Southern California guitar pop veterans sparkle*jets u.k. are back with a new single -- “Box Of Letters (Single Mix)” -- to make good on the promise of last year's hit covers collection Best Of Friends: new original music from one of the global pop scene's leading lights. The new track is the first preview of their forthcoming album on Big Stir
Southern California guitar pop veterans sparkle*jets u.k. are back with a new single -- “Box Of Letters (Single Mix)” -- to make good on the promise of last year's hit covers collection Best Of Friends: new original music from one of the global pop scene's leading lights. The new track is the first preview of their forthcoming album on Big Stir Records, and it's out May 31 on all digital platforms.
Not since 2002's BAMBOO LOUNGE – a record beloved enough to have been two reissued twice – have sparkle*jets u.k. issued a full album of their own compositions. The band (singer-guitarist SUSAN WEST, bassist JAMIE KNIGHT, and vocalist/multi-instrumentalist MICHAEL SIMMONS) has hardly been dormant, with frequent live appearances and new recordings shining on Various Artists collections throughout the years. The 2020s, however, have seen a true resurgence for the band, culminating with the release last year of the widely-acclaimed double LP tribute to their peers from the turn-of-the-century power pop scene, BEST OF FRIENDS. All of the band's charm and chemistry was on display for a whole new audience, augmented by the studio wizardry of in-demand producer Simmons (who's released a fine solo album and worked alongside drummer John M. Borack in Popdudes during SJUK downtime).
But sparkle*jets u.k. are known as fine songwriters themselves, working from a Beatles-and-Beach Boys base with hints of everyone from Steely Dan to The Breeders. They've debuted new tunes onstage over the years, giving fans ample reason to anticipate a new set of signature SJUK popcraft on record. But as sweet as Best Of Friends was, the wait continued... until now: “Box Of Letters” is not just the first single from the band's forthcoming album, it's also the title track. With West at the forefront singing lead, it's the beginning of a series of classic SJUK vocal handoffs with Simmons, who details the origins of the tune. “Jamie had written a riff and chords a long time ago that we then built into a little sketch demo that we really liked, but at the time the song had no melody or lyrics. So when we were finishing up this album which didn’t really have a title yet, I asked if anyone had any other songs up for consideration, Jamie reminded me of this demo and said ‘that song has a melody and lyrics now!'”
“He came in with this really touching set of lyrics that were based on meeting Susan and their early days together. He wanted her to sing it, and I think she was a little reluctant because the song was so personal and honest. Where I'm very matter-of-fact and honest in my lyrics most of the time, Susan prefers to throw some curveballs in to get you off the scent,” Simmons continues. “I changed a couple words to make the meter match, and Susan added a few things to turn the lyrics on their head a little bit in a way that made her happy. And all of a sudden we had a pretty great track. It’s a perfect example of the specific way we collaborate, and it’s a really sweet and nostalgic love song. I love it so much, and was shocked to find how catchy it was after we laid it down because it wouldn’t leave my brain for a week or two.”
As a single, “Box Of Letters” is being issued in a different mix from the one set to appear on the album that shares its title. “We asked our guitarist Marty Beal, who is a really great engineer, to make a single remix just for fun. He added a few guitar parts that aren’t on the album version and bumped up some super stacked backing vocals we'd recorded but buried in the album mix. It's cool that fans will get to hear both versions!”
Happily, after more than two decades of patience, sparkle*jets u.k. fans won't be waiting much longer: the album release announcement is just around the corner from Big Stir Records, and this box of letters will be delivered this summer. Stand by for the details!
Expected release: May 31, 2024