Tag Archive for: Tess Parks

TESS PARKS // RUNNING HOME TO SING (VIDEO) // PERFORMS AT MARK LANEGAN TRIBUTE (DEC 5) ALONGSIDE DAVE GAHAN, JOSH HOMME, CHRISSIE HYNDE, BOBBY GILLESPIE AND MORE // NME, BROOKLYN VEGAN, BBC6 MUSIC

Canada-born, London-based singer-songwriter TESS PARKS‘ recently released her third solo album, ‘Pomegranate’, via Hand Drawn Dracula and is today sharing a video for “Running Home To Sing”.

On the video, Tess Parks said “I guess subconsciously, through working with Joe Bressler on this video and his interpretation of the lyrics, this song is about anything you feel an unhealthy attachment to, and having the courage to change the things that you can and finding the inner strength to set yourself free. There is such a happier life waiting for you. The things that are right for you will remain, but the right people and the right circumstances will always reveal themselves once you make the space. I promise you. Thank you for all the love for this album so far – it means a lot a lot.”

Written and recorded between London, Toronto and Los Angeles, Pomegranate finds Parks teaming up with long-term bandmember and close collaborator Ruari Meehan, who assumes production duties here and co-mixed the album alongside GRAMMY-nominated engineer Mikko Gordon (The Smile, Gaz Coombes, Arcade Fire). Where ‘Dancing’ retained a fair measure of bedroom-demo charm, on ‘Pomegranate‘ the canvas is bigger, with Meehan’s arrangements stretching all the way to the horizon.

“ALBUMS OF THE YEAR – A sense of escape lines the seams of each track – like sitting in the passenger seat and having the wind blow through your fingers.” – Selecetd by Amy Lamé / BBC RADIO6 MUSIC

“#1 : BEST ALBUMS OF 2024 – deeply introspective lyrics are elevated by lush instrumentation including fuzzy guitars, angelic vocals, and hints of psychedelic experimentation” – BEARDED GENTLEMAN

“#55 : UNDER THE RADAR’S TOP 100 ALBUMS OF 2024 – Pomegranate” – UNDER THE RADAR

“#26 : TOP 100 ALBUMS OF 2024 – her compositions growing in stature, her voice in delivery, and the experience more vibrant than ever” – LOUDER THAN WAR

“#13 : TOP 20 TRACKS OF 2024 – California’s Dreaming” – LOUDER THAN WAR

“we are in for extraordinary future work from an incredible artist” – WMNF 88.5FM / LIFE ELSWHERE

“Greg Dulli, Josh Homme, Chrissie Hynde, Dave Gahan & more play Mark Lanegan tribute in London” – BROOKLYN VEGAN

“Josh Homme, Dave Gahan, Chrissie Hynde, Bobby Gillespie and more perform at Mark Lanegan London tribute show” – NME

ORDER: ‘Pomegranate’ Night Sky Vinyl w/ hand-numbered Obi Strip (edition of /250): **** BANDCAMP
STREAM // VARIOUS // TIDAL // APPLE // SPOTIFY


TESS PARKS // POMEGRANATE (ALBUM) BROOKLY VEGAN, RECORD COLLECTOR, FAR OUT MAGAZINE, MOJO, UNCUT, CLASH, EXCLAIM!

Canada-born, London-based singer-songwriter TESS PARKS‘ Pomegranate album is out today via Fuzz Club / Hand Drawn Dracula. Written and recorded between London, Toronto and Los Angeles, Pomegranate finds Parks teaming up with long-term bandmember and close collaborator Ruari Meehan, who assumes production duties here and co-mixed the album alongside GRAMMY-nominated engineer Mikko Gordon (The Smile, Gaz Coombes, Arcade Fire). Where ‘Dancing’ retained a fair measure of bedroom-demo charm, on ‘Pomegranate‘ the canvas is bigger, with Meehan’s arrangements stretching all the way to the horizon.

“Pomegranate is sharp and vibrant, like a pulled pin it explodes lofty ideas and ideals.” 8/10 – EXCLAIM!

“a slow burn worth every moment. Lush, experimental, and abundant… ‘Pomegranate’ embodies the pinnacle of Parks’ creative imaginations.” 8/10 – CLASH

“Parks’ trademark tranquilised drawl piloting slow-burning psych daydreams. Whatever flow is, she has it” 8/10 – MOJO

“something original and exciting” 8/10 – RECORD COLLECTOR

“The expansive Pomegranate sees Parks explore a swirling, neo-psychedelic landscape… great, imaginative songwriting. a sunny slice of organ-drenched indie-pop” 7/10 – UNCUT

“psychedelic auteur reintegrates with the wider world” – THE ARTS DESK

“a combination of ethereal beauty and pain” – BEARDED GENTLEMAN

“Parks has forged her own musical path… a smile-inducing trippy experience of the highest order.” 8/10 – SHINDIG

“surpassing all expectations to release her most accomplished album to date” – 9/10 LOUDER THEN WAR

“Her most fully realized record yet” – BROOKLY VEGAN

“Parks finds new light… and a sense of triumph.” – HERO MAGAZINE

“Profound and life-affirming.” – FAR OUT MAGAZINE

“The album is a testament to the transformative power of music.” – WHEN THE HORN BLOWS


Oct 26 – London – Rough Trade East (Full Band)
Oct 27 – Brighton – Resident (Stripped Back)
Oct 30 – London – Rough Trade West (Stripped Back)

ORDER: Limited Night Sky Vinyl with hand-numbered Obi Strip (edition of /250): **** BANDCAMP
STREAM // VARIOUS // TIDAL // APPLE // SPOTIFY

TESS PARKS // CALIFORNIA’s DREAMING (VIDEO) BROOKLYN VEGAN, NORTHERN TRANSMISSIONS, THE LINE OF BEST FIT, UNDER THE RADAR, ROLLING STONE

Canada-born, London-based singer-songwriter TESS PARKS is today revealing “California’s Dreaming”, the third and final single to be lifted from the incoming Pomegranate album out October 25th via Fuzz Club / Hand Drawn Dracula. The new single also follows her recent inclusion on the official ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice‘ soundtrack with her 2013 track ‘Somedays‘.

Now trailed by “California’s Dreaming” and recent singles “Crown Shy” and “Koalas”, ‘Pomegranate’ is the follow-up to Parks’ long-awaited solo return after nearly a decade with ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing‘, which arrived in 2022 to critical acclaim. In support of Pomegranate, Parks and her band will play three intimate record store release shows in London and Brighton.

Written and recorded between London, Toronto and Los Angeles, Pomegranate finds Parks teaming up with long-term bandmember and close collaborator Ruari Meehan, who assumes production duties here and co-mixed the album alongside GRAMMY-nominated engineer Mikko Gordon (The Smile, Gaz Coombes, Arcade Fire). Where ‘Dancing’ retained a fair measure of bedroom-demo charm, on ‘Pomegranate‘ the canvas is bigger, with Meehan’s arrangements stretching all the way to the horizon.

Out today, “California’s Dreaming” is a piece of hypnotic, organ-soaked psych-pop reminiscent of her cult collaborative albums with The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe. On the underlying message behind the song, Parks says: “I believe people are innately good and everything that happens and everyone that comes into your life is a great teacher. EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY.”

“21 New Songs” – BROOKLYN VEGAN

“Tess Parks debuts California’s Dreaming” – NORTHERN TRANSMISSIONS

“Tess Parks Shares New Single California’s Dreaming” – OUR CULTURE

“Tess Parks – Pomegranate” – PSYCHEDELIC UNDERGROUND

“Tess Parks Shared New Single And Video California’s Dreaming” – THOUGHTS WORDS ACTION

“a rather beautifully refined album – laced with gorgeous moment after gorgeous moment” – ORGANZINE

“Tess Parks shares final album preview, California’s Dreaming” – THE LINE OF BEST FIT

“Best Songs of the Week” – UNDER THE RADAR

” les envolées oniriques et l’ambiance ensoleillée” – ROLLING STONE

“A warm and analog-soft embrace” – THE AUTUMN ROSES


See Tess Parks live:
Oct 26 – London – Rough Trade East (Full Band)
Oct 27 – Brighton – Resident (Stripped Back)
Oct 30 – London – Rough Trade West (Stripped Back)
Tickets HERE

ORDER: Limited Night Sky Vinyl with hand-numbered Obi Strip (edition of /250): BANDCAMP
STREAM // TIDAL // APPLE // SPOTIFY

TESS PARKS // CROWN SHY (VIDEO) CIRCUIT SWEET, THE LINE OF BEST FIT, NORTHERN TRANSMISSIONS, UNDER THE RADAR

TESS PARKS is today revealing her latest single ‘Crown Shy’ – the second to be lifted from her newly-announced solo album, ‘Pomegranate’, out October 25th via Fuzz Club and Hand Drawn Dracula. Alongside the new single, Parks is also announcing a string of intimate record store release shows in London and Brighton.

Now trailed by ‘Crown Shy’ and recent lead single ‘Koalas’, ‘Pomegranate’ is the follow-up to Parks’ long-awaited solo return after nearly a decade with ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing’, which arrived in 2022 to critical acclaim following a string of collaborative albums with The Brian Jonestown Massacre‘s Anton Newcombe.

Written and recorded between London, Toronto and Los Angeles, ‘Pomegranate’ finds Parks teaming up with long-term band member and close collaborator Ruari Meehan, who assumes production duties here and co-mixed the album alongside Grammy-nominated engineer Mikko Gordon (The Smile, Gaz Coombes, Arcade Fire). Where ‘Dancing’ retained a fair measure of bedroom-demo charm, on ‘Pomegranate’ the canvas is bigger, with Meehan’s arrangements stretching all the way to the horizon.

This is the most ambitious and cinematic Parks’ music has ever sounded. ‘Crown Shy’s smouldering psych-pop, for example, is elevated to pristine new heights with the addition of soaring strings. Out today alongside a music video by Adam Carr, Parks says of the new single:

“This was the only song on the album that we didn’t write from far apart and inspired us to finish the album in person. Ruari sent me this song in early July 2023, literally seconds after I had said goodbye to my sister, Isabella, who was travelling that summer to Paris from King’s Cross Station. As always, Ruari’s timing was perfect and the music sounded exactly like how I was feeling.

This song is my gratitude to my family – and my sister especially – for being the main reason for my sobriety from alcohol, and the happiness I felt reconnecting with my sister after a fractured few years. In a broader sense, though, it’s important to remember that everyone in the world is related. We are all family. We can all always be on the same team. When we realise our commonalities instead of our differences, when we realise and own our piece in every situation and understand that we are co-creators of our realities, our worlds can really shift and it will feel like a miracle.”

“Tess Parks delivers this sensational woozy wonderment” – CIRCUIT SWEET

“Warm and woozy in a halcyon haze – swirling and soothingly-psychedelic” – THE AUTUMN ROSES

“TESS PARKS shares video for new single ‘Crown Shy’ from upcoming album ‘Pomegranate’” – XS NOISE

“Tess Parks Releases Video For ‘Crown Shy’ Ahead Of New LP” – THOUGHTS WORDS ACTION

“Tess Parks teases forthcoming album with new single” – THE LINE OF BEST FIT

“Tess Parks Shares New Single Crown Shy” – NORTHERN TRANSMISSIONS

“Tess Parks Shares Video for New Song Crown Shy” – UNDER THE RADAR

“12 Best Songs of the Week: 1. The WAEVE, 2. Sunflower Bean, 3. The Smile, 4. Primal Scream, 5. Tess Parks” – UNDER THE RADAR


RECORD STORE RELEASE SHOWS
Oct 26 – London – Rough Trade East (Full Band)
Oct 27 – Brighton – Resident (Stripped Back)
Oct 30 – London – Rough Trade West (Stripped Back)
Tickets HERE

ORDER: Limited Night Sky Vinyl with hand-numbered Obi Strip (edition of /250): BANDCAMP
STREAM // TIDAL // APPLE // SPOTIFY

TESS PARKS // KOALAS (VIDEO) POMEGRANATE (ALBUM ANNOUNCE) EXCLAIM! MAGAZINE, OUR CULTURE, BIZZARRE, LE CANAL AUDITIF, BROOKLYN VEGAN, MINDIES, FAR OUT MAGAZINE, THE LINE OF BEST FIT, UNDER THE RADAR, CBC, SIRIUS XM, CLASH, STEREOGUM, ROLLING STONE

Canada-born, London-based singer/songwriter TESS PARKS is today announcing her third solo album, ‘Pomegranate’, and sharing the lead single and video ‘Koalas’. Out October 25th via Fuzz Club worldwide and Hand Drawn Dracula in Canada, ‘Pomegranate’ is the follow-up to her long-awaited solo return with ‘And Those Who Were Seen Dancing’, which arrived in 2022 to critical acclaim following a string of collaborative albums with Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe.

Written and recorded between London, Toronto and Los Angeles, ‘Pomegranate’ finds Parks teaming up with long-term bandmember and close collaborator Ruari Meehan, who assumes production duties here and co-mixed the album alongside Grammy-nominated engineer Mikko Gordon (The Smile, Gaz Coombes, Arcade Fire). New single ‘Koalas’ is a piece of beautifully hazy, slow-burning psych-folk with Parks’ smoky vocals floating over feathery acoustic guitar and piano, and some spellbinding whistling courtesy of Molly Lewis.

On the new single, Parks says: “In November 2020, Ruari was in London and I was in Toronto and he sent me the music for ‘Koalas’. At this point, we hadn’t seen each other in over a year. It would be another year before we saw each other again. I was suffering from severe PTSD at this point in my life, and to be honest, I couldn’t bring myself to listen to the song properly until early February. When I finally did – it was one of those moments when you hear a song and you know it’s going to be one of your favourite, most cherished songs for your whole life. It’s the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard.”

She adds: “Ruari sending me this song instigated the making of this album – a daily back and forth correspondence where he would send me music and I would sing some words over it and then he would sing other ideas back to me. It was a true lifeline at what felt like the end of the world. I don’t know who I would be without these songs, this song particularly, and waking up everyday looking forward to what he was going to send me next.”

“SON DU JOUR: La chanteuse Tess Parks vous emmène dans son univers mystérieux et intrigant” – ROLLING STONE

“une excellente pièce psych folk feutrée où sa voix se dépose sur cette composition volante et langoureuse” – LE CANAL AUDITIF

“A beautiful piece of songwriting, Tess Parks’ understated vocal puts you in mind of Cat Power or Hope Sandeval, but with a character of her own.” – CLASH

“Tess Parks announces third solo album, Pomegranate” – THE LINE OF BEST FIT

“Tess Parks announces new album LP Pomegranate” – BIZZARRE

“Tess Parks desafía el silencio con su nuevo álbum” – MINDIES

“Tess Parks announces new album, shares “Koalas” ft Molly Lewis” – BROOKLYN VEGAN

“Tess Parks Announces New Album and Shares Lead Single Koalas” – UNDER THE RADAR

“12 Best Songs of the Week” – UNDER THE RADAR

“a signature dusky lilt atop a downy layer of keys and guitar” – EXCLAIM!

“The Big Indie Playlist: The best new music of the week – Instant Classics” – FAR OUT MAGAZINE

“Tess Parks announces new album ‘Pomegranate’ — hear the breezy lead single Koalas” – STEREOGUM

“bask in the ageless and amber glow of mysterious Koalas” – THE AUTUMN ROSES

“Big City Small World with Errol Nazareth” – 99.1FM CBC RADIO ONE

“Afterdark with Odario Williams” – CBC MUSIC

“a smokey voice, beyond smokiness. I love it … a beautiful song” – SIMON LE BON / WHOOOSH RADIO


Limited Canadian Edition: Night Sky Vinyl with hand-numbered HDD Obi Strip (edition of /250)

ORDER CANADIAN VINYL EDITION : BANDCAMP
STREAM : VARIOUS / TIDAL / APPLE / SPOTIFY

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’.”