Baxter Dury

After selling out Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, Baxter Dury returns to play at XOYO in February.

Produced by Craig Silvey (Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Portishead) and recorded in Baxter’s hometown of London, the album will be released in digital and CD format. ‘Claire’ is the first single to be taken from it, released on 1st July.

‘Happy Soup’ is worlds away from the darkness and romantic disappointments of previous LPs ‘Len Parrot’s Memorial Lift’ (2002) and ‘Floor Show’ (2005), so much so that Dury refers to his new effort as “seaside psychedelia”. Its ten tracks narrate everyday tales of dancing on the patio in Marigolds and seedy sex in Portugal, yet Baxter’s lyrical playfulness and acute character analysis ensure the songs are anything but mundane. Just take the amusing picture painted of London’s Portobello Road in love song ‘Trellic’ or ‘The Sun’ in which Madelaine Heart’s honeyed guest vocals swim in-between bursts of Baxter’s mad, infectious laughter and colourful, rippling guitars. First single ‘Claire’ meanwhile slings his cockney charm around bus fare funk and unforgettable bass hooks. It’s not quite all rainbows and carousels though – had Joy Division scored a Batman soundtrack, the looping bass and menacing spoken-drawl of ‘Picnic On The Edge’ would undoubtedly have made the cut.

‘Happy Soup’ tracklisting:

Isabel
Claire
Leak At The Disco
Afternoon
Happy Soup
Trellic
Picnic On The Edge
Hotel In Brixton
The Sun
Trophies