Warrington/London combo launch their post punk/Motown album on the life of J Robert Oppenheimer and the atomic bomb, with the aid of 5 associated indie labels. Extradition Order’s “American Prometheus” album is out in February, a co-release between five (count them!) labels: Gare Du Nord, Blang, Jezus Factory, Helen Llewelyn Product 19 and I Blame The Parents. “A Northern Soul album about the atomic bomb” is how the band have referred to it during its creation. A great tagline…that music is in the band’s blood and their Warrington roots….maybe that’s all you need to read…..but of course it’s not quite as simple as that. After their astute post-indie dissection of the Kennedy dynasty on their previous album, EO’s obsession with US politics and history turns to the life and career of J Robert Oppenheimer around the Manhattan Project and the development of the first A-bomb. The songs cover the science a little, but also Oppenheimer’s private and political life and legacy – the album concludes with the reminder that he was nominated for a Nobel Prize three times but never won it. Musically the band have taken their often angular dramatic post-punk energy and concentrated it into concise indie beat music that has clear Motown influences, as well as some of the barely contained but danceable terror of bands like The Pop Group or more recently Black Country New Road. On top of that, the unisex lead vocals (Alastair Harper, Anoushka Kenley and Rosie Beard) can conjure up moments of sheer gothic rock and roll abandon – think The Rocky Horror Show meets the B-52s. The album is dedicated to EO founder member Nick Boardman who sadly passed away in 2018 but whose bass hooks and singing run through this record at its foundations.

It’s in tribute to Nick that all five labels who have been involved in previous Extradition Order releases have joined forces to co-release and co-promote this album. There will be a special launch show and memorial to Nick at The Lexington on January 26th and all proceeds will go to the hospice that looked after him. Special guests are David Cronenberg’s Wife, The Awkward Silences and Ed Seed.

RIYL – The Pop Group, Dexys Midnight Runners, Black Country New Road.