- in Entertainment News by Mike
Morello Meets Mitsu With The Duellitsts
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MORELLO VS MASARU MITSU ANNOUNCE East and West unite like never before on Morello vs Masaru Mitsu‘s forthcoming album, The Duellists. The collaborative record arrives on Tuesday, April 14, available online at major digital retail outlets including iTunes, Amazon, and through Morello’s website, http://www.morellomusic.com. Morello-aka British songwriter/producer Malcolm “Sir Mal” Cross, drummer for Pete Yorn, The Olms, Minibar, and Spiritualized – linked up with Japanese multi-instrumental Masaru “Masa” Mitsu – of Chocolat, Northern Lights, and Cymbals – to craft what would become The Duellists. “The overall theme of this record is ‘conflict’ – not just between two people, but also internal struggle,” says Sir Mal. “I was going through some pretty heavy personal stuff during the writing period, and everything I was trying so hard to suppress just came straight out in the songs. In a more positive sense, it’s a reference to the clash of two different musical personalities – Masaru and me – and how the record came about.” What began as a long-distance online friendship cemented by a mutual love of “obscure guitar bands and ’80s synth-pop” blossomed into a creative partnership, as early demos bounced back and forth between their respective cities of Los Angeles and Tokyo. They finally met in person and holed up in Los Angeles’ Echo Park neighborhood with Grammy-nominated engineer John Would (Fiona Apple) behind the board. Together, they uncover a unique chemistry that incorporates a myriad of cultures, styles, and textures. Creating their own “alternative” unlike anything out there, the results are as inviting as they are intriguing. Morello offers a vignette into the creation of this special collaboration with an EPK and a weekly track-by-track video series filmed in L.A. and Tokyo. Both are available on Morello‘s YouTube page, http://bit.ly/YTmorellomusic. For show dates and special The Duellists pre-order packages, visit http://www.morellomusic.com. The Duellists track listing: 1. In-A-City 2. Some Families 3. European Ride 4. Delicious & Delightful 5. I Wanna Be Bad 6. The Time To Know You Well 7. Doo Doo Song 8. Singing My Life 9. Keys, Wallet, Cellphone About Morello Formed in 1996 in London, UK, in the midst of the flourishing Acid Jazz scene, leader Malcolm “Sir Mal” Cross named the band after his childhood hero, jazz drummer Joe Morello. Ultra-rare UK debut album Jackpot (’98) enjoyed a cult following, but a relocation to Los Angeles with British group Minibar in ’99 meant starting from scratch. The resulting self-produced album, minimal (2003), was a musical tribute to his new home; a wildly eclectic scrapbook of new friends and experiences. (Pete Yorn calls it “a hit in every genre!”) The follow-up, Handheld (2007), distilled a love of ’80s synthpop, soft rock and vintage videogames. Touring commitments with Pete Yorn and others prevented adequate promotion of the album, despite radio play on KCRW, and it remains a “lost gem.” The new album, The Duellists, featuring Tokyo scenester Masaru Mitsu, is the first truly “hi-fi” Morello project. With production credits from John Would (Fiona Apple) and R Walt Vincent (Pete Yorn, Tortoise), it is set for release on April 14. |