Photo by Karin Hunt
Heavy psych practitioners Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats have announced the follow up to their acclaimed 2018 release, Wasteland and last years stellar live offering, Slaughter On First Avenue.
Paying homage to niche 70's Italian cinema, particularly the Giallo subgenre of film that delves into everything from the supernatural to sexploitation - the band's Kevin Starrs has composed a unique soundtrack for a film that only exists as an underlying concept with his latest presentation, Nell’ Ora Blu.
Adding an element of authenticity that offers a more cohesive collection, Nell’ Ora Blu also boasts guest appearance from genre-centric figures like Edwige Fenech and Franco Nero in the form of dialogue strewn throughout the album - creating a cohesive body of work that truly resonates as cinematic.
Starrs further elaborated on the scope of the project. “It’s a tribute to 70s Italian cinema. It’s a story about people who decide to take the law into their own hands. Things get pretty dark straight away and of course, it doesn’t end well for anyone. It has elements of grimy poliziotteschi (Italian crime/action films) and classic Giallo (Italian cinema’s revered horror/sexploitation movement).
Once I decided to do everything in Italian, I made a list of actors that I wanted. Franco Nero and Edwige Fenech were the first names I thought of. Two legends that had never been paired together before. I contacted their agents and both actors were interested in the idea, so we set it up from there.”
Starrs further commented on the specificity of this kind of project and how that might not land with the masses. “I know something like this might have limited appeal, but who cares?" says Starrs. "Most of what we do has a limited appeal anyway! It’s just a real mix of different styles that I like. There are no singles or ‘hits’. Instead, it all just flows along one thing into the next. You can think of it like blood seeping from a wound. It’s continuous. By the end of it, you’re left exhausted. It’s hard work for the listener. We don’t do easy listening!”
Nell' Ora Blu will be available on Vinyl as a double LP, CD, and available as a digital download on May 10, 2024 via Rise Above Records. See the artwork and tracklist below.
