LostAlone To Release ‘I’m A UFO In This City’ LP || Out April 2nd On The End Records
“An embargo of the soul” and “A complete restriction on living”, “I was dead for a year” are just a few ways in which lead singer, guitarist and writer Steven Battelle describes the way he and his bandmates felt after legal rumblings in the higher echelons of major labels left the band fighting to keep hold of a record they had poured themselves into making. Recorded in Los Angeles by acclaimed producers Jacknife Lee and Greg Wells with Executive producer Gerard Way, LostAlone’s sophomore album “I’m A UFO In This City” is a document of both the highs and lows of this unique bands journey.
Steven: “For me there is a huge difference between being in a band and BEING a band. The latter of which means your general well being, your whole existence in fact is a tapestry woven with the threads of exhilarating highs and plummeting lows sometimes experiencing both in the space of a day”.
The first cut to be taken from the album is the whacked out ambition of “Vesuvius” which is “the most violent song on the record, a warning that somewhere all your dreams are coming true – with or without you”. In the UK the band hit home having a video that was one of nme.com’s most popular videosfor three weeks. Kerrang Radio’s single of the week and BBC Radio One tastemaker Zane Lowe’s “next hype”, followed by their In New Music We Trust playlist. . XFM radio and Scuzz TV and MTV rocks all jumped on board and eagerly awaited “I’m a UFO In This City” to land.
The album itself moves between the anthemic Queen meets Sinatra on “We Are The Archaeology of the Futures Past” the ridiculously melodic endeavours and the huge harmonies of “Love Will Eat You Alive” & “Paradox On Earth” the Police jamming with the Beach Boys on “Creatures” and “The Downside Of Heaven Is The Upside Of Hell” complete with actual choir boys recorded in a cathedral.
“For me our debut ‘Say No To The World’ is a blue print for the kind of album I always want us to make”says Steven continuing “not one song on the record is comparable to the one before but are all tied together because it’s us, LostAlone playing them”.
And on “I’m A UFO In This City” Steven explains “I had accumulated a wealth of material and this is where Gerard (Way, My Chemical Romance) came in. We engaged in a transatlantic back and forth of my demos – at times it felt like espionage as my music travelled secretly, unhindered across borders and then Gerard’s feedback would come back to me in much the same way. This helped hugely in getting over 60 demos down to around 20. Gerard was also instrumental in connecting us with Greg Wells (one of the producers of UFO) who he had previously worked with.”
Drummer Mark on Greg: “Greg Wells fully ‘got’ LostAlone, he understood our music and made the recording process a very creative and natural experience” Steven continues “Greg allowed us to be the band we are and with his own unique ear and musicality helped us to capture these songs exactly how I’d heard them in my head”.
Two songs written a day apart and songs very close to Steven’s heart “Love Will Eat You Alive” and Paradox On Earth” were recorded with Jacknife Lee in the huge NRG studios in Hollywood and his way of working pushed the guys to become even more intense than usual! Something bassist Alan explains”Working with Jacknife Lee was an experience and a half, to say the least! He would spend an entire afternoon working on one chord and not settle for anything short of perfection. I think this shows on the songs he produced for us”. The results are two huge anthems which have already become sing along number in the bands’ live set.
The album title itself provokes different meanings to different people – Steven “It’s not about Aliens but about Alienation. With ‘I’m A UFO In This City’ I hope that people understand that I’m saying: you, me, we, are all in our own way the UFO in our cities – It’s about individualism and being proud of it.”
Having toured the arenas of the UK and Europe with 30 Seconds To Mars, Paramore and My Chemical Romance (all three at the personal request of those bands) LostAlone have definitely been the UFO in many cities for a least one night! Appearances at Download Festival, and tours with Tonight Alive and Evanescence followed, and now the guys are looking forward to getting up close and personal on their forthcoming headline tour of the UK, along with summer festivals.
“I’d like to issue a warning to people coming to the shows, you WILL end up with shrapnel of stray riffage lodged in your bodies, if you accept this before entry you’re in for a great time,” advises Steven.
Now LostAlone are exploding out the gates that held them back for so long with a passion and fever that can only be wielded by those that not only live for music, but ARE music.
LostAlone are Steven Battelle (vocals, guitar), Alan Williamson (bass, vocals) and Mark Gibson (drums,vocals).
“UFO is finally coming home! Having recorded it in the US we’re over the moon to see it finally receive a full release in its country of birth. Since the start of LostAlone we’ve been a fiercely English band in our approach to music but with a desire to communicate to the wider world. After our debut album connected so intensely with so many American bands we are now eager to soak up every inch of the States and saturate the nations’ hearts and minds with melody.” -Steven Battelle
“I’m A UFO In This City” Tracklisting
01 Obey The Rules You Lose
02 Love Will Eat You Alive
03 Paradox On Earth
04 UFOria
05 Vesuvius
06 Creatures
07 Orchestra Of Breathing
08 Put Pain To Paper
09 Do You Get What You Pray For?
10 We Are The Archaeology Of The Futures Past
11 The Downside Of Heaven Is The Upside Of Hell
Press Quotes
“… it can only be a matter of time before this unabashed explosion of deadly hooks, dirty riffs and lighter aloft ballads regularly sell out stadiums.” 8/10 NME
“Muse seem an obvious comparison if only due to a shared love of the surprising, there’s something of classic Queen in the mix but filtered in an altogether more vital and contemporary manner….one you’ll want to follow this year.” KKKK Kerrang!
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