Barcelona’s A Permanent Shadow are set to release a new album in early 2024. New single “Brother” is the first sneak preview of the full-length LP which was recorded by the usual team of CP Fletcher on vocals as well as multi-instrumentalists and producers Valentí Nieto and Albert Català. The new record will already be the trio’s third and tackles topics loosely related to toxic and dysfunctional relationships both on a personal as well as a geopolitical level. Musically, the album will be more guitar-driven than previous releases and benefits from a harder sound.

“Brother” stands out as a very personal piece in which lyricist CP Fletcher fantasizes about what life would be like if his brother who was never born was around today. “When I was a boy, my mother had an abortion,” he reveals, “and ever since I’ve always felt that I have a guardian angel. I’ve found myself in situations where things could have gone awry pretty easily, but I’ve always managed to escape unscathed. I would like to believe that I’m alive and well today thanks to my little brother’s interventions. I’m a bit into esoteric explorations of the mind, such as regressions and aura readings, and interestingly, I’ve been to quite a few tarot sessions where the brother usually comes up one way or another.” In the song’s lyrics, CP imagines what it would be like to be in a band together – either as a rhythm duo playing drums and bass, respectively, or as a Mick-and-Keith style front-of-stage tandem, or alternatively, succeed as bankers or captains of the sea. He goes on to cite the Kray Brothers, The Kennedys and The Coynes (from no-nonsense rock band The Godfathers) as references.

CP has been a fan of the Canadian band The Tragically Hip for many years. In 2016, he went on a roundtrip throughout Canada which coincided with the quintet’s farewell tour following singer Gordon Downie’s cancer diagnosis. Downie would die a few months later. “The tour was all over the news in Canada, and the band’s final show in their hometown Kingston was televised and watched by millions. It was a sad reason for the band to say good-bye yet the mood surrounding the tour was absolutely celebratory.” The main riff on “Brother” is inspired by the Hip’s biggest hit “Grace, Too.” “When I wrote the song, I wanted to reflect this contradicting sentiment of sadness and celebration. I am sad I don’t have a brother – luckily, I have a wonderful sister who I love dearly - but I celebrate his spirit which is obviously always with me. The memories of my Canadian trip from seven years ago led me to what now is the main melody of the song.”

As always, A Permanent Shadow are currently working on different projects. While the finishing touches are still put on new album “No Leaf Clover”, a second covers EP is already in the works (the band released “UnderCover” in 2022), and the recording of a fourth LP will start in early 2024. That aside, CP is the drummer in Spanish indie band We Are Mono who are set to release a new album in 2024 and tour extensively.

Right now, though, the focus is on “Brother” which comes with a stunning video directed by Jorge Rodríguez and will be released on November 3rd.

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