Out today, The Dream Syndicate release new single ‘Damian’ taken from their album ‘Ultraviolet Battle Hymns and True Confessions’ set for release on 10th June.
Transporting you to Santa Monica Boulevard circa 1976, ‘Damian’ has a Californian sun baked sheen with a New York City bred sense of evil and a Steely Dan feel to it.
“I wanted to write and record something that would have sounded good coming out of the Radio Shack speakers in my Gremlin.. the sense of mystery and time time was enhanced by Marcus Tenney’s era-perfect sax and trumpet work and then sweetened by a backing vocal arrangement Stephen McCarthy brought to the session.” Steve Wynn
The accompanying new music video, created by Mike Bourne, takes the viewer on a kaleidoscopic journey.
Throwing out any preconceptions on the cryptically titled album, The Dream Syndicate have moved well past their early Velvet Underground influences and taken on British glam, German prog and more.
‘Ultraviolet Battle Hymns and True Confessions’ features singer/songwriter/guitarist Steve Wynn, drummer Dennis Duck, bassist Mark Walton, lead guitarist Jason Victor plus their newest member Chris Cacavas on keyboards (you remember him from the 1980s Los Angeles band Green On Red), plus guest appearances from Stephen McCarthy (of The Long Ryders) and Marcus Tenney’s expressive sax and trumpet work.
When The Dream Syndicate emerged in the early 80s, frontman Steve Wynn declared that “we’re playing music we want to hear because nobody else is doing it” – he added, “I’ll comprise on what I eat or where I sleep, but I won’t compromise on what music I play”.
Both were true. The band was, and still remain, uncompromising.
