Photo by: Ross Fraser McLean
Official press release:
Amid the scattered forests and jagged cliffs of Scotland’s east coast stirs Teethgrynder, the solo project from visual artist and multi-instrumentalist Jay Thurley. Walking out into the daylight for his fourth album, currently set to release on October 29th via Isolation Records, Jay continues to peel away his outer layers and reveal the new, while stepping forward into new territories. Hostages is climbing the cold mountain, getting hit by the sweltering sun, and the journey beyond.
Watch the music video for Hostages’ first single “Casey Rowe’s Ghost” below:
Written and recorded at the end of 2019, Teethgrynder delivers his most sophisticated record yet, featuring Jaye Jayle’s Evan Patterson and Daughters’ Alexis Marshall, both of whom have worked with Jay previously. Other contributing musicians include Bossk guitarist Robert Vaughan. Visual artist and long-term collaborator Richey Beckett, Filth Is Eternal vocalist Lisa Mungo, Fall of Efrafa’s Neil Kingsbury and among others, maybe even David Yow of The Jesus Lizard.
Lyrically, the album deals with themes of deterioration, Thurley’s journey continuing to dredge us into parts of ourselves we try to suppress, staggering through a world falling into turmoil in pursuit of a religious enlightenment, conflicted with the songwriter’s sickly black sense of humour, stoic as it is unyielding.
Sonically, a foundation of blues, Young Widows-style noise rock, cinematic movements, spoken word poetry, chaotic swathes of saxophone and electronics. Brought forward here are jangling guitars, pounding drums, amative strings and Leonard Cohen-like vocals both venomous and drunkenly rambling at a seedy bar in a Blade Runner dystopia – Teethgrynder once again using juxtaposition to deliver a journey both hellbound and enlightened, challenging and contemplative.
Pre-order Hostages here and look for more news and music from Teethgrynder to surface soon.
Hostages track listing:
- “Devilman”
- “Casey Rowe’s Ghost”
- “Zeal, the Assassin”
- “Not Lonely” feat. Jaye Jale
- “Vanity, the Fool”
- “Votive Signs” feat. Alexis Marshall
- “Beans”
- “Stare at the Ground”
- “The Seer” [digital bonus track]
- “Barisal Guns” [digital bonus track]
- “Surface Dweller” [digital bonus track]
- “Elder” [digital bonus track]
- “Hostages” [digital bonus track]
- “Cyclopes” feat. Lisa Mungo (Filth Is Eternal) [digital bonus track]
