THE MELANCHOLY KINGS working overtime with XTC vibes on ‘Bitcoin Elegy’

OUT now from New Jersey’s THE MELANCHOLY KINGS and teaser for next month’s ‘Her Favourite Disguise’ album (Magic Door Record Label), latest single ‘Bitcoin Elegy.’

“’Bitcoin Elegy’ is a song about the lack of personal connectivity in the digital age,” said singer/guitarist Mike Potenza (The Anderson Council, Crash Harmony, BARD, Gramercy Arms). 

“In a sense, it’s meant to be nostalgic, but it’s also about being resigned to fate and life going on despite what we think or do. The sun, the moon, the stars, they hardly care.  Like King Canute’s efforts to stop the tides flooding his camp, the song is meant to invoke the inevitability of ‘progress.’

“Musically, the song came together very quickly with the opening riff leading into a straightforward guitar-driven rocker and a bridge with spectral backing vocals supplied by special guest, Olivia Selig.”

“When Mike sent us ‘Bitcoin Elegy,’ played on acoustic guitar and sung into his phone, I was immediately hooked by the melody and chord progressions, and the lyrics made me like it even more,” adds bassist Scott Selig (Ambulance, Uncle Moon, Deni Bonet Band, Super Tuesday). “It was a pretty seamless process for the full band to develop it into the electric guitar driven rocker that it became, and we quickly integrated the song into our live set.”  

The core duo of Potenza and Selig met while working in a Midtown Manhattan law firm, both owning a secret past as musicians in NYC’s indie scene. Escaping their corporate misery and rededicating themselves to music, their band has been bolstered by the addition of drummer Paul Andrew (Fluffer, Phantom Tollbooth), and guitarist Peter Horvath (The Anderson Council).

‘Her Favourite Disguise’ is the first album from the Montclair-based outfit in six years, and further features Mac Gollehon (David Bowie, Al Jarreau, Duran Duran, Mick Jagger, Hall and Oates) on trumpet, cellist Carolyn Jeselsohn, Elk City vocalist Renee LoBue, accordionist Carl Riehl (Michelle Shocked, Uncle Moon), and percussionist Ray Ketchem.

Released on November 28, ‘Her Favourite Disguise’ was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Ray Ketchem (Guided by Voices, Luna, Elk City, Gramercy Arms, Crash Harmony) at Magic Door Recording Studio.

Connect with The Melancholy Kings HERE and Magic Door Record Label HERE 

(Main photo (c) Carlo Cipriani)