New album ‘Soft tissue’ released today.
We are genuinely excited for Soft tissue to be released today.
The times we spent together recording this album were good times – alive, open and without pressure or precondition. The time spent in the studio after the sessions was exciting, so much messing around, so many ideas. The songs were always in motion, searching.
We are feeling, as a band, we around the top of our game, a sweet spot. And Dan’s arrangement skills go from strength to strength. So to for Julian and his great brass arrangements, Lucy and the string guys, always so invested in pushing the songs to the limit. For this album to call for Gina to inhabit that place only she can was a delight. And a great Terry Edwards moment too.
In December 2023 the City Slang guys made the trip from Berlin to central France to listen to the album in its almost finished state and their enthusiasm for the music from that moment has fed into this momentum of good feeling around the album. And their care and attention to detail to create the finished copies has been invaluable.
If you are into vinyl, Soft tissue is a beautiful thing. Sidonie’s artwork is joyous and we are really happy with the mastering and the pressing. It sounds great and on eco vinyl too. The CD is pretty nice also.
We hope you enjoy and get to feel some of that great energy that went into the making of Soft tissue.
And to see many of you at the upcoming concerts.
The album is released today, 13 September 2024, on CD and eco vinyl.
You can order the album here…
New album ‘Soft tissue’ announced today.
First single ‘New world’ available now.
Royal Albert hall and more concerts announced for 2025.
Our new album ‘Soft tissue’ is announced today with its first track ‘New world’ (and its great film) made available.
Pre-order the album here…
In early 2023 we had a great time at Estudis Ground residential recording studio in Girona, Spain. Spending time exploring the song ideas in a loose way, after that it got serious!
Again we are helped by Julian Siegel for the brass arrangements, Gina Foster (in fine voice), Lucy Wilkins who made the string arrangement for one track (Falling, the light) as well as leading the orchestra.
A great Terry Edwards cameo and Dan, as well as playing bass and piano, created the rest of the string arrangements. Côme Jalibert, again, brought so much to the mixing.
The track listing is:
New world
Don’t walk, run
Nancy
Falling, the light
Always a stranger
The secret of breathing
Turned my back
Soon to be April
Stuart says this about the album –
“‘Baby I was falling, but the shit that I was falling through
Thought it was just the world rising’
These are the opening lines of New world and the album, it seems all the songs on Soft tissue inhabit this confusion somehow – despairing at the destruction, suspecting you are responsible…
Musically, it seemed that since 2016’s ‘The Waiting Room’, the band’s output had been reactionary. The last two tindersticks have been so opposed to each other – 2019’s ‘No Treasure But Hope’ was an extremely naturalistic recording process – due in part as a reaction to the previous few years of experimental projects (High life, Minute bodies) and in turn as a reaction to this purity 2021’s ‘Distractions’ became one of the bands most dense, experimental albums.
It felt like time to stop lurching to these extremes and to find a way to marry the rigour of the songwriting and the joy of the band playing together with a more hard-nosed experimental approach”
The album will be released on 13 September 2024 on CD and eco vinyl.
Preorder album here and receive an exclusive Lucky dog 7” of New world (edit) / Falling, the light.
The album is also blessed with the involvement of Stuarts artist daughter Sidonie who as well as creating the pieces in felt for the sleeve also made the ceramic pieces and landscapes for the film for New world.
“Sid was making these tiny ceramic characters, I asked her to make some of the band members. Later I wrote this song ‘New world’ about somehow trying make sense of this strange world I felt developing around me and these little guys came back into my mind – Lets take them on a stop motion journey across a strange land, from the barren rocks to the bountiful fruit that is not familiar and maybe poisonous (the Durian fruit smelled pretty bad, they are not allowed on busses in some parts of the world!) Sid put the landscapes together and moved the figures, millimetres at a time. Neil took the photographs, we edited as went along”
We are also announcing more shows this week, including some very special ones. It has taken over 20 years but we are finally returning the the Royal Albert Hall in London, not quite so long but also a joy to be returning to Salle Pleyel in Paris, Le Carre in Amsterdam and the Olympia in Dublin.
Tickets on sale on Friday 17/05 at 11a.m. CET
Great news. Our first tour dates for the autumn have been announced.
We are looking forward to visit some well loved venues but also some new experiences for us all.
Hoping to see there! x
New song - Falling, the light
The new album is finished and will be gradually revealing itself over the coming months.
All the songs have had their own unique path to being realised and finding their place on the album.
‘Falling, the light’ started its life with Dan at the piano, but that was just the beginning of its musical journey –
It slowly found its sound and balance in a strange and beautiful way.
The words were written quickly on a ‘South Eastern’ train during a visit back to London with all the memories that that city holds.
While much of the album is agitated and struggling for understanding, ‘Falling, the light’ is a quiet corner of some kind of solace and calm.
Felt work by Sidonie Osborne Staples
Great to announce these two special shows.
And with thanks to the Paris Philharmonie for the invitation to put this concert of image and music together.
With 10 films over 27 years to chose from it’s going to a challenge to figure out the set list and to play our music in many different configurations.
And to put all those Claire inspired songs together will be a pleasure – Trouble, Tiny tears, Both sides, Willow, Stars at noon, Put your love in me.
Hope to see you there x
tickets available here…
Auditorium de Lyon
Philharmonie de Paris
'Stars At Noon', the complete Original Soundtrack for Claire Denis’ Cannes Grande Prix winning film is out now!
We are excited for the Stars at noon soundtrack to be released today.
There was a real natural flow of the image and music growing together for this film.
After working under Covid rules for ‘Both sides of the blade’ it was a joy to be back in the studio, great musicians coming and going, a spirit of experimentation and adventure.
Our rhythm section Dan Mckinna and Earl Harvin are storming in this score.
Respect to percussionist David Pattman and organist Ross Stanley for their contributions. The first time that David has played with us since the score for ‘Trouble every day’ in 2001! Julian Seigel played some beautiful sax, Shanti Jayasinha the trumpet. David Okumu brought the mysterious colours only he can.
The freedom in this music felt like such and antidote to the confinement of the previous years and no great need for much conversation with Claire, just an easy flow – always a good sign!
tindersticks new single, ‘Stars At Noon’, out today!
To coincide with the release in the U.S. of the Claire Denis’ Cannes Grande Prix winning ‘Stars at Noon’ we give you the title song. We think it’s a peach!
The complete Original Soundtrack will be follow October 14th.
Watch the clip taken from the film starring Margaret Qualley and Joe Alwyn.
‘A slow-dance set to a swooningly gorgeous new song by Tindersticks is almost heart-stopping – the cherry on top of a surprisingly warm score’
– Indiwire
I stood in CDG, terminal 2, talking to Claire on the cell phone. She was preparing to leave for Panama to start filming ‘Stars at Noon.’
‘And of course I need the song for the dance scene for the shoot,’ she said.
‘What dance scene? Is it in the script?’ I replied.
‘It’s in the new version of the script.’
‘Ah, do I have the new version?..’
The line faded and I was left considering this, something that I expected to hit me in the months ahead but was suddenly all over me.
’Stars at Noon’ had been in Claire’s thoughts for a long time, maybe even 10 years. We have had many conversations, I had a strong feeling for it and half a song somewhere in my mind.
I remembered the great percussionist David Pattman, he played the bongos on the ‘Trouble Every Day’ score 20 years before. He was happy to hear from me and we quickly arranged a recording session with Dan on double bass and Ross Stanley on Hammond organ. We had a blast those days, taking the ideas apart, putting them back together in many different forms.
At the centre was the song ’Stars at Noon’ – I was pushing it to be slower and slower, until it only just grooved, just on the cusp. Finding that tempo was key for me and the final version was recorded live in one take. Julian Seigel arrived later and played the beautiful tenor sax line.
I sent a rough mix to Claire in Panama, they were having production problems and she said the song cheered them all up – I heard all the crew singing along in the background.
SAS
———————————-
“The Englishman is dancing with the American woman and he realizes it’s too much and apologizes to her. He can make love to her in a motel room because he’s paying her — but to dance with her is something else. Their love affair shifts into something very real.”
CD
Past Imperfect - The best of tindersticks ’92 - ’21
30 years! This collection has been difficult to compile, but here it is. I have always felt we move forward in small steps (the occasional leap), at times we have been happy to slow right down and examine what is in front of us so thoroughly that we could appear static from the outside. But on the inside of this world, like looking down a microscope, it is brimming with life. We now get a chance, or are forced, to look over our shoulder to see how far we have travelled.
Past imperfect is in chronological order and split in to 4 sections / 2 halves – The first half being the original line up of the band with Al Macaulay (drums), Mark Colwill (bass) and Dickon Hinchliffe (Violin, guitar, string arrangements). The second half being the present day line up with Earl Harvin (drums) and Dan McKinna (Bass, piano, string arrangements).
Myself, Neil Fraser (guitar) and David Boulter (various instruments) are always present – We were born and grew up in Nottingham at the same time in similar circumstances, although we didn’t meet until music brought us together in our late teens / early twenties. Perhaps this binds us together.
There are 2 songs from Claire Denis films – ‘Tiny tears’ from Nanette et Boni (’96) and ‘Both sides of the blade’ from her latest film ‘Avec amour et acharnament’ (’21). There is also the version of ‘Willow’ sung by myself (rather than Robert Pattison who sang the version in ‘High life’ (’19)). Working with Claire, 10 scores so far, has had a great effect on the progression our music, always asking us to change shape and look in to the different elements of our music.
Another great effect on our music was the late and very great Lhasa de Sela. ‘Sometimes it hurts’ was the first duet we sang together. We went on to collaborate further and became great friends. It has become difficult to approach writing duets since her passing.
’92 – ’96 – City Sickness, Her, Tiny tears, Travelling light (duet with Carla Torgerson), My sister.
’97 – ’03 – Rented rooms, Can we start again?, Dying slowly, Sometimes it hurts (duet with Lhasa de Sela), My oblivion.
’08 – ’14 – Harmony around my table, Show me everything, This fire of autumn, Medicine, What are you fighting for?
’16 – ’21 – How he entered, Were we once lovers?, Willow, Pinky in the daylight, Both sides of the blade.
The limited edition box set comes with a double LP of ‘Live at Glasgow City Halls, 5th October 2008′
Stuart A. Staples, January 2022
tindersticks - Both sides of the blade - released January 17th, 2022
Written for Claire Denis’ forthcoming film ‘Avec amour et acharnament’ starring Juliette Binoche, it will be premiered at Berlin Film Festival on the 12th February 2022. The song closes the film.
This short is Stuart’s own visual take on the song (with a lot of help from his friends!).
Limited edition boxset / pre-order
Order the limited edition box set here via City Slang
Contents:
- Past Imperfect, the best of tindersticks ‘92 – ’21 (coloured 2LP)
- Live At Glasgow City Halls 5th October 2008 (coloured 2LP)
- Exclusive 7”: A: “Both Sides Of The Blade” B: “For Those … “
New album ‘Distractions’ announced / Man alone (can’t stop the fadin’) released today,
In the back of a London cab driving through the city at night is a very special space for me. It has a particular kind of aloneness. This fascination grew over hundreds of nights leaving the the studio exhausted at 1 am – Ladbroke Grove or St Johns wood, through the city and over the river to South East London in an almost dream state. This film for Man alone became a way of touching the city and that way of feeling both a part of and apart from it.
New single ‘You’ll have to scream louder’ released today.
New EP ‘See My Girls’
Today we are delighted to release our new EP ‘See my girls’.
4 songs – ‘See my girls (edit)’, the great David Boulter instrumental ‘A street walker’s carol’, ‘Blood and bone’ and the original Le Chien version of ‘See my girls’.
The film for ’See my girls’ is a collaboration with Stuart’s daughter Sidonie Osborne Staples made from her continuous illustration of the songs narrative.
Sidonie also made the artwork for the EP and co-wrote ‘Blood and bone’ on which she also provides the lead vocal.
The EP is available digitally today. The 12” vinyl will be available at tour our dates from Gent (29th January) and in stores on 7th February.
A street walker’s carol
From the ‘See my girl’s EP
Written by David Boulter
Artwork by Sidonie Osborne Staples
Blood and bone
From the ‘See my girl’s EP
Written by Sidonie Osborne Staples
Artwork by Sidonie Osborne Staples
See my girls (Le Chien version)
From the ‘See my girl’s EP
Artwork by Sidonie Osborne Staples
We wanted to make something physical and human. Not constrained by clicks or grids or loops. Songs played into the air, captured in a moment, unique to that moment and how we felt and reacted to each other within.
You can read the words here
‘For the beauty’
‘Pinky in the daylight’
Taken from the album ‘No treasure but hope’, listen and watch the film directed by Stuart.
“The chorus for ‘Pinky in the daylight’ came to me through the flapping canvas of the sun shade on the deck
of the old blue ferry leaving the island – A rare moment of contentment and calm. A simple love song in
complicated times.
I wanted to make a film that captured the beauty of the island and the beauty of Suzanne. A love letter in
Super 8 film.”
The first song, ‘The Amputees’
Watch the stop-motion animation made by Stuart, Neil and Suzanne.
Exhibition of stills from the film in Antwerp.
Super Limited 7” of ‘The Amputees’ + signed print with select bundles of album.
New Richard Dumas and
Suzanne Osborne colour portrait
From large format stills taken by Richard during the Paris recording sessions, then overlaid in the darkroom.
Suzanne used a traditional method of hand tinting the print with brush and photographic inks.
Exciting shit!