Coming up on the tenth anniversary of their debut album, Theia (Magnetic Eye Records), UK stoner doom crew, Elephant Tree, have just shared their latest single and video, “Try.” The song is taken from their upcoming rarities compilation record, Handful of Ten. The full-length is to be released on September 06th, 2024, along with re-issues of Theia and 2020’s Habits, as a three album trilogy. Check out the new track and find out more below.
Pre-order Handful of Ten here: http://lnk.spkr.media/elephant-tree-ten
“This was really a cathartic exercise in playing something a little different, written with an initial cast-away attitude after a few pints on a sweltering summer’s day”, guitarist and singer Jack Townley writes on behalf of the band. “We don’t play faster songs often, let alone get space to add them to records. The subject matter is about someone conforming to try be a model citizen, not wanting to step out of line in fear of the repercussions. He tries his hardest to not express his alternate views while others around him conform and in the end it all boils over, leaving him feeling ‘forever lost’.”
Theia (Anniversary Edition) and Habits (2020) are presented as reissues without additional audio content, but in new physical formats. The former comes packaged with updated artwork and significantly expanded background content. The third release entitled Handful of Ten is a new full-length containing brand-new tracks, demos, and b-sides, and includes two of the first new Elephant Tree tracks in numerous years, recorded specifically for this compilation.
Handful of Ten tracklisting:
01 Attack of the Altaica (2013 Demo)
02 Visions (The Planet of Doom)
03 Try
04 Bird (2017 Demo)
05 Faceless (2017 Hurin Version)
06 Sunday
More from Elephant Tree:
The seed for Elephant Tree was planted in a rehearsal space somewhere in the smelly back alleys of England’s sleepless capital of London in 2013. There, the first notes of what would become “Attack of the Altaica” sprang from the bass of Jack Townley and Sam Hart‘s drums. Thus, it is fitting that this earliest demo became the opening track of the band’s new rarities collection Handful of Ten. Soon the duo became a trio with the addition of bassist and vocalist Peter Holland, who had already established himself in the London scene with Trippy Wicked & The Cosmic Children Of The Knight, allowing Townley to pick up the guitar again. With the addition of Canadian sitar player Riley MacIntyre, who also stepped in as a third singer, the band’s classic first line-up was completed.
From there, things fell into place quickly. The infectious blend of warm, syrupy fuzz and soaring vocal harmonies on the demo “Attack of the Altaica” captured the ears of Magnetic Eye Records. Soon a contract was signed and the debut full-length Theia was released in September 2014. Elephant Tree had a lightning start and the debut album achieved an excellent reception by critics and fans alike. Now reissued as Theia (Anniversary Edition), the music of this milestone release is untouched, but the artwork has been given a refreshing inversion, and a wealth of rare photos, liner notes and lyrics have been added to provide a thorough look at the band’s first decade since the original release.
These hardworking Englishmen did not rest on their laurels, and in 2015 followed up with the self-titled sophomore full-length Elephant Tree. While Theia had opened the European continent for touring, their second album carried Elephant Tree across the Atlantic to perform at the tastemaker Psycho Las Vegas. In the meantime, John Slattery, who initially was added to give support as second guitarist and synth player for the band’s live shows, joined Elephant Tree as a permanent member. About the same time, Riley MacIntyre decided to withdraw from the band to focus on production. Elephant Tree also decided to try a label closer to home, a choice which ultimately did not work out as the new label ran into trouble and left the band’s third and latest album Habits (2020) without the ongoing support it deserved.
During the turmoil of the global pandemic years, Elephant Tree were affected and set back like everyone else. Jack Townley suffered a serious accident in early 2023, and the time needed for his recovery delayed the band again. Yet despite all of this, they put plans into motion for a return both to the stages and studio. Taking matters into their own hands, the band initiated a plan to self-release some of their material – with a little help from old friends. At long last, Elephant Tree are reissuing the acclaimed Habits via Magnetic Eye to make it widely available once more and satisfy the continued demand. Looking back at ten most exciting years, Elephant Tree enthusiastically present Handful of Ten containing great tunes pulled from their archive alongside the brash and blistering new tracks, ready to delight longtime followers and win over new friends to their unique brand of melodic doom: all thriller, no filler!
Current line-up
Jack Townley – Guitar, vocals, synths
Peter Holland – Bass, vocals
John Slattery – Guitar, synths, vocals
Sam Hart – Percussion
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