Blossoms have today announced details of their highly anticipated fifth studio album ‘Gary’, out on 20 September. The band has also revealed the title track from the album, alongside a brand-new video, directed by Ewan Ogden and the band’s Tom Ogden.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
The “Gary” video features cameo appearances from Rick Astley and Sean Dyche, who reprises his role from Blossoms’ previous video “What Can I Say After I’m Sorry?” which received widespread media attention upon its release in May.
Speaking about the new track “Gary” and its accompanying video, Blossoms’ Tom Ogden says:
‘The video is directed by myself and my brother Ewan Ogden and it picks up where our last video left off. The song is based on a true story I heard on the radio last year – Gary the 8-foot fibreglass Gorilla was stolen from Reynard Garden in Carluke, Scotland. We’ve recreated the story on screen with Rick Astley playing Andrew Scott, the owner of the garden centre, and the band stealing Gary. This video was so much fun to make and was shot again on 16mm film, on location around Stockport, the Peak District, and Derbyshire.
The song itself is the centrepiece of the album and after toying with different titles, we kept going back to Gary. In the end, it could only be ‘Gary’.
Blossoms’ new album is produced by the band’s regular collaborator James Skelly of The Coral, alongside Jungle’s Josh-Lloyd Watson, who produced “What Can I Say After I’m Sorry?” And “Nightclub”. CMAT has also co-written two tracks on the album, “I Like Your Look” and “Why Do I Give You The Worst Of Me?”
Tom Ogden adds:
The heart of this record is about the five of us recording live in a room together for the first time in years. We wanted to capture the energy of what it’s like when five friends decide to start a band and make music together.
We collaborated more than we ever have on this record too, and alongside working with long-time collaborator James Skelly, we brought in Josh and CMAT (Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson). We hired an AirBnB on the seafront in Anglesey and locked ourselves away for the writing session with Ciara and it was one of the most inspiring few days we’ve had as a band. During the writing process, we were listening to a lot of Bowie, Blondie, and Hall & Oates.’
Other standout tracks on the album include “Big Star”, “I Like Your Look”, and “Mothers”. Speaking about how these songs came together, Ogden explains:
‘The album tracks themselves are based on different stories, mostly from personal experience. On ‘Big Star’ after seeing a well-known music journalist in the Chateau Marmont, I debate going over and introducing myself but then shyness gets the better of me and I don’t. ‘I Like Your Look’ is a tipping of the hat to Blondie’s ‘Rapture’ and a wink to Joan Baez ‘Time Rag’, and lyrically it explores a tongue-in-cheek approach to high fashion. ’Mothers’ is an ode to my and Joe’s friendship and it references the fact that our mothers were friends back in the 80s.’
Blossoms are supporting Tom Grennan at Gunnersbury Park on 10 August and play festivals including Isle of Wight and TRSNMT, before the band’s biggest headline gig to date at Wythenshawe Park, Manchester on Sunday 25 August. For more information on the band’s live performances, visit their website.
Since forming in 2013, Blossoms have enjoyed widespread success and acclaim. Their 2016 debut ‘Blossoms’ topped the album charts for two consecutive weeks and went on to earn the band BRIT Award and Mercury Prize nominations, while 2018’s ‘Cool Like You’ charted at Number 4 in the UK album chart, spawning the anthemic singles ‘I Can’t Stand It’, ‘There’s A Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls)’ and ‘How Long Will This Last?”. Their third studio album, 2020’s ‘Foolish Loving Spaces’ was the band’s second UK Number 1 album, while their fourth studio LP ‘Ribbon Around The Bomb’ gave the band their third UK Number 1 album, with the record’s standout tracks “Ode To NYC”, “The Sulking Poet” and “Care For” well established as fan favourites. Blossoms have had five top 5 albums in the UK, including their ‘In Isolation/Live From The Plaza Theatre, Stockport’ release.
Blossoms’ new album ‘Gary’ is out on 20 September and the title track is available to listen to now.
Album tracklist:
Big Star
What Can I Say After I’m Sorry?
Gary
I Like Your Look
Nightclub
Perfect Me
Mothers
Cinnamon
Slow Down
Why Do I Give You The Worst Of Me?