It took a decade, tragedy, mutual support and, inevitably, alcohol and pizza to get them back together, but Brighton-
based THE MISERABLE RICH have confirmed they'll be releasing a new album on 12 February, 2024, their first since 2011's Miss You
In The Days. OVERCOME, born of trauma but also a testament to deep friendship and love, is the band's fourth album, and was
largely recorded at the five-piece's various home studios by James de Malplaquet (vocals), Jim Briffett (guitars, piano), Will
Calderbank (cello, keyboards, piano), Rhys Lovell (double bass) and Martin Deering (drums) with production assistance and mastering
from Lotte Lindenberg's Wolfgang Gottlieb. It also features guest appearances from Alabaster de Plume, Love Supreme Jazz Festival
co-founder Jack Kendon (trumpet, vocals), Dan Cartwright (saxophone), Miserable Rich co-founder - also of The Leisure Society, and
formerly Hope of The States and Mumford & Sons - Mike Siddell (violin), Jennifer Left, Kelly Barnes and Bex Fidler (vocals). It will be
available through their own label, Rags To Ruins, via all major streaming platforms and digital stores, with each track accompanied by
a video.
OVERCOME contains twelve songs, including 'Glue', summer 2023's hugely personal recent single, and encapsulates all the charms of
the band's earlier string-laden, crafted music, which has garnered acclaim and a dedicated fan base. From the exuberant 'Ballad Of
Young Finn' and 'Crows' to the increasingly defiant 'Quietly' and heartfelt closer 'Poem For Suzanne', via the elegant 'Penny For' -
described by de Malplaquet, perhaps flippantly, as "somewhere between Kruder & Dorfmeister and Supertramp, where we've always
belonged!" - it's an unmistakable sound, blending elements of indie folk and chamber pop. This time, however, piano, electronics and
brass add to their customary mix of acoustic instruments, whether on the rambunctious folk-pop of forthcoming single 'FHS', which
boasts an unlikely New Orleans twist, the richly textured 'Everything Bright And New' or the hushed 'If Only', with the latter pair
featuring Alabaster de Plume on saxophone.
