New York art punk types Stellastarr* are set to release their new album ‘Civilised’ this summer, their first full length record in four years.
Stellastarr* formed in 2000, with each band member attending the Pratt Institute of art and design in Brooklyn. Heavily influenced by the city’s post-punk scene, early shows saw them snapped up by major label RCA who released their stunning self-titled debut album in 2003.
Since then, however, things have soured between the two parties. After a lengthy row, Stellastarr* secured their exit from RCA last year and began recording their new album – the band’s first four years.
The group went into Mission Sound Studio in Brooklyn with producer Tim O’Heir, the same person who produced their debut album. Harking back to their early promise, Stellastarr* have re-captured the energy and vitality that made them so appealing.
Lead singer Shawn Christensen told NME that leaving the label was a mixed blessing. “It feels more liberating not having to answer to anyone,” he said. “But I found that I work better under pressure when you can’t take things more comfortably. That said, we wanted to have control over the way we were released.”
“We’ve been in a transition period from our old label to starting a new label,” the singer said. “We threw out most of the songs we’d written over the past year and decided to get more raw, back to basics. We incorporated more piano on the record than we used to, and we realised where our strengths were,” he added.
Stellastarr* are set to release their new album ‘Civilised’ later this year.
