London-based psych power pop outfit Divisionists have announced they’ll be releasing their debut LP ‘Daybreak’ digitally and on vinyl via Mount Watatic Records on March 17 and present the video for Say Can You as an album teaser. The video was animated by Xeth Feinberg of Distractionland and psych rock band The Prefab Messiahs. Watch the video via YouTube below.
Say Can You is an upbeat track with flavours of early Teenage Fanclub, The Lemonheads, Matthew Sweet and Bob Mould (including his project Sugar), albeit with softer vocals and much less feedback.
“We are very excited by how well ‘Daybreak’ came together as an album. For me, I’m lucky to be in such an great band: Mark, Rob, Mike and I have fantastic synergy to explore new territory, yet also the intense (obsessive!) perseverance to “get it right”. Musicians always say a record is a labor of love — in this case, it’s really been true. We’ve put the very best of us into this recording, to create an interpersonal and cultural snapshot of blood, sweat, tears, late nights at the pub, the whole works — and we believe we’ve made something cool,” says Divisionists’ frontman Brendan Quinn.
‘Daybreak’ contains 12 tracks and features guest appearances by saxophonist Brian Idd and vocals from both Gwen Knighton and Lisa Makros. The album was recorded at Perry Vale Studios, The Mill House, and Haiku Sound, where it was also mixed. Brendan Quinn produced the album with assistance from legendary producer Pat Collier (The Vibrators) on board as tracking engineer. The album was mastered by veteran mastering engineer Don Grossinger (The Flaming Lips, Brian Wilson, Franz Ferdinand, The Rolling Stones, Annie Lennox, Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings).
While the ‘Daybreak’ LP will only be fully available via internet on March 17, the vinyl record is available now for pre-order via Divisionists’ Bandcamp. Pressed on 180 Gram orange vinyl, the record also includes a full-colour folded insert with artwork and lyrics.
Formed in 2010, the band took their name from both the Neo-Impressionist modern art movement, and one of the political factions in Beat Poet William S. Burroughs’ ‘Naked Lunch’: those who occupy ‘a midway position’ who ‘literally divide’ yet ‘live in fear of a replica revolution’.
Frontman Brendan Quinn is best known as the guitarist and vocalist for the cult psychedelic/space-rock pranksters Abunai! (regulars at the Terrastock Festival with three albums and two EPs on the Camera Obscura label).
Divisionists’ music embraces psych rock, power pop, and reimagined traditional folk ballads, all with a loud and memorable rock influence. They have shared stages with Pete “Bassman” Bain (Spaceman-3, The Darkside), Alex Monk, and Swiss garage-psych pioneers Roy and the Devil’s Motorcycle, among others. Brendan toured live as a member of the Sterling Roswell Band for their album ‘The Call of The Cosmos,’ including their headliner spot at Andrew Weatherall’s Convenanza Festival, and has performed with a wide range of artists, including members of Swervedriver, Acid Mothers Temple, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and The Perfect Disaster. Brendan Quinn also contributes guitar on the new release from Tav Falco.
For more information on Divisionists, visit divisionists.co.uk.
