Rolo Tomassi The BBC Sessions

Let’s just get this out of the way: this release has been in the works for over 3 years. We wont bore you with the specifics, but the fact that this release is finally seeing the light of day in the wake of the bands stunning 4th album ‘Grievances’ -their first full-length on Holy Roar – and coinciding with Holy Roar’s ten year celebrations, seems somewhat fitting.

It was worth the effort though: this is an incredible documentation of both Rolo Tomassi’s ongoing evolution and the continuing support of the BBC for such an innovative, daring band. Working in reverse-chronological order, the first four tracks are taken from the Radio 1 Rock Show, presented by Daniel P Carter, recorded early 2013. Three of these tracks were drawn from 2012’s Astraea, along with the standalone, lesser known single ‘Old Mystics’. With the band having had the time to sharpen these tracks live, the versions presented here possess a tangible energy and quickening of pace, not to mention a truly heartbreaking rendition of Astraea album-closer ‘Illuminare’.

The latter five tracks are drawn from a session recorded for Huw Stephens back at the beginning of 2008. Drawing mostly upon material from early EPs and 7”s, this session also, interestingly, includes an early version of ‘I Love Turbulence’, a full seven or eight months prior to the release of ‘Hysterics’, the album it came to feature prominently upon.

All nine tracks were recorded live and mixed at the legendary BBC Maida Vale studios and mastered for this release by Brad Boatright (Converge, Sunn O)))). This is probably as pure and raw a representation of the many faces of Rolo Tomassi that you will ever get to hear.

Preorder begins Thursday March 24th, with a release date of May 27th.

1.Howl
2.Old Mystics
3.Empiresk
4.Illuminare
5.I Love Turbulence
6.Digital History
7.Fuck The Pleasantries, Lets Rock
8.Beatrotter
9.Film Noir