Artist:  Hyde & Beast

Single: ‘Hard Times Good Times’ released on 24th July

EP: ‘Hard Times Good Times’ released on 24th July

Live: UK Festivals – dates below

Sebright Arms, London on 15th August

Label:  Tail Feather Records / Caroline International

Band Photo Elaina Thompson

Hyde and Beast return with new EP ‘Hard Times Good Times’ on 24th July on Tail Feather Records via Caroline International.

Hyde and Beast released their second studio album ‘Keep Moving’ last August to critical acclaim. The album was ‘Album of the Day’ on 6Music, and the title track was ‘Single of the Week’ on Shaun Keaveny’s breakfast show. It was also b-listed at Amazing Radio. Other support came from XFM’s John Kennedy and 6Music’s Marc Riley, Lauren Laverne, Steve Lamacq and Tom Ravenscroft.

This summer they return with ‘Hard Times Good Times’, an EP full of their typically infectious melodies that hark back to late 60’s / early 70’s classic pop and that has been compared to The Beatles and T-Rex. Speaking from their seaside hideaway, the band says, “Lookie here, we are dead happy to announce that our new EP is on its way. We recorded and mixed it ourselves and we are pretty chuffed with her (it is a her. That much has been confirmed). Hope you enjoy it. There’s flamingoes on the cover. x”

Hyde and Beast are Dave Hyde (The Futureheads) and Neil Bassett (The Golden Virgins). The ‘Hard Times Good Times’ release is supported by a summer full of festival dates. Details below.

Track Listing
1. Hard Times Good Times
2. Everything You Want
3. Never Get To Heaven
4. Get Up

Live Dates
28th May       Men United Arms      Newcastle (Prostate Cancer UK charity gig)
13th June      Long Division Festival          Wakefield
11th July          Corbridge Festival          Tynedale
11th July          Sunniside Festival          Sunderland
18th July          Summer Streets Festival       Sunderland
24th July      Ambition Festival          Croydon
25th July      Simon Says Festival          Leicester
31st July          Kendal Calling Festival       Kendal
14th August     Cluny                  Newcastle
15th August     Sebright Arms              London

Press for last year’s ‘Open Your Heart’ album:
‘A brilliant mix of pre-Wings-era oddball genius Macca-isms, the post-hippy blues of Tyrannosaurus Rex and some super-sticky ’70s-scented gritty glitter pop’ – 4/5 Q Magazine
‘The main influences on Keep Moving are early Seventies… the lovely “Open Your Heart” has a bad finger-esque flavour… It’s impressively designed, and performed with diverse instrumental smarts.’ – 4/5 The Independent
‘an abiding love of T.Rex and a sneaking love for some of the more ephemeral hits of the day play a part in shaping the duo’s politely psychedelic pop.’ – Sunday Times
‘a set of rootsy late-‘60s/early-70s classic pop that bears comparison with some hefty names… ‘Keep Moving’ wears its love of late-period Beatles on its sleeve, and there are echoes too of T Rex in ‘Blue’’s airy boogie.’ – NME
‘an assuming and endearingly intimate, psychedelic/chamber-pop gem…’- 4/5 – Metro
‘The sun-dappled blasts of brass and piano riffs…makes the likes of ‘Blue’ and ‘Open Your Heart’ bona fide pop monsters, the kind you blast out of rolled down car windows as you head down the seafront in the middle of July without a care in the world.’ – 8/10 – Drowned In Sound