Melbourne scratchy pop foursome the Stevens formed in 2011 around
guitarist (and now Twerps drummer) Alex Macfarlane and NZ-born axeslinger
Travis MacDonald, The band now also includes bassist Gus Lord
(Boomgates) and drummer Matt Harkin.
Earlier this year, Chapter Music reissued the band's 2012 self-titled EP, six
insanely catchy songs that haunt your ears for much longer than the
record's 13 minute duration, Now we are very excited to announce A History
Of Hygiene, the Stevens' debut album.
A History Of Hygiene is markedly different to the EP, a impressionist whirlwind
of song fragments and frenetic anxiety-pop classics, sequenced
almost without pause in a heady 24 song, 44 minute rush.
First single Hindsight was premiered in early October by US blog Ad Hoc,
and was picked up by the likes of Pitchfork and the Guardian and played on
BBC 6.
Drummer Tam Matlakowski (Pop Singles) and bassist Callum Foley appear
on the album, but departed the band late last year, The Stevens are now
made up of two pairs of childhood friends - Alex and Gus have known each
other since they were babies, and Matt and Travis went to school together in
Victoria's Central Goldfields, The Stevens formed when Travis moved to
Melbourne, met Alex, and the pair decided to combine their respective solo
projects into a single band.
Much of the album was recorded by Eddy Current/Total Control guitarist
Mikey Young (whose vast recording CV includes Chapter bands Dick Diver,
Twerps and Fabulous Diamonds), and the rest handled by the band themselves.
A History Of Hygiene was mastered by MacDonald family friend Tex
Houston, who has worked with the likes of the Clean, the 3Ds and the
Verlaines.
For the album cover, the band approached one of their favourite artists Noel
McKenna, who graciously agreed to allow them tto use one of his beautiful
paintings, Design is by Twerps' Rick Milovanovic.
