Gram Antler Shares Debut Album 'Novel Lover'

Sounding inspired by his newfound cosmopolitan home of Japan, Gram Antler roams city pop avenues on the Aotearoa songwriter / multi-instrumentalist's debut solo album Novel Lover. Opener 'By Myself' recalls the singalong guitar-strumming swoon of late '90s Britpop era and perhaps our own The Phoenix Foundation, acting like a gateway to Antler's world of smooth sophisti-pop, sparkly synths, and time-warping reverb. His crooning voice at times summons the expressivity of fellow travellers The Blue Nile or even Ariel Pink, such as the rippling FM radio grooves of 'Kenwood' and heart-bursting new romantica of 'Start Again'.

Keeping the tempo gentle for the first half of his record, Antler's exuberant cover of Eurythmics' 'Love Is A Stranger' shifts Novel Lover into upbeat territory, maintained by the playful synth-pop of the title track, rewarding listeners with a decidedly funky curveball during the second half of 'Coals'. Recorded with producer Brett Stanton, Gram Antler is currently back in Aotearoa touring Novel Lover with his former Eb & Sparrow bandmate Ebony Lamb, who also contributed backing vocals to the album. Launched on Friday, experience the video for 'Love Is a Stranger' below and head along to greet the pair at the following dates...

"We love Eurythmics. To be fair, we both love most bands, but this song stuck with us as we wrestled the album "Novel Lover" into a shape that created a cool energy.
We put a call out to our people to create a visual style and then cut them up and spliced it together, with visuals from New Zealand and Japan.
 Like all great karaoke songs it was about sharing the feeling and leaning into that in this music video, imagining all the people at home doing their own karaoke every day, with a deep love of eighties hits and the sentiment of crazy love in these crazy times.
It’s good to be releasing something as personal as an album on Matariki weekend, spending time with our friends and whanau, bringing us together through music, and the many years I’ve traversed with these songs, now rendered in vinyl and performing them live — a nice dream." - Gram Antler

Ebony Lamb and Gram Antler New Zealand Tour

Sunday 19th July - Cannon Heath House Concert, Ahiaruhe
Saturday 25th July - Gloria of Greymouth, Greymouth*
Saturday 1st August - Lyttelton Coffee Company, Lyttelton*
Friday 7th August - Unitarian Church, Ponsonby, Auckland (in collaboration with Strange News Touring)*

*Tickets on sale HERE via UTR

'Novel Lover' is out now on major streaming platforms via ELGA.