The second album by underground rock-and-beyond shapeshifters The Holy Family comes complete with a heavy concept for the psychedelically inclined, and pairs this with music which does this justice and then some. ‘Go Zero’ follows up the British group’s widely praised self-titled debut from 2021 and – says foundational member David Jason Smith – “is based on a hypothetical theory that there is no such thing as ‘the future’. We are continually moving forward into our past until we arrive at our birth – creation – the Tree Of Knowledge… or ‘Going Zero’, as I’ve termed it.” It figures, then, that over some 40 minutes the five musicians conjure a sound that exhibits an affinity with great experimental totems down the ages, in a manner that’s avowedly forward-facing and stamped with their own identity. All involved boast a pre-Holy Family CV to turn clued-in heads: Kavus Torabi (guitars), Sam Warren (bass) and Emmett Elvin (piano and Rhodes), along with Smith himself, were all members of the mighty Guapo. Finnish studio wizard Antti Uusimaki (Circle/Pharaoh Overlord etc), who co-sculpted the eight tracks on ‘Go Zero’ into their final form. Drummer Joe Lazarus is new to the band – taking over that role from Smith, who largely concentrates on vocals and synths here – and his versatility is never in doubt, as his rhythms pull in myriad directions, blurring the lines between jazz, prog and psych rock. If you dig anything from Can to Boredoms to Oneida, then step this way. Though The Holy Family’s musical inspirations are multitudinous, and rarely if ever obvious, the lyrics nod to a distinct literary source – namely ‘Vorrh’, the trilogy of fantasy novels by cult British author Brian Catling, who died in 2022 while ‘Go Zero’ was being assembled. In these books, the Vorrh is “an impenetrable sentient forest, older than mankind, believed to house all knowledge” – and in the same way that the name The Holy Family references an Angela Carter work, Smith explains, “the track titles ‘Chalky’s Eyes’ (had been eaten by flies) and ‘The Watcher’ are direct references to characters in the book.” With ‘Go Zero’, The Holy Family have returned with an album that unfurls elegantly, even while big time discombobulation is occurring.

TRACK LISTING

1. Crawling Out
2. Bad Travelling
3. Chalky’s Eyes
4. The Watcher
5. Hell Born Babel
6. Go Zero Suite: Pt. I
7. Go Zero Suite: Pt. II
8. Go Zero Suite: Pt. III 

Recorded with Kevin Barnes (Of Montreal) Values is choc full of frenzied percussive grooves, piano led baselines and euphoric melodies. Brings to mind other indie stalwarts like Phoenix, TV On The Radio and even Wolf Parade.

Incidentally much of the record was written while the band were living in Montreal, maybe the Canadian sound rubbed off on them. Mixed by David Pye who did the first Wild Beasts album too.

True stories; real life, real people. For Holy Family it’s our human, and at times non-human, experiences which have shaped the sound of brand-new album Values. An upbeat collection of thought-provoking tales reflecting the light and dark sides of life itself, each track is a poignant commentary by a band who have never been ones to stay put for too long.

Each track on Values sparkles with its own captivating tale that walks the high-wire between ideal and reality, expectation and the values that drive us. ‘In the fall of Jimmy Angel’ and ‘Memory Collector’, talk of the new trend for ‘personal branding’ and how society’s values are affected by social media. “A lot of life is about routines and streaming more bad TV shows than you’re necessarily proud to admit,” Anton says.

After spending the last 24 months experiencing life in and between their rural hometown on the outskirts of Gothenburg, the Canadian city of Montreal, and sunny climbs of Athens, Georgia, Values also reflects the guilty side to the doors of opportunity brought about by relocation. Showing that where the sun may shine brighter, the grass isn’t always greener, the climactic ‘Empty Gestures’ talks of leaving small town living behind for a new life in the big city. “There was something that felt important about moving back to Sweden and coming to terms with how things are here,” recalls fellow family member Viktor. “When we all moved back we were pretty relieved – it can be hard to shake that sense of being an outsider when you move to a new city… the experience is one of escapism and less about finding a new home.”

A former trio including third member Erik, in Canada Holy Family’s ties were cut down to a duo. Anton and Viktor represented the band from their new base abroad, performing at M for Montreal and Toronto Film festivals and toured Europe with Of Montreal whilst their song ‘Airy Jane’ featured on the US version of TV show Shameless. The band received an award from the Swedish Association of Composers (STIM) but time apart only drew Holy Family closer and once the pair returned home, the group doubled in size after reuniting with Erik and calling upon the guitar skills of good friend Petter.

Written in Gothenburg Values was recorded over just two weeks in Athens, Georgia with Kevin Barnes (Of Montreal). With little time for breaks, the combination of fatigue and time constraints forced the band beyond their comfort zone and into new sonic realms, giving the record it’s eclectic feel recalling the experimentalism of Blur or Grizzly Bear with the technical style of late 60s song-writing. Assisted by Drew Vandenberg and mixed by David Pye (Wild Beasts, 2:54) , before long the tropical temperatures surrounding Kevin’s home took effect on the band. “Just being somewhere that has t-shirt weather in April was impressive, but especially when you’re from Sweden,” says Anton. “Our first recordings in Montreal definitely had more of a second-hand sweater vibe whereas this record has more of a second-hand t-shirt tinge to it.”

TRACK LISTING

1. Colobris
2. There Completely
3. Carin Karen
4. Erratic
5. Empty Gestures
6. Try Your Luck
7. Pat On The Back
8. Memory Collector
9. Jimmy Angel
10. What Makes You Tick