Tag Archive for: Tess Parks

TESS PARKS // AND THOSE WHO WERE SEEN DANCING (ALBUM) HDD SKY BLUE PRESSING + TOUR DATES

Following years of international touring, her much-loved debut album ‘Blood Hot‘, and a lengthy list of collaborations with Brian Jonestown Massacre‘s Anton Newcombe, TESS PARKS‘ newly-released and critically-acclaimed album, ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing‘, is now available on an HDD exclusive Sky Blue pressing of 200.


“A confident, enchanting presence” – THE NEW YORK TIMES

“Deliciously smoky psych-pop” – STEREOGUM

“And Those Who Were Seen Dancing demands to be heard and felt” – EXCLAIM!

“dreamy soundscapes that flit between shoegaze and psychedelia” – UNCUT

“A mesmerizing album full of textures and layers” – UNDER THE RADAR


TESS PARKS newly-released solo album, ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing’ is available now on Fuzz Club and Hand Drawn Dracula Records. Alongside the new album, Parks has also announced UK/EU tour and festival dates in support. (photo by Emma-Parks)


SEP 03 / Manchester, UK / Manchester Psych Festival
SEP 09 / Vexin-Sur-Epte, FR / Rock In The Barn Festival
SEP 10 / Leffinge, BE / Leffingeleuren Festival
SEP 14 / Nantes, FR / Scene Michelet
SEP 15 / Paris, FR / La Maroquinerie
SEP 16 / Lille, FR / Strawberry Fields
SEP 20 / Genova, IT / Sant’Andrea Monastery
SEP 21 / Roma, IT / Teatro Garbatella
SEP 22 / Milan, IT / Circolo Bellezza
SEP 23 / Bologna, IT / Covo Club
SEP 25 / Amsterdam, NL / Paradiso
OCT 02 / Norwich, UK / Norwich Psych Festival
OCT 25 / Brighton, UK / The Green Door Store
OCT 26 / Newcastle, UK / Cluny2
OCT 27 / Glasgow, UK / Stereo
OCT 28 / Leeds, UK / Hyde Park Book Club
OCT 29 / Liverpool, UK / Phantasmagoria
NOV 18 / Hamburg, DE / Molotow
NOV 19 / Berlin, DE / Syansthesie Festival
NOV 22 / Cologne, DE / Bumann & Sohn
NOV 23 / Stuttgart, DE / Merlin
NOV 24 / Munich, DE / Import Export
NOV 25 / Graz, AU / Autumn Leaves Festival
NOV 26 / Vienna, AU / Flex
NOV 28 / Konstanz, DE / Kulturladen
NOV 29 / Zurich, SW / Bogan F
NOV 30 / La Chaux-de-Fonds, SW / Bikini Test
DEC 01 / Nurnberg, DE / Z-Bau
DEC 02 / Darmstadt, DE / 806sqm

TESS PARKS // I SEE ANGELS (VIDEO) SONIC BOOM IN-STORE (LIVE)

Toronto-born, London-based artist TESS PARKS releases a new video for ‘I See Angels’, lifted from her newly-released solo album, ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing’, out now on Fuzz Club and Hand Drawn Dracula Records. Alongside the new album, Parks has also announced UK/EU tour and festival dates in support. Following years of international touring and a lengthy list of critically-acclaimed collaborations with Brian Jonestown Massacre‘s Anton Newcombe in recent years (most recently the duo’s self-titled 2018 LP), the new album will be Parks’ first full-length solo offering since her much-loved debut album, ‘Blood Hot‘, was released back in 2013. Trailing the highly-praised singles ‘Happy Birthday Forever‘, ‘Brexit at Tiffany’s‘ and ‘Do You Pray?‘, ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing‘ is out now.

On ‘I See Angels’, Parks says: “This song was written on my way out of New York and for the video I always had this vision of dancers dancing all over the city, I always love seeing people who have the confidence, discipline and motivation to decide that they’re going to go to some particular spot and just dance there for the day. I came across Joe Bressler’s work and loved it and he lived in New York so we decided to collaborate. We loosely discussed locations, but without knowing, he ended up choosing some places that had great personal sentimental significance to me. I love how the video ends with this beautiful ballerina finally out free and dancing in nature. That whole last dance sequence is framed like an actual renaissance painting.”

ORDER : Deezer / Spotify / Apple / Bandcamp
RADIO : #23 at Earshot Top 50, #83 at NACC Top 200 (w/o 06.20)
RADIO : #25 at Earshot Top 50, #10 at NACC Top 50 Canada, #8 CBC Radio 3 (w/o 08.03)


AND THOSE WHO WERE SEEN DANCING TOUR DATES
25/06 Toronto, CA • Sonic Boom (In-Store)
06/08 London, UK • South Facing Festival
14/08 Copenhagen, DK • Common Ground Festival
20/08 Saint-Malo, FR • La Route Du Rock
03/09 Manchester, UK • Manchester Psych Festival
09/09 Normandy, FR • Rock In The Barn Festival
14/09 Nantes, FR • Le Ferrailleur
15/09 Paris, FR • La Maroquinerie
16/09 Lille, FR • Strawberry Fields Festival
25/09 Amsterdam, NL • Paradiso
02/10 Norwich, UK • Norwich Psych Festival
25/10 Brighton, UK • Green Door Store
26/10 Newcastle, UK • Cluny 2
27/10 Glasgow, UK • Stereo
28/10 Leeds, UK • Hyde Park Book Club
29/10 Liverpool, UK • Phantasmagoria
18/11 Hamburg, DE • Molotow
19/11 Berlin, DE • SynÄsthesie Festival
22/11 Cologne, DE • Bumann & Sohn
23/11 Stuttgart, DE • Merlin
24/11 Munich, DE • Import Export
25/11 Graz, AT • Dom Im Berg
26/11 Vienna, AT • Flex
28/11 Konstanz, DE • Kulturladen
29/11 Zurich, CH • Bogen F
30/11 La Chaux-de-Fonds, CH • Bikini Test
01/12 Numberg, DE • Z-bau
02/12 Damstadt, DE • 806qm

TESS PARKS // AND THOSE WHO WERE SEEN DANCING (ALBUM) NARC, LOUDER THEN WAR, FAR OUT MAGAZINE, MAGIC RPM, FILTER, BANDCAMP DAILY, PASTE, EXCLAIM, UNCUT, UNDER THE RADAR, THE STAR, NPR

Toronto-born, London-based artist TESS PARKS today returns with her long-awaited new album ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing‘ on Fuzz Club and Hand Drawn Dracula Records. Alongside the new album, Parks has also announced UK/EU tour and festival dates in support. Following years of international touring and a lengthy list of critically-acclaimed collaborations with Brian Jonestown Massacre‘s Anton Newcombe in recent years (most recently the duo’s self-titled 2018 LP), the new album will be Parks’ first full-length solo offering since her much-loved debut album, ‘Blood Hot‘, was released back in 2013. Trailing the highly-praised singles ‘Happy Birthday Forever‘, ‘Brexit at Tiffany’s‘ and ‘Do You Pray?‘, ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing’ is out now.


“In my mind, this album is like hopscotch”, Parks says of the album: “These songs were pieced together over time in London, Toronto and Los Angeles with friends and family between August 2019 and March 2021. So many other versions of these songs exist. The recording and final completion of this album took over two years and wow – the lesson I have learned the most is that words are spells. If I didn’t know it before, I know it now for sure. I only want to put good out into the universe.”

A creeping disillusionment with the state of the world paired with an injury that stopped Parks from being able to play guitar and piano for months meant the album was nearly shelved. “I really felt discouraged to complete this album. I stopped listening to music for honestly about a year altogether and turned to painting instead. I really had to convince myself again that it’s important to just share whatever good we can – having faith in ourselves to know that our lights can shine on and on through other people and for other people. The thought of anyone not sharing their art or being shy of anything they create seems like a real tragedy to me. Even if it’s not perfect, you’re capturing a moment.”



Recorded over two years between 2019 and 2021 but with songs, lyrics and ideas dating back over a decade in some form, the incoming ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing’ is an album full of such moments, people and places. The album is out now on digital and the vinyl is released June 24th.

ORDER : Deezer / Spotify / Apple / Bandcamp
PRESS : NORMAN RECORDS (AotW), GOD IS IN THE TV, SPILL, SECTION 26, LIFE ELSEWHERE, LOUDER THEN WAR, FAR OUT MAGAZINE, NARC, PORT, MAGIC RPM, FILTER, BANDCAMP DAILY, EXCLAIM!, PASTE, UNCUT, THE STAR, UNDER THE RADAR, NPR

06/08 London, UK • South Facing Festival
14/08 Copenhagen, DK • Common Ground Festival
03/09 Manchester, UK • Manchester Psych Festival
09/09 Normandy, FR • Rock In The Barn Festival
14/09 Nantes, FR • Le Ferrailleur
15/09 Paris, FR • La Maroquinerie
16/09 Lille, FR • Strawberry Fields Festival
25/09 Amsterdam, NL • Paradiso
02/10 Norwich, UK • Norwich Psych Festival
25/10 Brighton, UK • Green Door Store
26/10 Newcastle, UK • Cluny 2
28/10 Glasgow, UK • Stereo
28/10 Leeds, UK • Hyde Park Book Club
29/10 Liverpool, UK • Phantasmagoria
18/11 Hamburg, DE • Molotow
19/11 Berlin, DE • SynÄsthesie Festival
22/11 Cologne, DE • Bumann & Sohn
23/11 Stuttgart, DE • Merlin
24/11 Munich, DE • Import Export
25/11 Graz, AT • Dom Im Berg
26/11 Vienna, AT • Flex
28/11 Konstanz, DE • Kulturladen
29/11 Zurich, CH • Bogen F
30/11 La Chaux-de-Fonds, CH • Bikini Test
01/12 Numberg, DE • Z-bau
02/12 Damstadt, DE • 806qm

TESS PARKS // DO YOU PRAY (VIDEO) NORTHERN TRANSMISSIONS, BIZZARRE, BROOKLYN VEGAN, UNDER THE RADAR, DORK, THE LINE OF BEST FIT, CLASH, STEREOGUM

Following the highly acclaimed singles “Happy Birthday Forever” and “Brexit At Tiffany’s“, Toronto-born, London-based artist TESS PARKS releases “Do You Pray?” (video directed by Gsus Lopez w/ dance by Mark Wagner) from her new album And Those Who Were Seen Dancing out May 20 (digital) and June 24th (vinyl) via Fuzz Club (UK) and Hand Drawn Dracula (Canada).

Stream / Pre-Order: HERE / HERE
PRESS: OUR CULTURE, NORTHERN TRANSMISSIONS, XS NOISE, BIZZARRE, INDIE ROCKS, BROOKLYN VEGAN, FAR OUT, THE LINE OF BEST FIT, CLASH, DORK, UNDER THE RADAR, UNDER THE RADAR (2), STEREOGUM

Recorded over two years between 2019 and 2021 but with songs, lyrics and ideas dating back over a decade in some form, And Those Who Were Seen Dancing – Parks’ first solo LP since 2013’s Blood Hot – is an album full of moments, people and places. Taking constant inspiration from interactions with those around her, “Do You Pray?” is a perfect case in point.

“My friend Annie just asked me one day out of the blue, ‘Do you pray?‘, and I thought, ‘Wow, yes I love that and yes I do, every day.’ The song is a mix of two traditionals: ‘My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean’ and ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’. This is one of a few songs on the album where my dad can be heard playing my grand-fathers old piano.”

* Due to manufacturing delays and reigning pressing plant chaos, the vinyl is unfortunately delayed and will now be released June 24th // photograph by Katy Newcombe

TESS PARKS // BREXIT AT TIFFANY’S (video) BIZZARRE, CLASH, UNDER THE RADAR, THE LINE OF BEST FIT, DORK, STEREOGUM

Following her highly praised return with ‘Happy Birthday Forever’, Toronto-born, London-based artist TESS PARKS is today sharing a new single and video, ‘Brexit At Tiffany’s’. Following years of international touring and a lengthy list of collaborations with Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe in recent years (most recently the duo’s self-titled 2018 LP), the track is lifted from her incoming solo album, ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing’, due out May 20th on Fuzz Club and Hand Drawn Dracula.

Out today, new single ‘Brexit at Tiffany’s’ (video by Robert Ascroft) is a piece of smouldering, organ-soaked psych-pop driven by a husky spoken-word vocal from Parks that channels the gauzy poetics of Patti Smith and Lydia Lunch.


Stream / Pre-Order: HERE / HERE
PRESS: CMU APPROVED, INDIE MACHINE, OUR CULTURE, THE AUTUMN ROSES, XS NOIZE, GIGWISE, BIZZARRE, LOCK, THE LINE OF BEST FIT, CLASH, DORK, STEREOGUM, UNDER THE RADAR, UNDER THE RADAR (SW)


On ‘Brexit at Tiffany’s’, Parks recalls: “We were recording at Rian [O’Grady]’s house and the guys started playing this music which had Francesco [Perini]’s Ray Mananzarek Doors’ sensibilities and Mike [Sutton]’s Neil Young-esque guitar, and then I started reading this poem I had written which pieces together definitions of words I found interesting and had written down. The title is thanks to Ruari [Meehan] who kept saying this over and over and we all thought it was the best thing we ever heard.” She says of the video: “This video was as planned and thought out as its namesake. My friend Robert happened to be in London with a day to spare, so last minute we rallied up some friends who were graciously willing to spend an afternoon wearing these horrific English Breakfast masks.”

Robert Ascroft, a photographer and director based out of California, adds: “Tess and I met up for a coffee while I was on assignment in London. I told her I would love to shoot a video for her brilliant new record. Right from the start of the conversation she had the idea of wearing these English Breakfast masks. The shoot was very loose which is unlike any music video I have ever shot. Without much communication I got the idea and just ran with it. Tess and I have an unspoken way of working together and have similar tastes/references. We had a fun and fast shoot with some great friends both new and old. And we got some odd looks from passersby to top it all off.”

TESS PARKS // HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOREVER (video) THE LINE OF BEST FIT, OUR CULTURE, BROOKLYN VEGAN, UNDER THE RADAR, PASTE MAGAZINE, DAILY BANDCAMP, CLASH, STEREOGUM, THE NEW YORK TIMES

Toronto-born, London-based singer-songwriter TESS PARKS is today announcing her long-awaited new album ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing’ and sharing the first single, ‘Happy Birthday Forever’. Following years of international touring and a lengthy list of collaborations with Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe in recent years (most recently the duo’s self-titled 2018 LP), the new album will be released May 20th by Fuzz Club Records and Hand Drawn Dracula in Canada and will be Parks’ first full-length solo offering since her much-loved debut album, ‘Blood Hot’, was released back in 2013. The uplifting, almost gospel-infused psych pop of ‘Happy Birthday Forever’ is out now.

Stream / Pre-order / buy the vinyl:  HERE
Limited Canadian Signature Edition pressed on Clear Vinyl, with Obi Strip and Art Card signed by Tess Parks: HERE

PRESS: GET IN HER EARS, OUR CULTURE, SHE MAKES MUSIC, INDIE MACHINE, BIZZARRE, AUSTIN TOWN HALL, AUTUMN ROSES, PETAL MOTEL, XS NOISE, BROOKLYN VEGAN, UNDER THE RADAR, THE LINE OF BEST FIT, PASTE MAGAZINE, DAILY BANDCAMP, CLASH, STEREOGUM, THE NEW YORK TIMES

“In my mind, this album is like hopscotch”, Parks says of ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing’: “These songs were pieced together over time in London, Toronto and Los Angeles with friends and family between August 2019 and March 2021. So many other versions of these songs exist. The recording and final completion of this album took over two years and wow – the lesson I have learned the most is that words are spells. If I didn’t know it before, I know it now for sure. I only want to put good out into the universe.”

A creeping disillusionment with the state of the world paired with an injury that stopped Parks from being able to play guitar and piano for months meant the album was nearly shelved. “I really felt discouraged to complete this album”, she recalls: “I stopped listening to music for honestly about a year altogether and turned to painting instead. I really had to convince myself again that it’s important to just share whatever good we can – having faith in ourselves to know that our lights can shine on and on through other people and for other people. The thought of anyone not sharing their art or being shy of anything they create seems like a real tragedy to me. Even if it’s not perfect, you’re capturing a moment.”

Recorded over two years between 2019 and 2021 but with songs, lyrics and ideas dating back over a decade in some form, ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing’ is an album full of such moments, people and places. Out now with an accompanying video made from home-recordings of Parks at ballet classes as a child, ‘Happy Birthday Forever’ is a perfect case in point. Parks says of the track:

“These lyrics were written when I was living on Henshaw Street in Elephant and Castle in 2009. I think I used to play this at some of my first solo shows in London. In late August 2019, I brought the words to Ruari [Meehan]’s, and him and Francesco [Perini] had already made this amazing music so I sang over it and then later, Josh [Korody] added the awesome beat that comes in. The song was very cleverly and surprisingly originally titled ‘Get Me Out Of Here’, and one day in October 2020 my sister, Isabella, was driving us home from a mixing session and I saw a license plate that said ‘GMOOH’, which is how I always used to abbreviate it, so I was like, ‘Okay, I’m definitely on the right path, I must be. Gotta finish this album’.”

TESS PARKS SIGNS TO HAND DRAWN DRACULA

With new music in the works, TESS PARKS is today announcing her signing to Hand Drawn Dracula and UK indie label Fuzz Club. She says of the news: “I am very happy to say I will be releasing new music soon with longtime friends Fuzz Club and Hand Drawn Dracula. I have been collaborators with both labels for many years so joining their respective families couldn’t be a more natural fit. I am forever grateful to be able to make music and share music with my friends.

Set to arrive in 2022, Tess Parks has been busy readying her first solo album since her much-adored debut ‘Blood Hot‘ was released on Alan McGee‘s 359 Records label in 2013 (the Creation Records founder being an early champion of Parks.) ‘Blood Hot’ introduced Parks’ mesmerizing sound to the world to near-instant acclaim. Soon enough she had picked up a dedicated cult-like following, was touring internationally to sold-out venues and sharing stages with heroes like The Jesus and Mary Chain, Ride, Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs and The Dandy Warhols.

In the years since ‘Blood Hot‘, Parks went on to release a number of critically acclaimed collaborative albums and EPs with Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe (including 2015’s ‘I Declare Nothing‘ LP, and the ‘Right On‘ EP and ‘Tess Parks & Anton Newcombe‘ LP which were both released in 2018.) Tess has also written and performed on a number of Brian Jonestown Massacre albums, including ‘Pish‘, ‘Third World Pyramid‘ and ‘Dropping Bombs On The Sun‘, as well as singing on the revisited BJM classic ‘Fingertips‘.