From the funk-pop guitars in “We Look Good Together” through to the baroque strings in “Flex” or even the country-tinged stylings of “Babys”, it would be an understatement to call “New Last Name” adventurous. That’s all before you even come onto the drum and bass drumming of the vibrant and vital “Happy Endings”. Brimming with nuance and pop culture references, the only constant is that the Liverpool group maintain their irrepressible sense of abandon.
Going on to speak about the album, Murphy O’Neill says, “I’ll admit that New Last Name isn’t really a play. Whilst it IS tied together by a narrative thread – it’s actually a collection of our most contained pop songs, and strangest experiments sat side by side.
New Last Name is unrestrained and chaotic. At the same time, it is more focused and detail-oriented than anything we’ve done before. New Last Name is a study in contradictions, and it’s the best damn play south of the north pole.”
That play goes on the road next year, with the band also having announced a new run of EU / UK tour dates to take place in Spring next year. Having cemented themselves as a must-see live act, Courting recently toured as main support for Circa Waves and just last month sold-out a headline performance in their hometown within ten minutes of announcing it. The band also toured “Guitar Music” extensively last Autumn as well as performing at multiple summer festivals including Reading & Leeds Festival, Wide Eyed Festival, Latitude, Truck Festival, Live At Leeds, Community Festival, and The Great Escape. They also came together earlier this year for “The Wedding” – a hometown wedding-themed show which saw the band unveil new material for the first time – which NME reviewed, describing them as “one of the most innovative and elevated acts of the moment.”
The new dates are as follows:
6/2 - Portland Arms, Cambridge
7/2 - CHALK, Brighton
8/2 - Facebar, Reading
9/2 - Dingwalls, London
10/2 - The Rainbow, Birmingham
12/2 - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
13/2 - The Bodega Social Club, Nottingham
14/2 - YES, Manchester
16/2 - King Tuts, Glasgow
17/2 - The Mash House, Edinburgh
18/2 - The Cluny, Newcastle
19/2 - The Leadmill, Sheffield
20/2 - The Joiners, Southampton
21/2 - Voodoo Daddy’s, Norwich
22/2 - Exchange, Bristol
27/3 - Paradiso - Amsterdam, NL
28/3 - Botanique - Rotonde - Brussels, BE
1/4 - Point Ephemere - Paris, FR
2/4 - L’Aeronef - Lille, FR
3/4 - L’Ubu - Rennes, FR
5/4 - Rock School Barbey - Bordeaux, FR
7/4 - Auditorio CCOP - Porto, PT
8/4 - Musicbox - Lisbon, PT
9/4 - Maravillas - Madrid, ES
10/4 - Heliogabal - Barcelona, ES
11/4 - Paloma - Nimes, FR
15/4 - Schokoladen - Berlin, DE
16/4 - Molotow - Hamburg, DE
17/4 - Bumann & Sohn - Cologne, DE
Tickets and more information HERE
Judging by the way Courting fans have already taken the new material to heart in packed festival tents across the country, this album has all the makings to seal their status as giants of the game. “When we played “Flex” live this summer, everyone was already singing the words back to us,” says drummer / vocalist, Sean Thomas. “It was one of those moments where you can’t help but smile. We’re so proud of this album, it just hits every time.”
“New Last Name” is due out 26th January 2024 via Lower Third – Pre-order / save HERE