World’s Strongest Man is the magnificent third solo album by Gaz Coombes. Inspired variously by Grayson Perry’s The Descent of Man, Frank Ocean’s Blonde, Californian weed, British woodlands, unchecked masculinity, Neu! and hip-hop (and a whole lot more besides), it’s a truly remarkable collection of eleven deeply personal songs each set to expansive, addictive melody. From the deep soul purge of the title track to the coruscating Fripp-goes-motorik sprint of Deep Pockets via the gorgeous cyclonic ballad Slow Motion Life and Vanishing Act’s raw-as-hell stream of consciousness panic attack, World’s Strongest Man is a bold, ambitious, free-thinking, future-facing rock‘n’roll record.
World’s Strongest Man is the follow up to 2015’s Matador – a record pretty much conceived, recorded and mixed in the studio equivalent of solitary confinement. Following its release, Gaz evolved from ‘the former Supergrass frontman’ to hugely respected Mercury nominated solo artist in the space of just ten months. That album spawned five singles and was described by Q as “his masterpiece”. Like Matador, World’s Strongest Man was written, recorded and produced by Gaz Coombes at his home studio and at Oxford’s Courtyard Studios (with co-production from longtime studio partner Ian Davenport in a working process Gaz compares to what it must be like “editing a novel”).
Listen to Deep Pockets BELOW:
The first track from World’s Strongest Man – Deep Pockets – is out now. The album is available on Gaz’s Hot Fruit label (through Caroline International) on 4th May 2018.
World’s Strongest Man album tracklisting:
1. World’s Strongest Man
2. Deep Pockets
3. Walk The Walk
4. Sh*t (I’ve Done It Again)
5. Slow Motion Life
6. Wounded Egos
7. Oxygen Mask
8. In Waves
9. The Oaks
10. Vanishing Act
11. Weird Dreams
Gaz Coombes will play an initial London show at ULU on Wednesday, February 28th 2018, his first since a sell-out show at The Roundhouse in January 2016. Tickets are on sale via gigsandtours.com from 9am on Friday 12th January 2018.
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