Videos

Strawhouses – Malaise

• 21st Jul 2010

Strawhouses releaseD Malaise as the first single from their debut album on Monday 5th July. The band also played at London’s Dublin Castle on 1st July to kick off their single tour.

Malaise encompasses a great deal of what Strawhouses have built their sound upon; gripping melodies, soaring guitars and at times unsettling rhythms. The single is accompanied with a video directed and shot by Red Union FIlms (Away Days).

Formed in 2007 from the ashes of several early incarnations, Strawhouses self released an EP and a ‘Live in Session’ DVD, before releasing their debut single, A Good Night Out in May 2008. Shortly after, the band holed themselves away at Highfield & JWS studios with their good friend and esteemed producer & engineer, Jon Withnall (Coldplay/Feeder/Elbow) to record their album, These Are The Willing. The album is a crafted, assured and jam-packed jewel.

Front man Paul Donnelly commented: “'Malaise' sums up a lot of what we're about. It's raw as hell and is a product of a particularly destructive relationship I was in at the time. The song just poured out of me. It was one of those that took as long to write as it did to play.”

He continued: “Those angular chords in the bridge – I wanted to be as dissonant and unsettling as possible, and I wanted the chorus to be euphoric and a sheer release. We got the backing track really easily in the studio – Stuart's drumming at the end is just phenomenal, and the vocal was done in one or two takes too – this song is all about being in the moment and simmering aggressive energy”.

Strawhouses having already gigged extensively across the country and supported the likes of Red Light Company and NME favorites Die! Die! Die!, playing nights at The Playground at Proud Galleries, Camden’s 93 Feet East, The Night and Day in Manchester, Evol in Liverpool, as well as gigs as far north as Sunderland and far south as Portsmouth, the boys climaxed their relentless touring in June 2009 by performing at Scottish festival Rockness.