“Man, you write the saddest fucking songs.” THE KING CANUTES are back – and my word, how we’ve missed them

BROOKLYN-LONDON indie outfit THE KING CANUTES tease November’s ‘Eastern Seaboard, Perfect Summer’ album (Magic Door Record Label) with today’s single launch, ‘Seymour Stein (for Earle Holmes),’ their first release since 2008’s debut EP, ‘Last Callers and Losers.’

The duo, English northerner Keir Woods (vocs/electric and acoustic guitars) and Replacements-style US Midwesterner Richard Alwyn Fisher (vocs/backing/vocs/electric and acoustic guitars) met in Brooklyn’s pop/indie rock scene two decades ago.

Written by Woods having moved from NYC to Paris, the single recalls club owner and friend Earle Holmes, who gave Woods his first Paris bookings.

“I’d say ‘Seymour Stein (for Earle Holmes)’ is an archetypal The King Canutes song,” said Woods. “It’s so upbeat you almost walk right past the protagonists’ fear that they’re trapped in their co-dependency. Everyone always talks about what an upbeat song it is, but when I first played it at one of Earle’s shows he came right up to me and said “Man, you write the saddest fucking songs.”

Three years in the making, ‘Eastern Seaboard, Perfect Summer’ involves an all-star cast with a horn section courtesy of Mac Gollehon (David Bowie, Al Jarreau, Duran Duran, Mick Jagger), producer Ray Ketchem on percussion and keys, bassist Dave Derby (Dambuilders, Gramercy Arms, Lloyd Cole), drummer Kevin March (Guided by Voices), and Jessie Kilguss on backing vocals. 

Others providing their talents include, Kendall Meade (Sparklehorse, Mascott), Mike Dillon (Rickie Lee Jones), John Leon (Rocky Erickson), David Nagler (Nova Social, Joan Baez, Aaron Neville, Rosanne Cash), Doug McEachern (Suran Song in Stag), Renée LoBue (Elk City) and Verena Wiesendanger (Semi Gloss).

November’s album was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Ketchem (Guided by Voices, Luna, Elk City, Gramercy Arms, Crash Harmony) at Magic Door recording Studio. 

Connect with The King Canutes HERE  and Magic Door Record Label  HERE