Band & Musician News - Skyscraper Stan's Announces new album 'Those Were Days', out February 14
25 January 2025 - 0 Comments
Aotearoa/New Zealand-born and Australia-based Skyscraper Stan and his longtime touring band and collaborators, the Commission Flats, have generated a body of work that has attracted a loyal, and more recently, global fanbase drawn to Stan’s easy lyrical style, inventive arrangements, and deft genre twists and turns— from folk and country to indie rock and consummate soul— all key elements across the diverse new album.
Pre-Order Album
Written through the pandemic, and between the cities of Ballarat and Naarm (Melbourne), Stan found himself reminiscing a lot about places, people, and the state of the world as he put pen to paper. The song Those Were Days, that gives the album its name, is a lament for the lost hedonism of one's early 20s living in share houses in Fitzroy and Collingwood, and as such, it ties in perfectly with the general nostalgic feel of much of the album.
Across the album's singles, Stan displays both the world-class quality and versatility of his songwriting. On the alt-country meets indie rock first single Let Me Be Frank With You he discusses the phenomenon of working-class people voting for conservative politicians, through the metaphor of small-town gossip.
Strange Things Happen and its brilliant zombified video clip is a hooky heart-ache song, with a bouncing feel somewhere between soul and 60s rock, while on Down The M8 Stan details the lengths that he and his partner are willing to travel for love, over a soundtrack of rollicking electric guitar and a fascinating blend of impassioned soul and rolling country rock.
Most recently, on Talk To Me Stan digs deep into what one might imagine as a kind of Antipodean Stax/Motown revue. On the infectious track, complete with a funky organ groove and saxophone solo, Stan delivers a stellar vocal performance as he sings about conversations in the age of conspiracy. "I've had friends fall down the rabbit hole and it can be alarming. This tune is for anyone out there trying to save a loved one from the loonysphere. Don't turn your back on them. Have a chat. That might be all they need!"
Elsewhere on the album, Stan pays tribute to his partner and spirit guide in life on Anjali, addresses nepo-babies in positions of power on Run The Game and on The Plainest I Can Say It he recalls having beef with someone. "I'm pretty peaceful really, so it's not something I do a lot. The bloke who inspired this song was a prick though!" he emphasises.
A true group effort, the album has been a collaborative labour of love between Stan and the Commission Flats. "We did the whole thing in-house. We arranged the songs together, we produced it ourselves and our drummer Andy mixed it," says Stan. "It has been a long process, but certainly the most enjoyable music making experience of my career so far."
Most Viewed Artists
Latest Galleries
NZ Top 10 Singles
- APT.
ROSÉ And Bruno Mars - DIE WITH A SMILE
Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars - BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Billie Eilish - TASTE
Sabrina Carpenter - I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
Gracie Abrams - ESPRESSO
Sabrina Carpenter - SAILOR SONG
Gigi Perez - LOSE CONTROL
Teddy Swims - A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
Shaboozey - GOOD LUCK, BABE!
Chappell Roan
More Content on muzic.net.nz
Google Site Search
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report A Problem
There are currently no comments for this article. Please log in to add new comments.