The arrival of new Psychedelic Porn Crumpets music always lands with a crash; a cacophony of sounds wrapped up in the weirdly wonderful brand of vibrancy only the WA group can harness.
Here, the band presents their latest collection of warped and vibrant ideas – their fifth studio album, NIGHT GNOMES. Following on from 2021’s acclaimed record SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound, this record sees Psychedelic Porn Crumpets explore more sonic influences and creative tangents than before.
Stemming from the curious brain of songwriter Jack McEwan, the album flourishes upon a foundation of beloved psych and classic rock influences; while threads of contemporary and exciting sounds add elevation to the core Psychedelic Porn Crumpets sound.
Featuring singles ‘Bubblegum Infinity, ‘Lava Lamp Pisco’, ‘Acid Dent’ and ‘Dread & Butter’, Night Gnomes throws the listener into a range of different sonic territories and emotional fields. Written in WA during yet another year of lockdowns, McEwan’s sense of isolation and the mania that accompanied being off-road and out of sync with the normalcy he and the band had been used to, is poured into the making of the record.
Songs like ‘Bubblegum Infinity’ and ‘Sherbert Straws’ hint towards more melodic pop moments, swapping the chunky distorted guitars with lofty vocals and addictive melancholic-pop hooks. And at the same time, songs like ‘Lava Lamp Pisco’ and ‘Bob Holiday’ take a deep dive into a harder rock territory that Psychedelic Porn Crumpets fans will furiously lap up.
“Night Gnomes is a bit darker than the other four releases. I don’t know if that’s the bi-product of being locked inside Western Australia for the past two years but it’s definitely given us a lot of time to think. I reckon this record has a bit more of a KID A/Amnesiac vibe to it, it’s a bit weirder, a little left of the ‘psych/pop’ world we’ve been tagged under. I kinda like that though, forever expanding, variety is the spice of life! It starts moody, talks of break ups and new relationships; gets kinda chirpy in the middle and then ends really beautifully, a bit like Jurassic Park 3. I reckon Spielberg might actually rate it, he’s a mixture of a bag, ain’t he.
All in all I’m very proud of everyone’s efforts, it’s a step up which is a good direction to be stepping and it’s a good body of work that I’m happy to share with the world, our little patch of darkness. And if deeper isn’t your cup of moonshine, then at least you know the sixth album will be upbeat as F@!#.”
JACK McEWAN, PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS
For Night Gnomes, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets recorded at both McEwan’s house and at Perth’s Blackbird Studios with Dave Parkin (Tired Lion, Jebediah). The band also worked with engineers Michael Jelinek and Brian Lucey on mixing and mastering, fine-tuning that essential Psychedelic Porn Crumpets sound can still be felt right throughout the album
With Night Gnomes following on so close to SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound, in some ways, the material on the fifth Psychedelic Porn Crumpets album feels like a continuation of the same narrative ideas – part of the same story that McEwan initially dreamed up. As he explains, Night Gnomes has elements of their earlier material that will appeal to day one fans, while also providing an exciting glimpse of the ways Psychedelic Porn Crumpets have their minds trained on what sounds are coming next.
“I stepped up a few recording techniques and tried to hone in on the production side of things a little more, gave my mental train a fresh lick of paint and tried to make the album step up in quality from the previous four releases, while still holding onto that ‘crumpet’ approach to songwriting.
There’s definitely a few moments in older albums where I’ve been lazy and tweaked things after we’ve finished recording but with Night Gnomes I made sure to stick with Dave’s ethos and polish every track before it was sent to Jelly to mix. I’m much happier with how my vocals are sitting now, I left a lot of room in the tracks to bring them out rather than adding twenty million layers beforehand, it feels a lot cleaner, the idea for each song is present and accessible without too much ear straining. To me, it’s our best work. I feel like we’re moving forward while still learning and these albums are a checkpoint to where we’re at, and for now we’re happy with our little Night Gnome.” JACK McEWAN, PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS
The release of Night Gnomes coincides with the band’s long awaited return to touring. First heading back across the country with a 6 date Australian tour, then to North America and Canada for a 22 date headline tour, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets will also be performing at Atlanta’s Shaky Knees Festival alongside the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Green Day, Death Cab For Cutie, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and more. Followed by a return to Europe and the UK in August, for another 22 date headline run that will have them on tour through into September.
For fans, it will be the perfect opportunity to hear both Night Gnomes and SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound in their live forms, both albums ready and raring to go. The release of SHYGA! propelled Psychedelic Porn Crumpets to the #4 spot on the ARIA Album Chart, as well as #2 on the ARIA Vinyl Chart and the lucrative #1 spot on the AIR Album Chart. International and domestic streaming successes aside, the album further positioned Psychedelic Porn Crumpets as a household name and one a growing global fan base was frothing for.
It’s time to bring Night Gnomes to life.
AUSTRALIAN TOUR
Tickets through www.psychedelicporncrumpets.com
Thursday 30 June Crowbar Sydney
Friday 1 July Republic Bar Hobart
Saturday 2 July Lion Arts Factory Adelaide
Saturday 9 July The Rechabite Perth
Friday 15 July The Corner Melbourne
Saturday 16 July The Triffid Brisbane
UK / EUROPE TOUR
Tickets through www.psychedelicporncrumpets.com
Thursday, August 11th Hole44 Berlin
Friday, August 12th Molotow Hamburg
Sunday, August 13th Tivoli Utrecht
Monday, August 15th The Forum Tunbridge Wells
Wednesday, August 17th Brudenell Social Club Leeds SOLD OUT
Thursday, August 18th Rescue Rooms Nottingham
Sunday, August 21st Junction Cambridge
Monday, August 22nd Think Tank Newcastle SOLD OUT
Tuesday, August 23rd Saint Luke’s Glasgow SOLD OUT
Thursday, August 25th Band On The Wall Manchester SOLD OUT
Friday, August 26th O2 Institute Birmingham
Saturday, August 27th Thekla Bristol SOLD OUT
Monday, August 29th The 1865 Southampton
Tuesday, August 30th Concorde 2 Brighton
Thursday, September 1st Electric Brixton London
Friday, September 2nd Norwich Arts Centre Norwich SOLD OUT
Saturday, September 3rd Manchester Psych Fest Manchester
Tuesday, September 6th La Maroquinerie Paris
Wednesday, September 7th Trix Club Antwerp
Thursday, September 8th Vera Groningen
Friday, September 9th Doornroosje Nijmegen
Sunday, September 11th De Muziekgieterij Maastricht
US TOUR
With support from Acid Dad (except Atlanta)
Tickets through www.psychedelicporncrumpets.com
1st October Independent San Francisco, CA
3rd October Star Theater Portland, OR
4th October Biltmore Vancouver, BC
5th October Crocodile Seattle WA
7th October The Urban Lounge Salt Lake City, UT
8th Orange The Globe Denver, CO SOLD OUT
9th October The Globe Denver, CO SOLD OUT
11th October 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, MN
12th October Empty Bottle Chicago, IL
13th October Empty Bottle Chicago, IL SOLD OUT
14th October El Club Detroit, MI
15th October The Axis Club Toronto, ON
17th October Bar Le Ritz Montreal, QC
18th October The Sinclair Boston, MA
20th October Le Poisson Rouge New York, NY
21st October Underground Arts Philadelphia, PA
22nd October Union Stage Washington, DC
24th October Exit/In Nashville, TN
25th October Terminal West Atlanta, GA
27th October Satellite Bar Houston, TX
28th October The Parish Austin, TX
29th October Deep Ellum Art Co Dallas, TX
1st November Casbah San Diego, CA SOLD OUT
2nd November El Rey Theatre Los Angeles, CA