Lanterns on the Lake have announced that their new album, Versions of Us, will be out June 2nd via Bella Union. Featuring Radiohead’s Philip Selway on drums and percussion, it’s the band’s fifth studio album, and their first since the departure of their former drummer, Ol Ketteringham. Alongside the announcement, the group unveiled the album’s lead single, “The Likes of Us.”
Versions of Us is the follow-up to 2020’s Spook the Herd. The album’s nine tracks serve as a platform for the English quintet to explore subjects ranging from new motherhood to destiny to the meaning of life itself. Self-produced (and even mixed by the band’s own guitarist, Paul Gregory, in his bedroom) there is a sense of intimacy embedded in the songs.
“Writing songs requires a certain level of self-indulgence, and songwriters can be prone to dwelling on themselves,” songwriter Hazel Wilde said in a statement. “Motherhood made me aware of having a different stake in the world. I’ve got to believe that there’s a better way and an alternative future to the one we’ve been hurtling towards. I’ve also got to believe that I could be better as a person, too.”
Versions of Us is a testament to this belief of self-betterment, especially since the album almost didn’t exist in the first place. After a series of setbacks — including mental health struggles, personal problems, parting ways with Ketteringham, and more — an earlier version of the album was put on hold and, ultimately, scrapped entirely. It was in the wake of this that Selway came to the rescue, reviving the album with his rhythmic contributions.
“Philip brought an energy to the songs that reignited our belief in them,” Wilde said. “Within a few weeks we had a whole other version of the album and things felt very different. We had changed the destiny of the record.”
The lead single, “The Likes of Us,” is a wonderful taste of what the album holds in store. Crescendoing from a hopeful melody to a triumphant ballad clad with shimmering strings, marching drums, and the powerful refrain, “I won’t let this spark die in me,” it demonstrates the band’s growth and resonates with warmth like a rising sun. Check it out below.
Versions of Us will be out June 2nd, and pre-orders are ongoing. Peruse the album artwork and tracklist after the jump.
Versions of Us Artwork:
Versions of Us Tracklist:
01. The Likes of Us
02. Real Life
03. Vatican
04. String Theory
05. Thumb of War
06. The Saboteur
07. Locust
08. Rich Girls
09. Last Transmission