Archive for the ‘Paul’ Category

New Savoy single “Digital River”

Single cover

The second single from Savoy’s upcoming seventh studio album is called “Digital River” and was released today.

It can be streamed and downloaded through this link.

“Digital River” was originally part of a-ha’s Cast in Steel recording sessions in 2015, but didn’t make it onto the album. It later re-emerged as a live version played during the Hunting High and Low tour in 2019 and 2020. And now it has become a Savoy song, with vocals from both Lauren and Paul.

Paul has previously described the song as “ponderings on a virtual world competing with the real one”.

The song lyrics have been posted on Savoy’s Facebook page, with a music video to follow soon.

Update: Paul has posted some song credits on Instagram:
“Strings arranged by Joe Mardin, additional programming by Kurt Uenala, Chuck Zwicky, Eliot Leigh & Erik Ljungren, mixed by Simon Vinestock, mastered by Joe Lambert, artwork by Tom Korsvold.”

Savoy return with “Lonely Surfer”

Paul, Lauren and Frode are back with a wonderful new song called “Lonely Surfer”, which is released on their own label Eleventeen Records today. It’s the first single off their upcoming seventh studio album.

The song and accompanying music video, directed by Lauren, is heavily inspired by Paul and Lauren’s new California surroundings in Venice, LA, the area they moved to from New York in 2019.

In a press release posted on a-ha.com, Paul says the new single describes “characters surfing through their daily lives and random jobs in office buildings somewhere down the road, usually 40 minutes away – traffic depending. It’s an overcast California, but you can reimagine it in colour with ‘Lonely Surfer’s’ three-part harmonies and surf-rock overtones”.

He says the upcoming album, which was recorded in LA, will include “a lot of pop songs but there are different directions – harder songs with a New York edge too. Every song is approached from its own point of view, a fair amount is upbeat, a few uplifting songs, a lot of different rhythms. What I think of as individual colours. Releasing singles first and then the album gives you chance to crystallise it. Right now, I do know I’m looking for something shorter than the last album as a title – that had such a huge title!”

“It’s a cool change for us”, Paul says of their new sound. “We’re excited and ready to roll – excited about our past and our future.”

The newspaper Dagsavisen has reviewed “Lonely Surfer”, giving it 4/6 (paywall):
“This sounds West Coast, while the guitars lean toward Americana. Still, the Paul Waaktaar-Savoy trademarks emerge with big soundscapes and lots of air, plus some of his best ever vocals and with beautiful backing vocals by Lauren. And the surf is there, both in a sound that draws inspirations from Dick Dale’s guitars and more recent Savoy-favorites like Allah-Las, and in the overall atmosphere of the song.”

In connection with the new single, Paul has taken time to answer questions from fans in a Q&A posted in the Headlines & Deadlines a-ha Fan Group on Facebook this week. 43 questions in all, about a-ha, Savoy and more.

True August offers Breathing Room

The album cover features a photo by Stian Andersen

True August Waaktaar Savoy released his first album Breathing Room last Friday, June 9th, four years after his self-titled debut EP from 2019, and it’s now available on all streaming platforms through the family label Eleventeen Records.

Leading up to the release, there have been a string of singles and music videos, the latest being “Felt It In Stereo”.

“With this album and its accompanying music videos, I’ve created a piece of work that I’m very proud of. I have worked hard through every step of the process to produce something that feels personal to me, both musically and visually, and my greatest ambition now is to get the album out there – and make it heard”, True August told Norwegian news agency NTB in an interview last week.

The album has been mixed by Matias Tellez, who also mixed Paul’s songs on True North, while the mastering was done by Joe Lambert, who has worked on several Savoy projects. Paul has also been involved and apparently plays drums on the album, like he did on the 2019 EP.

“When it comes to music, I’ve had the privilege of growing up watching my parents making music and solving problems together. Music is something we’ve always done together as a family, and it feels very natural. My father has constantly been working on music in the studio since I was little, and I’ve learnt a lot of tips and tricks over the years”, True August says in the NTB interview.

VG‘s reviewer Tor Martin Bøe gives the album 5/6, saying it has “its heart set in the synths of the eighties, but its brain set in the pop qualities of our time“. He goes on to say that Breathing Room features “some of the finest songs this year, regardless of genre.”

For more info about True August’s music, visit his official website at trueaugust.net

Mary is Coming 2023 remaster

The album cover features a photo by Bill Brandt and the band name in Paul’s handwriting

A new 2023 remastered version of Savoy’s 1996 debut album Mary is Coming was released digitally through Rhino/Warner on 26 May.

It’s now available for purchase from sites such as HD Tracks and Pro Studio Masters in stunning Hi-Res audio quality up to 96 kHz/24 Bit. You can also find it on streaming services such as Spotify and Tidal.

“We’re happy to announce that Savoy’s debut album ‘Mary is coming’ is finally available on all streaming platforms with a glorious remaster”, Paul wrote on Instagram today.

Lauren also posted about the release, writing “Our first album “Mary is Coming” is streaming for the first time. Catch a 90s vibe!”

Paul had previously posted a teaser clip for the remaster on Instagram on 18 April, writing “Mary is coming…back”.

The remastering has been done by Joe Lambert, who also did the 2016/17 remasters of Lackluster Me and Mountains of Time, and appears to include the full, unedited versions of the 11 album tracks. It does not, however, include the bonus track “Fade”, which can only be found on the original 1996 CD release.

Mary is Coming was praised by critics when it was released in 1996 and reached #1 on the Norwegian album chart. It spent a total of 10 weeks on the album chart and sold around 30,000 copies in Norway. A previous remaster was released digitally in 2006.

A reissue in physical format has not been announced so far, but Lauren says they’re working on it – along with a new Savoy album.

Paul turns 60

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Happy Birthday to Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, who turns 60 today, September 6th!

Hopefully we’ll see him back on stage with a-ha in four months time, presuming the tour is finally able to continue as planned.

His wife Lauren has posted a birthday message to him on Instagram, and fans can post their own greetings on the official a-ha Facebook page.

Updates from Magne and Paul

A moment from the 2017 documentary a-ha Unplugged – På innsiden

Magne posted another new demo recording on Instagram last Thursday, which appears to be called “Time is on Your Side”.

This is the third new song he’s posted during the last month, following “I’m In” and “God is in the Details”.

Meanwhile, Paul has been sharing some newly drawn sketches on his Instagram, which can be seen here, here, here and here.
Paul has also been known to make paintings on canvas, some of which were part of his solo exhibition “Rammer” at Lillehammer in 1998. A selection of his paintings can be seen in this picture, posted by Augie some years ago.

As for new music, Savoy-drummer Frode Unneland was interviewed on the radio earlier this month, saying that Paul is working on lots of new songs at the moment. And according to last year’s Down To The Tracks-book, Paul already has a solo double album just waiting to be released.

Waaktaar-Savoy update: Paul working on new album, Augie doing radio interviews

Picture by JS

Paul has been working in studios in Oslo this summer, on what seems to be a new album.

On 10 July he posted a video from his home studio featuring some new sounds.

Together with former a-ha drummer Per Hillestad he’s also done a few sessions at Studio Paradiso, one in late June and one in late July.

And on 15 August he did a string recording session at Studio Paradiso, featuring the a-ha string trio. The string score was done by Joe Mardin, and the Instagram post was tagged with #waaktaar and #newalbum.

Meanwhile, Augie did a couple of radio interviews last week, to promote his True August debut EP and the current radio single I “Can See You Clearly”. He appeared on NRK P2’s Kulturstripa on 28 August and NRK P13’s Selskapssjuk on 30 August.

Picture by Stian Andersen

On the True August EP, which has been getting great reviews, Paul plays the drums and bass (except for the programmed bass), while all guitar and synth parts were done by Augie. In the P13 interview he was asked what it’s like to work together with his father:

“It’s really cool. He’s a gear freak and really into strange drum machines, weird effects and stuff like that. He knows everything about music gear. So it’s great to get his input.

We listen to totally different music. So taking that gear and using it in a different way, that’s been really fun. There are some music genres that he usually stays away from. He’s not that keen on electronica, rap and stuff like that. So it’s cool to incorporate those influences in the music.

He’s very melodic, but in an indie-music style. Sometimes you want to abandon that and just create a certain atmosphere. That’s something he’s not that used to, so it’s cool to introduce that element.

But I have always assisted with his music as well. In the studio I would sometimes play on a song or come up with some ideas. It’s been a natural thing.”

Augie was also asked to pick one of his favorite tracks written by his father and he chose “Early Morning”.

True August releases debut EP

Cover photo by Stian Andersen

Augie Waaktaar-Savoy released his self-titled debut EP last Friday, 26 April, using his birth name True August. Links to stream and purchase the EP can be found here.

According to a press release quoted by Gaffa, the five songs on the EP have been written during the last year and a half, after he started university in California.

“While working on these songs I have been inspired by bands like Justice, Blonde Redhead, DIIV, Aphex Twin and Slowdive. I was drawn to these bands because I wanted to create a specific mood, which was the ambition with this album, based on how they build their soundscapes and write their songs”, Augie says.

John O’Mahony (“Cast in Steel”, “Summer Solstice”) has mixed the EP, and Paul has naturally also been involved in the process.

“My father has been of great help, with both the recording and the production”, Augie says.

The EP was recorded in the Waaktaar-Savoys’ studios in Brooklyn and Oslo, as well as Augie’s student room in LA. Last summer, Paul posted several updates on Instagram of him and Augie working together.

Tracklist: 1. Mount Joy / 2. I Can See You Clearly / 3. Krones / 4. Rubber / 5. Leipzig

Paul and Lauren have been spending quite some time in California since Augie started university there, and on 21 March Los Angeles Times reported that they have bought a new $5.125 million home in Venice.

Back in November last year they sold their old loft apartment in SoHo for $9 million, which they had continued to rent out in the years since they moved to their current Brooklyn home in 2012. Now it seems they will divide their time between Venice, Brooklyn and Oslo.

Savoy: New podcast and magazine interviews

From the latest issues of Musikkpraksis and Norway Rock Magazine

Paul is the main guest in the latest episode of Norwegian guitar podcast “Kan du skru ned litt” [“Can you please turn it down a little?”], hosted by El Cuero guitarist Øyvind Blomstrøm. During the hour-long conversation, which was recorded in Oslo in early January, they talk in detail about Paul’s studio and live setups from the early days until today.

The podcast episode is available at acast.com, or in your preferred podcast app.

The magazine Musikkpraksis has an 8-page interview with Paul and Lauren in its latest issue (#1/2018), where the two of them talk about each track on the new Savoy album. There is also a 2-page interview with Paul in the current issue (#1/2018) of Norway Rock Magazine.

Both magazines are available in selected Narvesen stores across Norway.

‘See The Beauty…’ enters album chart at #7

Savoy’s new and well-received album

See The Beauty In Your Drab Hometown has entered the Norwegian album chart at #7 in its first week, making it Savoy’s sixth top ten album in Norway. See the whole chart at vglista.no.

Here are the band’s previous first-week positions on the Norwegian album chart:

Mary Is Coming (1996): #1
Lackluster Me (1997): #12
Mountains Of Time (1999): #1
Reasons To Stay Indoors (2001): #8
Savoy (2004): #7
Savoy Songbook Vol. 1 (2007): #7

In other news, Paul and Lauren were guests on another radio show on 14 January, Søndagsåpent on NRK P1. The whole interview is in English, and available here.

Additional Norwegian album reviews have been posted by musikknyheter.no and arildronsen.no, while the first German review has appeared on bleistiftrocker.de.

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