The WAEVE – composed of Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougall – today announced details of their second studio album “City Lights“, set for release on 20th September 2024.
Everybody knows Blur’s Graham Coxon is an amazing guitarist, but did you know he’s no slouch on saxophone either? He lets it bleat on both instruments on “City Lights,” the swoony new single from The WAEVE, his duo with partner Rose Elinor Dougall. This one starts pretty Blur-y, at times, in the indie-est of ways — Coxon’s guitar hook gnaws at the back of your head — but here comes the chorus and Dougall’s voice, which is as cinematic as it gets, and then the sax solo blows in straight out of 1985.
A year on from their acclaimed eponymous debut album, The WAEVE is back with “City Lights“, a collection of 10 songs that illustrate the evolution of their collaborative musicianship and sees the band’s sound solidified into something bolder, more expansive and self-assured. The agitated, art-rock squall of first single, and title track, ‘City Lights’ is followed by the anthemic and expansive second single ‘You Saw.’
Graham and Rose said of the track – “‘You Saw’ is a song about acknowledging how seemingly tiny decisions can have a seismic impact on the course of one’s life, how sometimes it feels like the way things turn out are predestined. It’s about reconciling a past version with the new version of one’s self and being grateful for how things work out. It’s built around a rhythmic string line to reflect the sense of propulsive forward motion.”
Written by Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougall, and produced once again by James Ford, City Lights features Graham and Rose on vocals, as well as keyboards, guitar, bass guitar, drums and saxophone.
By the end he’s trading licks with himself on both instruments. It’s awesome but I do wonder how they will pull it off live?, To celebrate the release of ‘City Lights’, see The WAEVE perform tracks from the new album live in Rough Trade stores this September. All shows also include a signing session with the band.
20th September Liverpool. 21st September Nottingham, 23rd September Bristol
‘City Lights’ by The WAEVE is out now on Transgressive Records.
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