Joel Stoker shares second single from debut solo album
JOEL STOKER
SHARES HIS SECOND SINGLE ‘WALLS FALL’ - LISTEN HERE
FROM HIS DEBUT SOLO ALBUM ‘THE UNDERTOW’ WHICH
FOLLOWS ON SEPTEMBER 1ST - PRE-ORDER HERE
PLAYS DEBUT SOLO SHOW AS SPECIAL GUEST TO LIAM GALLAGHER AT KOKO NEXT WEDNESDAY HEADLINE SHOWS FOLLOW NEXT MONTH
“The Rifles frontman is embracing a completely new level of creativity, lifting the artistic bar higher than he ever has before and creating something truly astonishing in the process.” - Gigwise
“The debut solo release from The Rifles frontman is a stomping indie-soul gem.” - This Feeling
When The Rifles frontman Joel Stoker unveiled his debut solo track ‘My Own War’, fans discovered that he was embracing soulful, reflective Americana rather than the riotous mod-ish rock ‘n’ roll of the band with which he made his name. Nonetheless, it inspires a first wave of acclaim for his solo work from the likes of Gigwise, This Feeling, Northern Transmissions and The Indie Masterplan. Now Joel further previews the September 1st release of his debut solo album ‘The Undertow’ by sharing the new song ‘Walls Fall’.
As the stunning opener to ‘The Undertow’, ‘Walls Fall’ establishes the pensive, soulful mood that follows as Joel sings, “Your heart is close to breaking, it aches on every beat” over a hypnotic backdrop of acoustic guitars and pizzicato strings. It’s also a song which introduces one of the album’s dominant themes: the need for men to be able to express their inner conflicts and vulnerabilities, rather than masking them with sheer bravado.
Joel says, “Walls Fall. It’s the opening track for the album and really sets the premise for the entire album. Keep moving forward even though sometimes that may be a struggle you’ll get to where you’re going in the end. The song was the first one I finished before I even knew I was gonna make an album. Slowly after this more songs came along all addressing the same subject matter but I would say walls fall would be the cornerstone.”
As with the rest of ‘The Undertow’, ‘Walls Fall’ is predominantly the result of Joel’s own creativity. As well as writing and producing the song, he recorded vocals, backing harmonies, lead guitar, bass and percussion, before drummer Brendan O’Neill and Rifles pianist Dean ‘Deano’ Mumford added their parts and then a cinematic ambience was established with brass and string arrangements.
‘Walls Fall’ and ‘My Own War’ provide insight into what to expect from ‘The Undertow’. It’s a record that holds nothing back in unveiling Joel’s personal challenges - his long-term struggles with OCD, anxiety and mental health issues - to a backdrop of intimate songs with a ‘70s-tinged warmth that provides echoes of artists as varied as Bob Marley, Fleetwood Mac, Dexys, Arcade Fire and Michael Kinwanuka. They’re songs which arrived during lockdown. Without the demands of touring or band life, Joel could escape to his home studio at the bottom of his garden and chart the emotions that he had never fully unlocked before.
‘The Undertow’ is available to pre-order or pre-save HERE. A range of bundles are available which offer your choice of CD, transparent blue or clear vinyl, a signed print and a t-shirt design. A limited run of signed test pressings sold-out almost instantly.
Joel Stoker will play a high profile debut show as special guest to Liam Gallagher at his intimate KOKO gig next Wednesday. He will then play a series of headline shows throughout September, starting with a homecoming at Walthamstow Trades Hall. Tickets for the shows, listed below, are available HERE.
AUGUST
9th - London, KOKO (special guest to Liam Gallagher)
SEPTEMBER
2nd - London, Walthamstow Trades Hall
14th - Birmingham, Dead Wax
21st - Liverpool, Jimmy’s (upstairs)
22nd - Stockton-on-Tees, NE Volume Bar
28th - Preston, The Ferret
Joel Stoker’s solo career represents a new adventure after he established a loyal cult following with The Rifles. The band have released a host of acclaimed albums, the most recent two of which achieved the highest chart positions of their career, as well as playing numerous sold-out tours, and picking up famous fans including Paul Weller, Madness and Ian Broudie. They’re back in action with a headline show at London’s Electric Ballroom on October 27th, followed by the Shiiine On Weekender on November 17th, and are working on their first studio album since 2016’s ‘Big Life’.
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