Richard Dawson shares new song "Boxing Day Sales" + confirms UK tour
Richard Dawson
Shares new song “Boxing Day Sales” – watch video here
Announces UK tour for 2025 including London’s Clapham Grand + instore run
New album End of the Middle out February 14th
Last month Rich(ard) Dawson announced news of his return with new album End of the Middle due February 14th.
Today, Dawson is pleased to share the second song from the forthcoming record, “Boxing Day Sales” – a beautifully wonky pop number that merges Dawson’s deft yet infectious melodies with a pleasing bolt of jagged clarinet from Faye MacCalman (who plays the role of “lightning” throughout the album). It’s also his hugely unorthodox bid for Christmas Number 1.
“I wanted to make a pure pop song,” says Rich. “Almost like a total throwaway song – like a Christmas gift: A pair of novelty socks, some Lynx Africa, or a daft plastic puzzle you get on Christmas morning and then chuck in a drawer for the next 10 years. I wanted it to be the most throwaway and lightweight triviality of a thing.” But Dawson also found himself moved by the noble spirit of the character in his song, lifting it to a place that went beyond disposable gifts, pop hooks, and a critique of capitalism. “Even when there isn’t much room for a character to speak you still must go all the way with them”.
Watch the video for “Boxing Day Sales” here.
Stream “Boxing Day Sales” here.
The video – directed (once again) by James Hankins – features Rich posing in a series of shop windows and famous Central London spots as well as vignettes of eager shoppers going about their day. As Dawson’s final repeated lyrics “You owe it to yourself” ring out, we are left with a parting image of rubbish being collected.
End of the Middle is richly intricate, evocative, tactile and almost has the transportive ability to put you in the places and scenarios it describes. Partly inspired by his love of the films of Japanese director Yasujirō Ozu, the album focuses around a family unit. “It zooms in quite close-up to try and explore a typical middle class English family home,” Dawson says. “We're listening to the stories of people from three or four generations of perhaps the same family. But really, it’s about how we break certain cycles. I think the family is a useful metaphor to examine how things are passed on generationally.”
Alongside the announcement today, comes a new UK tour in April including London’s Clapham Grand plus a string of instore shows for February.
Watch the video for the previously released “Polytunnel” here.
End of the Middle is available to pre-order on Dom-Mart reverse-playing vinyl, indies-exclusive vinyl (with signed print), Dinked-exclusive yellow vinyl (with 7” of 2 bonus tracks), standard vinyl, CD and digitally. Pre-order: DomMart | Digital
Upcoming live dates:
Saturday 7th December – The Ivy House, London – sold out
Friday 14th February – Rough Trade East, London
Saturday 15th February – Resident, Brighton
Monday 17th February – Rough Trade Bristol
Tuesday 18th February – Bear Tree, Sheffield
Wednesday 19th February – Beatdown outstore @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle
Wednesday 23rd April - Stoller Hall, Manchester
Friday 25th April - Brewery Arts, Kendal
Sunday 27th April - City Varieties, Leeds
Tuesday 29th April - Clapham Grand, London
Thursday 1st May - The Gate, Cardiff
Friday 2nd May - Metronome, Nottingham
Saturday 17th May - The Glasshouse, Sage 2, Gateshead
Tuesday 20th May - Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh
Wednesday 21st May - St Luke's, Glasgow
Thursday 22nd May - Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
Friday 23rd May - St George's, Brighton
Saturday 24th May - Quarterhouse, Folkestone
Tickets
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