- Violettown.Church
- Feb 15, 2019
Updated: May 8, 2019
Marty Willson-Piper’s project Noctorum The 4th album with Dare Mason was released on February 15, 2019 on Schoolkids Records.
“We wrote, recorded and mixed the album at Dare’s VIP Lounge studio in Penzance, Cornwall (also home of the In Deep Music Archive) using local musicians to augment the songs where needed – mainly drummers and other more obscure instrumentalists as we found them.
The album has me singing most of the lead vocals, playing guitar and bass, Dare sings two songs (High Tide / Low Tide and Show) and has been responsible for any programming and mixing and also plays extra guitar, bass and keyboards. Olivia duets with me on the song Head On. She also plays violin, cellolin and any needed string parts as well as singing backing vocals. See track listing below.”
REVIEWS:
CRYPTIC ROCK: 4/5 - Read review - “His career may not be as stellar as that of many of his contemporaries, but Willson-Piper has carved an equally memorable, respectable, and influential niche in the Alternative music scene via his slew of solo and collaborative works. The Afterlife is just the latest proof of this—an apt title to characterize the resurgence of his sonic and creative vitality; a worthy addition to his prolific discography.”
SPILL MAGAZINE: 4/5 - Read review - “Though not a concept album, The Afterlife functions as a cohesive whole and should be consumed in one sitting. The album might be difficult to absorb because of all the territory it covers: musical styles range from hard rock (“A Girl with No Love”) to songs with a more melodic, psychedelic approach. There is not a single moment, however, that could be described as boring; Noctorum captures and maintains the listener’s attention.”
IN THE PRESS: (Print/Podcasts)
HIGHWIRE DAYS: - Read press - “Noctorum is guitarist/singer-songwriter Marty Willson-Piper and producer Dare Mason. The duo present their new single ‘Piccadilly Circus in the Rain‘, following up the first single ‘A Girl With No Love‘. Named for the village Noctorum, located near to their childhood homes on The Wirral (near Liverpool), Dare and Marty liked its association with night and its Latin derivation. This collaboration has an eclectic focus, making the quiet loud and vice-versa, singing words that might be spoken and playing indoor instruments that should be heard outside. It has to be imagined to exist.”
LOUDER THAN WAR - Read Press - “Everything we’ve heard from the new Noctorum album gives every indication that this is a smashing album and that Marty Willson-Piper is still at his pinnacle as far songwriting and performance goes. He’s also found a beautiful tandem with Olivia Willson-Piper on backing vocals (and electric violin). Here we also find Dare Mason’s production up to par with his past works for The Church, Placebo, The Grid, Brix Smith (ex The Fall) and Cinerama.”
SMELLS LIKE INFINITE SADNESS: - Read press / Play podcast - “On our latest podcast, Willson-Piper discussed his recent UK acoustic tour (performing alongside his wife, violinist Olivia Willson-Piper), the creative process and musical inspirations behind ‘The Afterlife’, recollections of ‘Hanging Out In Heaven’, the perils of crowdfunding, upcoming musical projects and much more.”
ALEX GREEN ONLINE: - Play Podcast - In this entertaining, hilarious and discursive chat, Willson-Piper talks to Alex about how he envisions the concert experience, the Pledge Music debacle and the imagination behind superstition. He also tells Alex he’s mystified by Maroon 5’s success, why criticism shouldn’t be taken personally and why he buys every new U2 album. And speaking of new music, Noctorum’s new album The Afterlife is nothing short of stunning. A stirring song cycle that’s awash in mystery, jangling pop gems and swirling psychedelia, the album is further proof that Willson-Piper just keeps getting better and better.
PLAYER FM: - Play Podcast - “Marty Willson-Piper, formerly of The Church and All About Eve, talks about key tracks from four decades of writing music. Listen to material from his brilliant new album as part of Noctorum – The Afterlife, and revered fifth solo album Hanging Out In Heaven, an LP seeing an exclusive vinyl release for Record Store Day 2019.”
INTERVIEWS:
CULTURE SONAR: Read Interview - “As a singer-songwriter and as a guitarist, Marty Willson-Piper has quite a nice list of bands to his credit including The Church, All About Eve, MOAT, The Saints, and Anekdoten. Now he’s back with the fourth album under his pseudonym Noctorum and with producer-collaborator Andy “Dare” Mason (who’s worked with everyone from Paul McCartney to Tina Turner to Soul II Soul). “
SPILL MAGAZINE: - Read Interview - “We have always had a tendency to be eclectic, and the new album follows that pattern”, says Willson-Piper during our recent discussion. “There is a thread running through it. But we write what we write. Dare tends to be more pop oriented, he lightens up the mood to my darker side. The new album is kind of set up with the more moody, darker songs on side two, and more lighter songs on side one. But overall the album is a bit more pop. We are still left of centre.”
