A band not adverse to controversy (generated both externally and internally), Aussie psych-soul rockers Sticky Fingers have emerged from a two-and-a-half-year absence with the mesmerising slow-jam ecstasy of 'We Can Make The World Glow', the title track for the band's fifth studio album, slated for release in March 2022.
"We're excited to finally release the first single off our upcoming album. 'We Can Make the World Glow' is out now and we love the tune. It's classic Stifi yet new and fresh sounding. Can't wait for you to hear more of what we got cookin'."A track the band describe as being 'about accepting your weaknesses and making life work around them', post their 2019 sold-out national tour the Fingers found themselves in familiar territory – a fractured set of musical brothers still bonded but rushing head-first towards another infamous burnout.
Before the pandemic unleashed its fury and the world closed down, allowing Sticky Fingers the time to get away everything and focus on making another record, one that'd first attempted while on their 2018 Aussie tour but was scrapped after too many false starts.
"We wanted to make something that had throw-back Sticky vibes pulling in fresh elements all the while. We're always pushing to make sounds and we want to make people feel good inside."
Storm clouds were soon forming again. Frontman Dylan Frost's addictions are issues the band does not shy away from, going as far as mentioning in the new single's press release they wouldn't have been surprised to receive 'that phone call' last year at the depths of Dylan's depression.
But it was decided making music was the best course of medicine that could be administered and a studio set-up was created at Dylan's house with friend and producer Taras Hrubyj-Piper and the album slowly began to take shape over the coming weeks and months.
However, after a several more overdoses, the band decided to allow their frontman the space to focus on his recovery. Concurrently, bassist-vocalist Paddy Cornwall was also fighting his own demons that saw him check into rehab.
"Without that touring lifestyle to disguise yourself in, all your problems really start to show in the mirror. This year being off the road really provided an opportunity for us all to really face our demons."
Paddy also shares his bit on why he wanted to make a positive album No. 5. "I remember when I wrote the lyrics for 'Outcast At Last'.
"Neal (manager) gave me a phone call and suggested that I be careful what I wish for. I didn't really understand what he meant at the time... let's just say it's a song that invites a certain amount of anarchy and dispossession that the band has since been nothing short of... There's a lot of voodoo qualities about songwriting."
Towards the end of 2020, the band finally reconvened at The Grove Studios (Central Coast) to finish off the album 'once and for all'.
Sadly, Frost was once more asked to leave the sessions due to his drug misuse affecting his ability 'to hit the mic up to his usual standard'. The band ended up using a lot of Dylan's demo vocals on the final recordings, which they say turned out to be one of the qualities of the album that provides its unique edge.
Warts and all it is what it is. "I'm out my coma top ten, living life in ecstasy, bouncing off your gravity."
