Drifting out to sea
Don’t come search for me
This is where the pirates are
Did you have ‘new wave sea chanty’ on your 2024 bingo card? Well, Indiana Bradley has pulled a fast one on us with the hypnotically haunting new post-punk single This Is Where The Pirates Are, a solemn dirge paddling in pathos and drowning in raw American gothic.
From Argentina to Indonesia, a life spent globe-trotting and storytelling far from the Midwestern heartland of his youth has shaped Bradley’s unique lens. As a journalist, every passport stamp brought new stories, every encounter a fresh perspective on the human condition. These global experiences now resonate through his songwriting, which delves into the core themes of existence: life, death, morality, and the intricate dance between light and shadow.
This Is Where The Pirates Are has a melancholy hook that capsizes our hearts. Flanked by musicians Eddie Curi (bass), Lucas Aton (drums), Andy Rehfeldt (guitar), and Daddy Priest (guitar), Bradley’s droning baritone growl channels Nick Cave, Johnny Cash, Warren Zevon, Gordon Lightfoot, and the neo-folk explorations of Frank Tovey. Bradley’s poetic prose shines a light on the journey from life’s first cry to the quiet of the final farewell. With a voice as deep as ancient roots and as sturdy as weathered iron, he gleefully adds a touch of nocturnal elegance to the track.
The video, masterfully blending elements of silent cinema with Joshua Michael Shelton’s original footage, transcends the boundaries of time and space. It weaves together the tragic beauty of a cinematic shipwreck, the thrill of swashbuckling escapades, and the intoxicating mix of romance and peril characteristic of the 1920s. This unique fusion complements the song’s essence remarkably well.
Watch below…and remember, Goonies never say die.
Six years have passed since Bradley’s feet first touched the sun-baked streets of Los Angeles. Amidst the urban hum, he birthed the haunting LP, “Ghost Star,” punctuated by two raw live albums echoing the soul of The Satellite and the pulse of Harvard & Stone. From Silverlake’s bohemian alleys to the neon glow of the Sunset Strip, to the fiery rhythm of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Bradley’s sound has found its echo.
Hunter Burgan of A.F.I., enchanted by Bradley’s resonance, lent his hand in sculpting the ethereal “Pale City” – a 4-track EP. Yet, another offering looms: a 6-track EP, melded with the alchemy of Seth Olansky, christened “Canticles Los Angeles.” With a style refusing confinement, Bradley is flanked by Eddie Curi’s bass, Lucas Aton’s drumbeat, Andy Rehfeldt’s guitar strains, and Daddy Priest’s electrifying strings.
Listen below:
Indiana Bradley is planning a tour of Brazil this summer.
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