Pleasure Island

Pleasure Island announce bone-shaking new single Shallow Grave

Pleasure Island release 'Shallow Grave', a menacing side-swipe at the dead-eyed emptiness of scenesterism and announce a clutch of live dates in Nottingham, Manchester, Rhyl, Wigan and their home city of Liverpool. 

A sinister, exhilarating bone-shaker powered by the punked-up energy of their live shows, 'Shallow Grave' marks Pleasure Island's first full post-pandemic release and further refines the duo's skill for infectious hooks, whipsmart rhythms and deadpan wit as evinced on 2020's ‘Help Me NHS’ and ‘Priory’ (2021), both recorded and released in the shadow of lockdown.

The latter, originally titled 'IRA' saw guitarist/vocalist Sean Ekins and drummer Sam Pierpoint initially subjected to a ban when their digital distributor refused to share the track in the wake of the death of Prince Phillip, whose uncle had been murdered by the terrorist group in 1979. 

Reworded and retitled as the more fitting 'Priory' the track was intended to raise awareness of issues surrounding mental ill health, a subject addressed with typical acuity and wit by Ekins, a former miner and member of Australian garage-rockers The Spitfires. 

"It was a bit annoying when the track got pulled," Ekins says. "With hindsight we were a bit naive to think it was going to sail though. Still, it's better to pay a price and have some things kept off the internet, if it means we never have to hear from Katie Hopkins again." 

Recorded with platinum-selling producer Al Groves (Bring Me The Horizon, The Sherlocks, Paris Youth Foundation) at Liverpool's historic Motor Museum - the Sefton Park birthplace of touchstone early releases by the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Oasis and The 1975 - 'Shallow Grave' judders with psychobilly rhythms and careering riffs - perfect for these anxious, led-by-zombies times.

"It's a dark sounding track which partly reflects how things are these days, but it's got tons of energy to give everyone a taste of the live show and incentive for people to come see us on the road," says Ekins of 'Shallow Grave', the video to which sees acclaimed team Red Visuals leaning into those spooky vibes.

The track crackles with threat, Ekins' lyrics taking aim at those led by vanity and misplaced pride; the sort of person who thinks they're better than the next because they've read a book or two.

Ekins says: "I think it's common a scenario that most bands, at some stage when they realise that they'll never get to be friends with the cool kids, write a song about how little they cared and never wanted to hang out with them in the first place."