SPILL ALBUM PREMIERE: VERNONS FUTURE – AQUAPLANING

VERNONS FUTURE – AQUAPLANING

A SPILL EXCLUSIVE ALBUM PREMIERE

Today we have the pleasure of presenting the new album from Liverpool indie rock stalwarts Vernons Future. Titled ‘Aquaplaning’, which means “sliding uncontrollably on a wet surface”. This may be a suitable description of the fun entailed in this album, which showcases the band’s best singles over the years, plus an additional two new tracks. In these recordings, you’ll hear them make a magnificent transition from art-rock to the sound that would become best known as Britpop with its baggy-grooved danceable sound. Superb and engaging material indeed. You could say that the band has yielded their high water mark.

This is not the band’s first rodeo, so to speak. Formed in Liverpool in the 1980s and originally known as The Vernons, the band toured the UK and also released the album ‘Smithdown Road’ in 1990 via the Probe Plus label, touted by Melody Maker as “a fine debut…in love with pop at its most unassuming and most charming”. In 2015, the band reincarnated as Vernons Future with original members Simon Burchill, Andy Harding, Jon Fiber and Tom Le Bas, joined by Simon’s school friend Simon ‘Hoops’ Hooper.

Effectively their second album, ‘Aquaplaning’ is essentially a compilation of the band’s singles from late 2019 onward, plus two new songs. Now split between Oxford and London, the band’s music puts a distinctive twist on the poppier end of the indie spectrum.

This long-player deals with the twists and turns of the human heart’s desires – essentially it’s built on love songs, but love songs not shy of looking at the darker side. From unfulfilled desires and ambitions (Waiting at the Station), through unrequited love and control (Honeysuckle Love), to fully unconditional love (Just Can’t Help Myself), it’s the examination of love, longing (and regret) that gives the album its beating core.

But you cannot live on love songs alone, right? Holy Joe ponders the beauty and magnificence of religious architecture, all the while remaining uneasy about the nature of religion itself. There’s also joy to be found in our love of cinema, and specifically those classic old sci-fi movies from the 50’s that dealt with other big issues of the human condition (B Movie). We let our paranoia out of the box too, on lockdown worrier Seek Shelter Now, which repurposes nuclear war fears (although we guess those are back now, anyway) for the pandemic age. And album closer Disco Oasis finds VF in a Madchester-era northern nightclub…and loving it!

Earlier, Vernons Future released lead track ‘Call To Arms’. Perhaps their most overtly (small ‘p’) political song, it’s also a plea to save the planet, with frontman Simon Burchill explaining “It’s a challenge to all of us to open our eyes to the climate emergency, to join together to drive meaningful change to save the planet”.

It’s not surprising that listeners continually find elements of such icons as XTC, Echo & The Bunnymen, Teardrop Explodes and Lloyd Cole in this music – after all, they all began making music at the same time. No doubt their passions exploded in similar directions and they ended up with a sound akin to one another.

As part of their ongoing quest to write the perfect 3-minute indie pop song, Vernons Future uses their classic vox/ guitar/ keys/ bass/ drums setup to hone accessible earworm indie tunes with a particular sense of humour and good hooks.

“When we started playing together again in 2015, we weren’t sure if we would get to play gigs or release any music, so the last seven years have been a majorly fun surprise! We absolutely love playing live, and are lucky enough to be playing more gigs now. It’s quite amazing to be able to release our songs too. When we first played together back in the 80’s, streaming (and the internet!) wasn’t a thing. Our first album came out on vinyl and cassette, but was too early for CDs. So we’re buzzing to release our new album on CD,” says Andy Harding.

‘Aquaplaning’ is available on CD and as a digital download and can be ordered at https://vernonsfuture.bandcamp.com/album/aquaplaning. The band will also be playing a handful of concerts in September and October to celebrate the album’s release.

Credits

Simon Burchill – vocals, guitar
Jon Fiber – keyboards, vocals
Andy Harding – guitar
Simon ‘Hoops’ Hooper – bass
Tom Le Bas – drums
Recorded by Vernons Future at their studios in London and Oxfordshire
Mastered by Jon Fiber
Lyrics by Simon Burchill, except for ‘B Movie’ and ‘Seek Shelter Now’ (lyrics by Andy Harding)
Music by Vernons Future (Simon Burchill, Jon Fiber, Andy Harding, Simon Hooper, Tom Le Bas)
Single cover imagery by Alex Conchillos and Pixabay
Album cover and artist photos by Andy Harding

You can also enjoy the videos for two tracks from this album:

Vernons Future
Aquaplaning
(VF Records)
Release Date: October 7, 2022

Aquaplaning Track Listing

1. Call To Arms
2. Just Can’t Help Myself
3. Holy Joe
4. Honeysuckle Love
5. Lights Have Changed
6. B Movie
7. Waiting At The Stationn (2022 Mix)
8. Seek Shelter Now (2022 Mix)
9. Just Can’t Help Myself (Lazarus Mix)
10. Disco Oasis (Live At Leeds, April 2022)

Tour Dates

Oct. 22 – LONDON (CAMDEN) – Fiddler’s Elbow’
Oct. 29 – BELFAST – Pavilion Bar – Ormeau Road

Artist Links