The Wave Pictures return for 2022 with ‘When The Purple Emperor Spreads His Wings’, a double album due for 20 May release on Moshi Moshi, with each of the four sides being made available at seasonal intervals in the run up to the full release. The ‘Autumn’ side of the album was released towards the end of last year.
Today they announce the Winter side, and to accompany it we are exclusively debuting the arty video for their wavy lament ‘Flight From Destruction’, its trademark Wave Pictures in E Minor, running along in the style of ‘Sultans of Swing’ by Dire Straits.
The lyrics were co-written by Sam James, an unsung underground songwriting talent who teaches English Literature to kids in Brooklyn, and writes hundreds of classic songs in his spare time.
“Detailing a starving pirate, trapped on his ship and lost at sea, whether metaphorical or autobiographical this song exists in the realm of pure poetry.”
Chosen to close out the Winter side of the album, ”the night comes before the day’‘, winter here being represented as the night, the song also references the Roman Polanski film ‘Knife in the Water’.
This is the second of four seasonal videos for the forthcoming album, by Nina Garthwaite, artist, documentary radio & film maker, teacher & curator.
“As this song is for the Winter side of the album I started out with some shadow-puppet style paper cut outs and then moved into black paint and printing ink. Some of it was then photocopied onto coloured card à la early Wave Pics CDRs.
In Greek Mythology sirens are dangerous creatures that lure sailors with their beautiful music causing them to shipwreck. Have I uncovered the dark truth of what makes The Wave Pictures music so seductive? Are they really malevolent spirits causing us to become shipwrecked on the island of rock and roll? Think about it, they’re called, ‘The Wave Pictures’. A coincidence? My powers of animationomancy suggest not!”
UK TOUR DATES 2022
May
20 – Glasgow – The Hug and Pint
21- Edinburgh – The Great Eastern
22 – Newcastle – The Cluny
23 – Leeds – Brudenell Social Club
24 – Bristol – theThe Fleece Bristol
25th – Oxford – The Bullingdon
26 – Coventry – The Box at FarGo Village
28- Portsmouth – The Wedgewood Rooms
30 – Manchester – Band on the Wall
31- London – Scala