"Life's cycle continues: experiences deaths, divorces, and welcomes new births": Catching up with the world's oldest continuously active music group
Cardinal Black, the Welsh quartet, has released their second album, "Midnight At The Valencia," which lyrically delves into some dark spots, addressing personal experiences such as deaths, divorces, and births of children. This departure from their more light-hearted debut, "January Came Close," showcases the band's growth, maturity, and desire to harness their live experience into a powerful studio record.
A Shift in Creative Process
The creative process behind "Midnight At The Valencia" was more intentional, focused, and collaborative compared to their debut, "January Came Close." While the latter was created organically over a ten-year timespan, the new album was shaped by their extensive touring experiences and the pressure to craft a more polished and cohesive record from scratch.
For "January Came Close," the band took a more gradual and exploratory approach. Chris Buck described this process as something that "just happened." The challenge with this album was making it sound coherent since the songs were written over such a prolonged period.
In contrast, the creation of "Midnight At The Valencia" was characterized by a fresh perspective, emphasizing both songwriting craftsmanship and the sonic quality of the album. The band spent considerable time selecting the studio and producer, focusing on creating the right soundscape and atmosphere for the record.
A Polished and Cohesive Album
Tom Hollister, another member of Cardinal Black, enjoys writing to time restrictions as it focuses his brain. This approach, combined with the band's archive of ideas, allowed them to build the album quickly despite the time constraints.
Overall, "Midnight At The Valencia" represents a concentrated effort reflecting their cumulative 10,000 hours of live performance and musical growth. The result is a richer, layered, and more impactful sound that was both heartfelt and polished, as noted in live performance reviews.
Key Differences Between the Two Albums
| Aspect | "January Came Close" | "Midnight At The Valencia" | |--------------------------------|---------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | Timeframe for creation | ~10 years | Months, well-planned and focused | | Process | Organic, gradual, and exploratory | Intentional, crafted with focus on songwriting & sound| | Songwriting style | Less pressured, more spontaneous | Writing under time constraints, using stored ideas | | Production approach | Less focus on sonic detail | Chose studio/producer carefully for sonic quality | | Result | Cohesive but varied due to span of years | Polished, layered, and intended as a fresh start |
This evolution reflects the band’s growth, maturity, and desire to harness their live experience into a powerful studio record.
Cardinal Black's Future
Cardinal Black is currently on tour in the US, with a 14-date British and Irish tour planned for the autumn. The band has come a long way from headlining London venues with 200 people to playing at Islington Assembly Hall with 890 and Shepherd's Bush Empire with 2,000 people in around a year. Their live performances are highly valued, with a growing fan base whose loyalty has taken them from smaller venues to larger ones.
Chris Buck wishes the band could be more easily compartmentalized, but they still maintain their independent status. Despite the challenges, the band is thriving, with Slash helping them with their US tour, including writing a letter of recommendation for their visas. The band is now labelmates of Blackberry Smoke on the US label Thirty Tigers, a service label that markets and distributes Cardinal Black, but the band retains decision-making power.
The band's second album, "Midnight At The Valencia," has received widespread praise, and it's clear that Cardinal Black is just getting started.
- Cardinal Black, in their second album "Midnight At The Valencia," delve into personal experiences such as deaths, divorces, and births of children, a departure from their more light-hearted debut, "January Came Close."
- The creative process behind "Midnight At The Valencia" was more intentional, focused, and collaborative, contrasting with the organic and gradual approach of "January Came Close."
- Tom Hollister, a member of Cardinal Black, finds writing to time restrictions helpful in shaping the album quickly.
- Cardinal Black's second album, "Midnight At The Valencia," represents a concentrated effort that reflects their growth and desire to harness their live experience into a powerful studio record.
- The band's live performances are highly valued, with a growing fan base whose loyalty has taken them from smaller venues to larger ones, currently touring in the US and planning a 14-date British and Irish tour in the autumn.
- Slash is helping Cardinal Black with their US tour, including writing a letter of recommendation for their visas.
- Cardinal Black is garnering widespread praise for their second album, "Midnight At The Valencia," showcasing their classic rock, blues, and guitar-driven sound, and signifying their continued growth in the entertainment and music industry.
