Penelope Isles – “Gnarbone”

Abbey Raymonde

Penelope Isles – “Gnarbone”

Abbey Raymonde

Penelope Isles are a Brighton-based indie band based around siblings Jack and Lily Wolter. They originally hail from the Isle of Man, and judging by the in-studio performance footage of “Gnarbone” we’re premiering today, they have epic ambitions. The nine-minute track never loses momentum along the way, waves of gorgeous guitar noise piling up atop propulsive bass and drums. I hear traces of Broken Social Scene, Sonic Youth, Radiohead’s “Weird Fishes,” and maybe some Cocteau Twins, whose Simon Raymonde signed the band to his Bella Union label. But mostly I hear the building blocks of indie rock’s past being arranged in exciting new ways.

Jack Wolter, who produced Penelope Isles’ upcoming album Until The Tide Creeps In, had this to say about the song:

“Gnarbone” was conceived a few years back whilst living and recording in a tiny cubpboard bedroom in a friend’s house in Falmouth, Cornwall. It’s funny thinking how the song has grown so big sonically, considering how small that space was! I was daydreaming about the uncertain future with a life of making music and the decision to try, falling in love and hoping to get good at surfing again. I always knew “Gnarbone” would exist and come to life when i found the right people to play it with me.

Watch the arresting performance below, where you can also find the band’s first US tour dates plus a number of UK engagements:

Penelope Isles have a few gigs coming up at the New Colossus Festival around NYC:
03/09 New York, NY @ Arlene’s Grocery (1:30PM)
03/09 New York, NY @ The Delancey DIY Stage (7PM)
03/09 New York, NY @ Berlin (10:15PM)

They’ll also be doing the SXSW hustle in Austin this March:
03/12 Austin, TX @ 720 Club on Red River (Official SXSW showcase – 8PM)
03/14 Austin, TX @ 1316 South Congress (“South by San Jose” – 2PM)
03/14 Austin, TX @ Latitude 30 (BBC6Music Stage hosted by BBC’s Steve Lamacq – 8PM)
03/15 Austin, TX @ Lazarus Brewing Co. (Music For Listeners – 1PM)
03/16 Austin, TX @ Austin Convention Center (SXSW International Day Stage – 12PM)
03/16 Austin, TX @ Latitude (British Music Embassy Presents – 2:10PM)
at Austin Convention Centre

And while they’re in Texas:
03/17 Denton, TX @ Andy’s Bar (Bella Union party with Pavo Pavo, Doomsquad, Two Medicine)

UK DATES:
03/30 Isle of Man @ Villa Marina Promenade Suite
04/02 Portsmouth @ House of Rapture
04/03 Cambridge @ Portland Arms
04/04 Bristol @ Rough Trade Bristol
04/05 Cardiff @ Clwb Ifor Bach
04/06 Leicester @ Cookie
04/07 Leeds @ Hyde Park Book Club
04/09 Glasgow @ Hug & Pint
04/10 Newcastle @ Cluny 2
04/12 Dublin @ Whelan’s
04/16 Oxford @ Jericho Tavern
04/17 London @ Moth Club
04/27 Reading @ Are You Listening? Festival
05/09 Brighton @ The Great Escape

Until The Tide Creeps In is out later this year on Bella Union.

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