As they prepare to embark on their forthcoming headline tour of Japan and the UK, PALE WAVES celebrate their acclaimed third album UNWANTED – out now via Dirty Hit – with a new video for the album’s title track.
“To finish up the era of Unwanted it only felt right to create a visual for it,” says front woman Heather Baron-Gracie. “We shot this video whilst on tour with 5 Seconds Of Summer in the States and we had the best time on that tour, but we’re so excited to be home for our UK tour in November.”
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘UNWANTED’ STREAM/BUY UNWANTED
The album title track is as unashamedly bold and unapologetic as its accompanying 12 tracks. The ultimate embodiment of the Pale Waves community, Baron-Gracie says she wrote the track not only for herself but for the fans. “We don’t need to fit a perfect mould, we don’t need to apologise for being ourselves, we don’t care to be wanted and we won’t change for anyone. This acceptance is what connects us.”
Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Zakk Cervini (Blink 182, Modern Baseball, Halsey) Pale Waves’ third studio album 13 tracks of classic pop punk with an edge. Think Sum-41 by way of Veruca Salt; all the crunchy guitars and rhythmic drive of 2000s pop punk with the rage of a 90s rock band.
It is an album that knows exactly what it is, goes all in, and does it well. The band found themselves in a place of greater confidence and happiness, and that comes through in the sound, whether it’s drummer Ciara Doran pushing the ability to keep up the drive behind such robust pop-punk anthems, or Heather embracing the darker feelings and frustrations she’s only recently been able to express. “Before, I didn’t feel ready as a person to be like, ‘Yeah, I can be an angry woman and I’m proud of that’,” she explains. By contrast, Unwanted feels like the purgative scream at the end of a years-long inhalation.
“Unwanted is in your face, and that’s exactly what I wanted,” Baron-Gracie says resolutely. “I want Pale Waves to keep growing in this direction. Bigger, bolder and more unapologetic.”
Following a packed year including an extensive US tour in support of 5 Seconds Of Summer and main stage performances at Reading and Leeds Festivals and Community Festival, Pale Waves will take Unwanted on the road in November as they embark on their UK headline tour. Tickets available now: https://palewaves.co.uk/live/
NOVEMBER
Thu 24 NEWCASTLE Central Park
Fri 25 MANCHESTER Albert Hall
Sat 26 LIVERPOOL O2 Academy
Sun 27 GLASGOW Barrowland
Mon 28 DUNDEE Fat Sam’s
Wed 30 LONDON O2 Brixton Academy
