While the rest of The Boo Radleys have reformed without him, the band’s former songwriter and guitarist Martin Carr returns with new music, a Bandcamp subscription service, and a UK tour.
His first release is a single called ‘Flames’ and is Carr’s first new material since 2017’s acclaimed New Shapes Of Life album. He continues to pursue pop perfection and ‘Flames’ is an abstract, insanely catchy affair and is nearer to Giant Steps-era Boo Radleys than the band’s classic top ten hit Wake Up Boo! Watch the video below.
“I wrote it on the guitar, it’s very simple, then I started throwing sounds at it,” Martin explains. “I love to make collages and my music production method is identical. I move stuff around; I cut and bend and turn. I’m not after any particular sound or style, I try to be disciplined in the studio, but I wouldn’t want anything to dampen the thrill of inspiration that moves so fast, you can’t catch it all.”
Lyrically, the song is all about communication, or the lack of it. “I’m a terrible communicator,” he says. “I’m self-absorbed and hardly have time for anything that lies beyond the front door.”
As he works on more tracks for a new album, Martin has also announced a new Bandcamp subscription service, where fans can get work in progress demos, exclusive live streamed performances, artwork, a regular magazine of memories and meanderings called New Shapes and, vinyl production madness allowing, actual records, among other things.
He is currently on a huge UK tour supporting The Charlatans, with new backing band What Future, which comprises Gaz Williams (bass), Bernie Plain (drums), and Matthew Frederick (keyboards).
‘Flames’ is available now on all digital platforms.