[2018-11-16] The Good, The Bad And The Queen "Merrie Land" (Studio 13)

Charlie · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2014 **Posts:** 14211

Description
November sees the release of MERRIE LAND, the second album from The Good, The Bad & The Queen, a band comprising of Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Tony Allen and Simon Tong. The Good, The Bad & The Queen began life as the acclaimed 2007 album of the same name, a heartfelt tribute to London described by The Observer in a 5 star review as –“One of the most surprising and magical records for which Damon Albarn has ever been responsible”. The record traced a journey from the English music hall tradition to West Africa and Afrobeat, zigzagging through the West Indies and its reggae and dub, back to England and London's punk scene, all the while taking in a strand of British beat music from the '50s right through to Britpop. The result was a record specific to a place and mood but with a background that was geographically wide-ranging.

Now the four musical storytellers are back with a new studio album titled ‘Merrie Land’. Produced by Tony Visconti and The Good, The Bad & The Queen, the album was completed in London and Wales this year, during the current ongoing period in which the UK is preparing to leave the European Union, ‘Merrie Land ’is a questioning good-bye letter, a series of observations and reflections on Britishness in 2018.

Even though it has been over 10 years since the band last released a record, the timing could not be more apt – there could not be a more perfect band to untangle the optimism, disorientation and confusion in the atmosphere today. With ‘Merrie Land’, the band taps into a creative symbiosis of past and future, drawing inspiration from their shared glittering musical histories and wrapping the hybrid results in a brilliantly postmodern yet thoroughly British package. The album sees the band’s focus move beyond London with a beautiful and hopeful paean to the Britain of today - an inclusive Britain - and the possibilities of the future. In the band’s own words, Merrie Land is a ten song lament of Anglo-Saxosentialism marking the reluctant end of a relationship, and about picking up the pieces and seeing what can be salvaged. The band set a beautifully muted palette and lustrous finish to bring out a mood that is bruised yet unapologetically defiant and optimistic, and carries the underlying message: we will survive. In times of metaphysical trauma, the people need to forge ahead and wear armour. Here it is, set to the mood music of a nation about to be broken yet undefeated.

The deluxe version is packaging in a 56 page hardback book containing sheet music, lyrics and artwork.

Tracklist
1. Introduction
2. Merrie Land
3. Gun To The Head
4. Nineteen Seventeen
5. The Great Fire
6. Lady Boston
7. Drifters & Trawlers
8. The Truce Of Twilight
9. Ribbons
10. The Last Man To Leave
11. The Poison Tree

Standard Edition
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J35QCV2/?tag=imwan-20

Deluxe Edition
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J356J1W/?tag=imwan-20

Charlie · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2014 **Posts:** 14211

Charlie · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2014 **Posts:** 14211

The album is now available for pre-order:

Standard Edition
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J35QCV2/?tag=imwan-20

Deluxe Edition
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J356J1W/?tag=imwan-20

[2018-11-16] The Good, The Bad And The Queen "Merrie Land" (Studio 13)

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