Tracklist:
\n1. The Night Birds 05:11
\n2. Radium Kiss 04:33
\n3. Twelve Chimes 05:13
\n4. Under Surface 04:55
\n5. Jet Stream (LP) 05:59
\n6. Zoid In Dreamland 06:45
\n7. Calliope 03:07
\n8. Whistle, And I Will Come To You 05:16
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\nStrange Boutique is back with a bewitching new album, \u201cLet the Lonely Heart Sing\u201d. Since the Washington DC ethereal band\u2019s heyday in the underground of the early \u201890s, Strange Boutique has gone on to enjoy a somewhat legendary status in the annals of goth\/rock and post-punk. The band became known for their very own eclectic brand of powerful, guitar-driven ethereal pop, with a touch of world music influence and mystical imagination.
\nThe group was a fixture of the DC club scene from 1987-1993. Their shows were a veritable gathering of DC\u2019s misfits: freaks, goths, punks, scenesters and dreamers. Strange Boutique waved a bittersweet goodbye from the stage of the original Black Cat DC club in November, 1993.
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A pair of reunion shows in 2004 and 2019 along with Monica Richards\u2019 success in the acclaimed goth act, Faith and the Muse, kept interest in the band alive. Now, thanks to the perpetual, viral nature of social media and a growing interest in post-punk music, a new generation of ears have stumbled upon Strange Boutique. They released three albums: \u201cThe Loved One\u201d (1991), \u201cCharm\u201d (1993) and \u201cThe Kindest Worlds\u201d (1994) as well as two singles and an EP. All three of their original albums have become revered, \u201cThe Loved One\u201d especially, which contains their beloved viral song \u201cDrown\u201d. \u201cDrown\u201d has hit over 7 million streams on Spotify and over 10 million across all platforms.
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\nAs the post-punk and goth\/rock resurgence is in full swing, the time is just right for Strange Boutique to return, with appreciation for their past yet moving forward with renewed energy. \u201cLet the Lonely Heart Sing\u201d is a captivating new collection of original guitar-driven songs that explore ghostly themes of love and loss, childlike wonder, echoes from the past, and a deep hope for the future. This album showcases the band\u2019s growth while retaining their unique and beautiful goth\/dark wave sound. With Dennis Kane\u2018s shimmering guitars, Monica Richards\u2018 ethereal vocals, and Steve Willett\u2019s unmistakable chorus-drenched bass, all layered over organic pulsating rhythms, this release is truly enchanting.
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\nSteve Willett served as the main creative force behind most of the tracks, while Dennis Kane also wrote the closing track and contributed his signature guitar sound. The two would send their demos to Monica, who would then write her distinctive lyrics and work on the vocals. Through a combination of Zoom meetings, phone calls, texts, and demo recordings, the song arrangements were completed. Strange Boutique subsequently entered Baltimore\u2019s Magpie Cage studio to track live drums. Additionally, the album features a string quartet adding a rich sonic depth on three tracks.
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So far, two singles have been released: \u201cThe Night Birds\u201d and \u201cJet Stream\u201c. These are the first new songs in more than twenty years, generating genuine excitement among fans. The third single \u201cRadium Kiss\u201d is premiering today!
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\nThe album cover features a cicada, which Monica explains further:
\n\u201cI can\u2019t tell you how excited I am for the new Strange Boutique album! I designed the cover as a mystical array surrounding a cicada. The cicada has long been known as a symbol of resurrection and transformation due to its fascinating life cycle. As a Washington DC band, we were very attuned to the cicada every Summer, as well as the 17-year cicadas, when the trees of DC would be filled with their ghostly sounds. This also blends perfectly with the title \u201cLet the Lonely Heart Sing\u201c, which is a lyric in one of our songs. Steve Willet and I felt it is the perfect symbol for a new album cover to show that Strange Boutique is back!\u201d \u2013 Monica Richards
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