteland
05 America Says Hello
06 Liquid Situation
07 Pyramid Moon
08 Aurora Corona
09 I Can’t Help You
10 Tomboy
11 Molten Gold
6. Phillipps seems to be as excited as we are about the record, posting a picture of a test pressing of the album on Twitter with the hashtag: “excited.”
7. Want to hear “America Says Hello”? Here you go…
8. Aside from an upcoming band tour, Martin Phillipps will be playing some solo shows in the next few weeks to warm up for the album’s release.
9. The album was recorded at Albany Street Studios in the band’s Dunedin hometown.
10. Silver Bullets will be out October 30 on Fire Records.
