{"product_id":"power-ballads-and-the-wash","title":"Power Ballads and The Wash","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePower Ballads and The Wash\u003c\/em\u003e is the sophomore album from London-based multi instrumentalist James Howard, via boutique label Faith and Industry. James is known as founder of critically acclaimed 2010’s band Blue House and collaborator with luminaries such as Rozi Plain, Dana Gavanski, Kate Bollinger and Alabaster Deplume. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor \u003cem\u003ePower Ballads and The Wash \u003c\/em\u003eJames has worked with producer Mike Lindsay, co-founder of folktronica group Tunng. \u003cem\u003ePower Ballads and The Wash\u003c\/em\u003e follows James's debut solo album Peek-A-Boo, released to great acclaim in April 2023.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll eight songs of \u003cem\u003ePower Ballads and The Wash\u003c\/em\u003e began life as intimate live takes of\u003cbr\u003eguitar or piano and voice, recorded at Howard’s studio in Deptford, south London.\u003cbr\u003eSteeped in the energy of the local environment, each session was preceded by a visit to the Thames to ask for its muddy blessing, with the DLR rumbling by. The sessions at Lindsay’s Margate studio built a widescreen world around Howard’s original performances, from the restless Eventide vocal treatments on Seven Seconds to the Hollywood string samples of The Moon In The Movies and the Moog bass that quietly anchors the record throughout. Howard also praises violinist Magdalena MacClean's (Caroline) contributions. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeneath this gentle absurdity, though, lies something quietly powerful. Howard’s\u003cbr\u003esong-writing explores the notion that, despite our ever-shortening attention spans,\u003cbr\u003ethere is still the possibility of quiet reflection and the discovery therein of revelations hidden in plain sight. The world of these lucid dream-esque reveries is unmistakably London. The record began with a wing-and-a-prayer visit to the Thames, and ends there too: the wash from the Thames Clipper \/ nearly breaks through your shoe \/ like some feelings sometimes do.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Faith and Industry","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":58397034185035,"sku":"R5581-8740","price":32.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/2000x2000bb_127a3fad-721c-4d16-872d-93666448bb78.jpg?v=1788790920","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/products\/power-ballads-and-the-wash","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}