The Wedding Present have announced they’re going to spend 2022 releasing a new 7″ single every month as part of the “24 Songs” series. If this sounds familiar, the band first did this 30 years ago, for 1992’s Hit Parade series, which had them tying Elvis Presley’s record most Top 30 UK hits in a single year.
“Even though The Wedding Present have never been known for taking the easy route, the idea of recording 24 tracks and releasing them in this way could seem daunting to any band,” says frontman David Gedge. “However, I’ve been utterly inspired by the music that has been written since Jon and Melanie joined the group. The thought of celebrating this exciting new line-up with an exciting new series has motivated us all…and I suppose we also didn’t want any of these songs to be hidden away in the middle of an album!”
The Jon that David speaks of is Jon Stewart of fellow British indie band Sleeper, and this series marks the first time Gedge has ever collaborated on songs in the band’s history.
The first single in the “24 Songs” series is “We Should Be Together,” which is a duet with Sleeper singer/guitarist Louise Wener that first appeared in live/acoustic form on The Wedding Present’s album Locked Down and Stripped Back. David and Louise’s harmonies sound wonderful and make a good case for them being together, at least musically. Listen below.
The singles, which you can order individually or as part of a full-year subscription, come in sleeves featuring “brutalist photography” by Jessica McMillan. If you get the subscription you’ll also get a box for all of them as well. Preorders and subscriptions are available now.
Earlier this year, The Wedding Present reissued their classic 1991 album Seamonsters that they made with Steve Albini. You can read our interview with Gedge about the album and its reissue.
