SFTS - Clearlake

It's been more than two years since Cedars, their last release, but Clearlake are on the verge of releasing the follow-up entitled Amber. "We've been very busy finishing the new album," said singer, piano and guitar player Jason Pegg. "The recordings are all done and we're pretty proud of it. We know it's our best album yet."

Clearlake was formed in the UK in 2000. From the beginning, the four piece unit consisting of Pegg (voice, piano, guitar), Sam Hewitt (keyboards, devices), Woody Woodward (bass, omnichord) and Toby May (drums, percussion), who replaced orginal drummer James Butcher, have been hailed by critics for their sound. In a review of Cedars, Pitchfork Media wrote, "Throughout Cedars, Clearlake continually find beauty in melancholy and melancholy behind beauty, while raising your hairs in reverence with occasional guitar squalls."

About the forthcoming release, Pegg adds, "It has a harder, more rock, feel to it than previous albums." As for plans following the release, "It should be out in early January 2006. Soon after that, we'll be in the states touring."

Pegg and his mates are obviously not a band that rests on its laurels. "We're a little frustrated that it's taken so long to complete Amber, but we've been working on stuff for the next album which will hopefully be a much quicker process to make."

Label: Domino Recording Company (USA) or Domino Recording Company (UK)
Band Website: www.clearlake.uk.com