Today, SPEARMINT return with the AA-side single “Prince & Joni” // “Three More Songs On The Jukebox”, both of which will feature on their upcoming 2023 album ‘This Candle Is For You’.
A tribute to a little known story from the archives of pop, “Prince & Joni” is a colourful piano ballad that explores Prince’s encounters with Joni Mitchell. As songwriter Shirley Lee explains:
“They really did meet at various times. Prince was a huge fan of Joni and I get the impression that Joni was slightly bemused by it all. In our song, it goes a bit further… Prince is kind of ‘bothering’ Joni.”
Featuring Shirley and Simon’s distinctive harmonies, its elegant piano flourishes come courtesy of Scritti Politti’s Rhodri Marsden (who has also produced their upcoming album).
On the flipside, “Three More Songs On The Jukebox”, is an old-school, high-energy, high-romance love song of the definitively Spearmint kind. A song about late-night drinking and the conflict between wanting to stay out, but knowing that it’s time to go home; at little over the one-minute mark, it’s closing time before you know it… As Shirley adds of the track:
“There’s a little street called Hanway Street that connects Oxford Street in London with Tottenham Court Road. It used to be home to several record shops and bars. The staff entrance to the Virgin Megastore was there too. The record shops have gone now, but a couple of bars like Bradley’s remain, with its jukebox intact, and you can still enjoy a late-night drink along that street. The song is about my wife and I making nights last: “ten more minutes, one more drink”.”
Both songs are accompanied with official videos courtesy of Moth Media check them out here: “Prince & Joni” // “Three More Songs On The Jukebox”.
The double A-side, “Prince & Joni” // “Three More Songs On The Jukebox” will be available digitally and on limited-edition 7-inch single.
It follows previous single “Melody’s Mother’s Jam”, with all three tracks set to feature on upcoming album ‘This Candle Is For You’ (out 17 November 2023). Spearmint’s first album since 2021’s acclaimed ‘Holland Park’ promises to be equally ambitious. A dizzying multiverse of an album, ‘This Candle Is For You’ will cover a wide array of themes, including the search for a missing sister, the ways we remember lost loved ones, the story of John Gavin, the James Bond star who never got to make a film, late-night drinking in Soho, the joys of B-movies & video nasties, changing attitudes to mental health, the plight and wonder of older cats, the reaction to the death of Sarah Everard, and the afterlife. It will be their 60th release on their own hitBACK label.
Spearmint will premiere the album live and in-full, alongside tunes from their last album ‘Holland Park’, at London’s Hoxton Colours venue on 5 December. Tickets are on sale now here. Further shows are due to be added for 2024. Stay tuned for further details soon.
‘This Candle Is For You’ is released on 17th November digitally, on CD (order here), and on limited vinyl with a 32-page lyric book (order here), via WIAIWYA records.
SPEARMINT – NEW ALBUM: ‘THIS CANDLE IS FOR YOU’
OUT 17 NOVEMBER, VIA WIAIWYA RECORDS
PRE-ORDER HERE
AA-SIDE: “PRINCE & JONI” // “THREE MORE SONGS ON THE JUKEBOX”
OUT TODAY
FOR MORE INFORMATION
w/ https://www.spearmint.net/
Or please contact:
thom@sonicpr.co.uk
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PRAISE FOR SPEARMINT
“Super-sweet, super-literate pop. How amazing that Spearmint, all in middle age, clearly still keeping up the day jobs, can unite to make music this wonderful.” – Mojo
“Unique and beautiful… A fascinating musical voyage of affirmation and tribute: 5/5” – The Morning Star
“Durable, indefinable art-pop mavericks Spearmint go all out on the brilliant, bittersweet concept album Holland Park” – Prog Magazine
“Contender for the end of the year best-of lists. I could pick every single track here as a highlight. This guy could sing the phone book.” – Louder Than War
“It’s one of the best albums of the year.” – God is in the TV
“Spearmint’s ‘Future’ vision fizzes with energy and charm vibrantly alive in the here and now.” **** Record Collector