New Young Pony Club have shed two members and started over as NYPC, comprising their original duo of Tahita Bulmer and Andy Spence. They’re releasing their third, self-titled album on October 7, with their new single ‘Hard Knocks’ (artwork above) coming first on August 12. The band have made that available for download today – have a listen and get hold of it below:
According to the text accompanying the announcement, the band are following the lead of last May’s single ‘You Used To Be A Man’, producing an LP of "smart, minimal and sophisticated pop". Says Spence: "Things are either accepted as being very muso or very pop, and we reacted against both of them.”
He adds, talking about band returning to being a duo: “It feels like a new band in one way, but Ty and I had been writing for at least a year or more before anyone else had ever entered the frame – the majority of Fantastic Playroom had already been written and recorded with just us. So it feels like we’ve just come back to the honest position where we’ve started."
They’re also playing a set of dates this month and next, all of which barring the Sheffield set are free; stay tuned to their website for further updates:
JULY
Tue 16 – Start The Bus, Bristol
Wed 17 – Oakford Social Club, Reading
Thu 18 – Spanky Van Dykes, Nottingham
Fri 19 – Night & Day, Manchester
Sat 20 – Tramlines Festival, Sheffield
AUGUST
Wed 7 – Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, London