Following on from the release of their highly-praised 2017 full-length ‘Broken Glances’, The Pigeon Detectives have now announced plans for their long-awaited sixth studio album ‘TV Show’, alongside a string of record store shows to coincide with the LP’s release.
Produced by the renowned Rich Turvey (Blossoms, The Coral, Oscar Lang), ‘TV Show’ looks to cement a rebirth within the band’s own legacy. After storming the stage at countless festivals in the summer of 2022, The Pigeon Detectives quickly became one of the more talked about names on the circuit once again, feeding the public’s need for anthemic indie-rock tunes after years of isolation and social distancing.
Speaking about the new album, they said, “Making music together for all these years has been the greatest gift of our lives. This album gives a nod to every step we have taken on the amazing journey we have been on as five scruffy friends from Rothwell, whilst also driving our sound to new, exciting areas. Above all though it is full of absolute bangers and we just can’t wait for everyone to hear it!”
Previewed by the newly unveiled lead single “Lovers Come And Lovers Go”, their newest offering now comes accompanied by a vibrant new video. Directed by Andy Little, the new visuals sees a person reflecting on their own past like a fever dream, adding another layer of tender emotion to their riveting new release.
To celebrate the release of ‘TV Show’, the band also set to embark on a number of record store shows performances across the UK. Capping off with two dates at Leeds’ The Wardrobe, near where the album was written and recorded, a full list of live events can be found below. Ticket and album bundles on sale 10am Thursday 23rd HERE
Record Store Show Dates:
6th July: Banquet Records, Kingston
7th July: Rough Trade East, London
8th July: HMV, Manchester
8th July: Bear Tree, Sheffield
9th July: Rough Trade, Nottingham
10th July: Rough Trade, Bristol
11th July: HMV, Birmingham
12th July: Jacaranda, Liverpool
13th July: The Wardrobe, Leeds
13th July: The Wardrobe, Leeds
The Pigeon Detectives have always walked their own path. The Leeds outfit were outsiders from the start, never quite fitting in anywhere. As a result, they built their own world – five lads from Rothwell, finding success on their own terms. They’ve got frontman Matt Bowman’s biting vocals, blended with the clashing guitars of Oliver Main and Ryan Wilson; then there’s the stellar, on-point rhythm section of Dave Best (bass) and Jimmi Taylor (drums). It’s a winning formula, something The Pigeon Detectives have proved over and over.
New album ‘TV Show’ seems to distill this to a fine elixir. Nodding to the past while charting the future, it’s a record of turbo-charged indie pop bangers, the kind of songs that will electrify your evening. The Pigeon Detectives’ first in six years, it’s the work of musicians rediscovering each other, and what it means to be in a band.
“This album is a celebration of our journey,” says Dave Best. “The rest of our albums are concerned with catching a moment in time, but this is a space for us to reflect. We’ve got to a place where we can celebrate who we are, who we have been, and who we’re gonna be in the future.
Reconvening in a tiny subterranean rehearsal space two doors down from vital Leeds venue the Wardrobe, the band set about challenging themselves once more. Locked away by the pandemic – and newfound fatherhood – The Pigeon Detectives relished the chance to make a noise together. “The way we write is intense, we all have to be in the room together,” Dave says. “We made our reputation as an energetic live band. On this album, we wanted to capture the frenetic feel of our early albums, while growing musically. We wanted songs that would go down a storm at a festival. We wanted to capture the energy of our live shows. And thats what we offer weve always been a great live band.”
Putting their pedal to the metal, The Pigeon Detectives smashed out song after song. Nothing was wasted, and nothing was delayed – few songs were allowed to extend beyond four takes. “It became a really fast-paced environment… we didn’t want to stew on anything for too long, we just wanted to capture a vibe.”
Punchy, dynamic, supremely addictive comeback single “Lovers Come and Lovers Go” is the first sign fans will get of this new direction. It’s a ballsy, swaggering return, tailor-made for those sweat-drenched live sets. “It came naturally,” he says. “And we always trust the songs that just flow. We wanted to smack people around the face with a two-and-a-half-minute banger that channels what the Pigeon Detectives do so well.”
The band’s first album in six years, there was never any question of The Pigeon Detectives going quietly into the night. The bonds between them are too deep, the love of music too ingrained within them. “We’ve never had the luxury of falling back on savings or anything. It’s this working class, grind-it-out-mentality. We’ve always had an us-against-the-world thing in this band.
Hitting the live circuit last summer, The Pigeon Detectives trialled new ideas at Sheffield’s Tramlines, and Manchester’s massive Neighbourhood Festival. Joined by a new generation of fans – “we’ve become this coming-of-age ritual” – the group found themselves at ease with who they are. Carrying this quiet confidence into the studio, ‘TV Show’ is a superb anthology of what makes The Pigeon Detectives such a thrilling proposition.
With their finest material to date now complete, The Pigeon Detectives are looking to the future. Rightly confident in their abilities, the band are itching to reconnect with the world, show by sold out show. “The tracklisting is done. The artwork is done. The hard work is done, and its time to start enjoying it.”
TV Show tracklisting:
Falling To Pieces
Summer Girl
Lovers Come and Lovers Go
The Warning
Dreaming Of A Song
I Cant Stop
TV Show
Hard To Love
Purple Skies