The self-titled debut album from Edinburgh-based multi-instrumentalist Paul McArthur, performing under the name Praise Team. The album is scheduled for release on 13 September 2024.
About Praise Team
Paul McArthur, usually known for leading noise rock acts such as Damn Teeth, Thin Privilege, and Salò, takes a different direction with his debut as Praise Team. This project channels the folk-rock of Pentangle and Current 93, the baroque pastoral of Kate Bush, late-period Talk Talk, and the eclectic looseness of Joni Mitchell’s 1970s output. The album, constructed entirely in-studio without any prior written material, showcases McArthur’s versatility as he plays all the instruments himself. The result is a series of hazy, melancholic, and occasionally explosive musical vignettes.
Themes and Inspirations
Previous projects have seen McArthur wrestle with themes of mental illness, disease, and psychosexual anxiety. However, Praise Team shifts focus to memory and McArthur’s coming of age on Scotland’s west coast. The songs explore a range of poignant subjects, including:
- “Red Balloon”: Traumatic road safety adverts
- “Strict”: Fading memories of deceased relatives
- “The Hush”: Lingering fears of nuclear annihilation
- “Cold Comfort”: Simulated necrophilia
Production and Release
The album features production from McArthur’s Damn Teeth bandmate Niall Sinclair (Urvanovic, Day Sleeper) and mastering from Weird Jungle head Katie Tavini (Sega Bodega, Rudimental). It will be released through Edinburgh micro-label Diminishing Returns Records, both digitally and as a limited-edition CD. The album will be preceded by three digital singles, starting with “Red Balloon” on 14 June 2024.
