Departure Lounge

‘Too Late to Die Young’ is the wonderful new album from Departure Lounge. Released in the UK and Europe March 4th (on Bella Union/Naive) and the US and Canada March 12th 2002 (on Nettwerk America), it follows on from their universally acclaimed debut ‘Out of Here’ and the enchanting Series 7 instrumental album ‘Jetlag Dreams’.

With the help of legendary French groovemeister Kid Loco in the producer’s chair, the Nashville/Brighton based quartet have moved up to a new level of musical ambition and adventure, blending classic songwriting, seductive grooves and ambient textures to create surely one of the albums of the year.

‘Too Late To Die Young’ features all four members of Departure Lounge playing a wide variety of instruments and found objects, and guest appearances from Simon Raymonde of the Cocteau Twins (guitar), Robyn Hitchcock (guitar, harmonica), Lisa O’Neill from Sing-Sing (vocals) and the Gallic wunderkind himself (guitar, percussion). It was recorded in three ten day sessions at their friends’ studio, Blah Street, on an old farm deep in the English countryside. The medieval/psychedelic decor, huge number of lovely old instruments, home-made electronic toys and excellent home cooking make it ‘the best studio in the world’, according to Kid Loco.

In 2001 the band set up a residency in Nashville, Tennessee called the Living Room at their favourite nitespot, the Slow Bar. Here they performed fortnightly, mixing their own songs with covers ranging from the Human League to Kenny Rogers to Motorhead. An abundance of guest musicians including Josh Rouse, members of Lambchop and Ryan Adams’ band, and former band mates of Bob Dylan and John Cale joined them on a multitude of instruments from hammer dulcimer to clarinet to pedal steel. One night Departure Lounge fan Lee Hazlewood turned up with his mate Duane Eddy and gave a thumbs up from the back to their version of the song he wrote for Johnny Cash, ‘If It’s Monday Morning’.

Since last summer Departure Lounge have also been presenting their own radio show on Nashville’s college station, WRVU, and Tim’s voice can also be heard gracing 6 of the 10 tracks on Kid Loco’s racy new album, ‘Kill Your Darlings’.

The group have been together since early 1998 when Tim, a recovering singer/songwriter, asked Jake, Chris and Lindsay to play on some new recordings. One evening at the Fortress in London they became a band, having written a thousand songs in the space of a few hours. It’s been post-coital bliss ever since. They are now based between Nashville, Brighton and sometimes Paris.

Watch out for Departure Lounge on tour in 2002 at a venue near you.

Departure Lounge are:
Jake Kyle: double bass, bass, acoustic, electric guitar, trumpet, vocals
Tim Keegan: vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, harmonica, theremin
Lindsay Jamieson: drums, percussion, piano, flute, casiotone, organ, vocals
Chris Anderson: piano, hammond and pump organ, midi, CZ101, saxophone, oboe, electric guitar, electravibe, theremin, vocals