Haunted

Description

Bill Pritchard Returns with Haunted, his Most Pop-Forward Album Since Jolie. Released on Tapete, Bill Pritchard's new album Haunted finds the acclaimed British songwriter at the height of his lyrical wit and melodic craft. A life's work of sharp observation and quiet beauty, Pritchard has long been praised for his ability to elevate the ordinary into something extraordinary. With Haunted, he delivers a sophisticated, deeply personal collection of songs revolving around the memories that linger: people, places, and passions, whether real or imagined, remembered or refracted. His 1990s album Jolie remains a touchstone of intelligent pop, and later releases like Mother Town Hall have been celebrated for their warm, idiosyncratic retro sensibilities. More recently, his collaboration Sings Poems by Patrick Woodcock showcased his depth and willingness to experiment. Now, with Haunted, Pritchard delivers his most direct and pop-leaning album in decades. Recorded between Hamburg and Newcastle-under-Lyme, Haunted reflects the international spirit of Pritchard's music, blending vintage textures with modern production. Supported by an inspired network of Hamburg-based musicians and guided closely by Pritchard himself, the album spans vintage drum machines, brass flourishes, chiming guitars, lush harmonies, and even a touch of psychedelia. The result is a refreshingly European pop record, organic, eclectic, and deeply resonant. Thematically, Haunted explores how the past never quite leaves us. From the simple act of riding a bus through Stoke Newington, transformed into a gentle hymn to the everyday, to recollections of semi-real and semi-fictional torch singers and the resilience they embodied, these songs find inspiration in both the mundane and the monumental. They celebrate detachment and lightness too: moments that float on breezy organ lines, jangling guitars, and nimble bass runs, smiling even in the face of uncertainty. Throughout the album, Pritchard paints vivid vignettes. Bright horns and rippling guitars illuminate fleeting scenes, while hand percussion and chiming guitars evoke childhood wonder and the bittersweet recognition of how we grow apart. Elsewhere, blooming brass-driven rock captures the joy of performance and resistance, while acoustic moments turn inward, bruised but tender, reflecting on a life lived and remembered. A song of sunsets in Poland carries loneliness across an indie-pop sway, while playful language games sketch stories set in France, where the very form becomes part of the tale. Finally, the stripped-back closer, born from the thought of new life and breath itself, distills the album into its most intimate, beautiful moment. With influences ranging from Scott Walker to the Lemon Twigs, Walter Matthau to French poet Berreby, Haunted is a record of whimsy and wonder, melancholy and joy. These songs reflect the musings of a true "perpetual tourist," charting both real and imagined encounters through timeless, sophisticated pop.

Description

Bill Pritchard Returns with Haunted, his Most Pop-Forward Album Since Jolie. Released on Tapete, Bill Pritchard's new album Haunted finds the acclaimed British songwriter at the height of his lyrical wit and melodic craft. A life's work of sharp observation and quiet beauty, Pritchard has long been praised for his ability to elevate the ordinary into something extraordinary. With Haunted, he delivers a sophisticated, deeply personal collection of songs revolving around the memories that linger: people, places, and passions, whether real or imagined, remembered or refracted. His 1990s album Jolie remains a touchstone of intelligent pop, and later releases like Mother Town Hall have been celebrated for their warm, idiosyncratic retro sensibilities. More recently, his collaboration Sings Poems by Patrick Woodcock showcased his depth and willingness to experiment. Now, with Haunted, Pritchard delivers his most direct and pop-leaning album in decades. Recorded between Hamburg and Newcastle-under-Lyme, Haunted reflects the international spirit of Pritchard's music, blending vintage textures with modern production. Supported by an inspired network of Hamburg-based musicians and guided closely by Pritchard himself, the album spans vintage drum machines, brass flourishes, chiming guitars, lush harmonies, and even a touch of psychedelia. The result is a refreshingly European pop record, organic, eclectic, and deeply resonant. Thematically, Haunted explores how the past never quite leaves us. From the simple act of riding a bus through Stoke Newington, transformed into a gentle hymn to the everyday, to recollections of semi-real and semi-fictional torch singers and the resilience they embodied, these songs find inspiration in both the mundane and the monumental. They celebrate detachment and lightness too: moments that float on breezy organ lines, jangling guitars, and nimble bass runs, smiling even in the face of uncertainty. Throughout the album, Pritchard paints vivid vignettes. Bright horns and rippling guitars illuminate fleeting scenes, while hand percussion and chiming guitars evoke childhood wonder and the bittersweet recognition of how we grow apart. Elsewhere, blooming brass-driven rock captures the joy of performance and resistance, while acoustic moments turn inward, bruised but tender, reflecting on a life lived and remembered. A song of sunsets in Poland carries loneliness across an indie-pop sway, while playful language games sketch stories set in France, where the very form becomes part of the tale. Finally, the stripped-back closer, born from the thought of new life and breath itself, distills the album into its most intimate, beautiful moment. With influences ranging from Scott Walker to the Lemon Twigs, Walter Matthau to French poet Berreby, Haunted is a record of whimsy and wonder, melancholy and joy. These songs reflect the musings of a true "perpetual tourist," charting both real and imagined encounters through timeless, sophisticated pop.