even as we speak: the black forest

Sarah Records stalwarts EVEN AS WE SPEAK return with their anticipated first recordings since 1993. Even As We Speak are from Sydney, Australia. Formed in the mid 1980s, and resisting neat labels, the band’s music is a quirky hybrid of accessible pop, ironic interjections, and experimental moments. After a series of vinyl releases on Australian independent labels, including Phantom Records, and success on the Australian indie scene, they came to the attention of BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, who started playing the band’s Phantom Records release 'Goes So Slow’ on his show. This brought them to the attention of UK audiences and began a relationship with UK label Sarah Records. Their releases for Sarah in the early '90s shot them to prominence in the UK Independent music scene, achieving multiple top 10 positions in the NME and Melody Maker charts. Between 1992 and 1993, the group recorded three sessions for John Peel and one session for Mark Goodier at BBC Radio 1. Following the demise of the Sarah Records, the label achieved cult status and in 2015 was named number 2 in NME’s 20 Greatest Indie Labels of All Time. A documentary My Secret World: The Story of Sarah Records appeared in 2013, followed by the 2015 book PopKiss: The Life and Afterlife of Sarah Records’on Bloomsbury. This flurry of interest in the Sarah Records discography generated renewed interest in the band, with requests flowing in to reform to play festival shows and offers of new recording opportunities. The band subsequently played a sold out show at NYC Popfest in 2016, appearing alongside the Chills and The Railway Children. Enthused about playing together again, the band returned to the studio to record a new EP for Emotional Response. The result is a package of pure pop gems every bit as good as anything in their back catalog. This release marks a new phase of creative activity for the band.