The seasons shifted from dream-pop to shoegaze over the weekend, so it makes perfect sense that Slowdive arrive in town to amplify the first weeknight of autumn. The legendary British band return to Boston’s House of Blues tonight (September 25) with a brilliant new album, this month’s everything is alive, their first since 2017’s self-titled comeback record, which arrived 22 years after its predecessor.
We’ve spotlighted a few tracks off this engaging AOTY contender, including June’s lead single “kisses” and last month’s “The Slab”, which guitarist and vocalist Neil Halstead revealed is “the heaviest on the record and as the name suggests we wanted it to feel like a big slab of music… We wanted it to feel very dense.”
everything is alive, meanwhile, is dedicated to Rachel Goswell’s mother and Simon Scott’s father, who both passed away in 2020, and is said to explore themes of life and hope against a backdrop of darker times.
“There were some profound shifts for some of us personally,” says Goswell. “Those crossroads are reflected in the many-layered emotional tenor of Slowdive’s music; everything is alive is heavy with experience, but each note is poised, wise, and necessarily pitched to hope. Its unique alchemy subtly embodies both sadness and gratitude, groundedness and uplift.”
Halstead further sums it up: “It wouldn’t feel right to make a really dark record right now. The album is quite eclectic emotionally, but it does feel hopeful.”
To enhance the evening, the wonderful Drab Majesty open the show; a few months after Goswell joined the modern post-punk and darkwave band to add her ethereal vocals on their June single “Vanity”. Give that and spin, and then revisit our extensive 617 Q&A with Deb Demure from back in November of last year.
SLOWDIVE + DRAB MAJESTY :: Monday, September 25 at House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St. in Boston, MA :: 7 p.m., all ages, $35 to $59.50 :: Event page :: Advance tickets