View basket “In The Flat Field” has been added to your basket. Matt's picks Keep It Light Steven Adams & The French Drops SKU: FIKA082LP Barcode: 5057805565932 16.00 £16.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Fika Recordings Released Date: 21st August 2020 Buying Format: 1LP Out of stock Back Order Add to your Wishlist Video Description Product Info 12” vinyl with download code and lyrics insert. “Making this record was a joy,” says Steven Adams of his latest album with his band the French Drops. He even let the positive mood around the making of it influence its title. “I love making records but sometimes time, money, or people – including me – fuck up my enjoyment of the process. So this time I kept saying to myself ‘keep it light’ whenever I was making decisions.” The buoyant and relaxed mood can be heard across the album in its gloriously skipping tones, as it traverses across indie, pop, alt-rock and more tender acoustic and folk-leaning moments. It’s a craft that Adams has been honing for years as the lead figure in outfits such as The Broken Family Band and Singing Adams, so much so that by now it oozes out of him with a seamless grace. The feelings of serenity and solace he experienced whilst writing the songs themselves carried over into the final product. “I did a big chunk of the writing on holiday in the South of France last year,” he says. “We were staying in this big, rambling house that had a kind of turret room that was cut off from everything, so I’d go up there in the mornings and sit on the floor and feel like a proper artist while everyone else was eating croissants.” Once described by The Guardian as “one of Britain’s smartest, most underrated songwriters”, Adams’ aim was clear with this record. “I wanted to make a super personal, light-hearted and upbeat record,” he says. “I wanted to do the whole write about what you know thing and keep it as light as possible.” The lightness of the album was a guiding principle but it wasn’t a rule set in stone, as Adams soon found out the deeper he plunged into himself. “We had a running joke about how we were making an album called Keep it Light that is full of songs about racists and panic attacks and existential angst,” he says. “But it does you good to get that stuff out. Writing songs and making records keeps me sane.” The album is one as full of joy and beauty as it is ink black humour and caustic revelation. On the gorgeous shuffle of “Oh Dear” – recalling the kind of stripped back beauty of Yo La Tengo at their finest – Adams sings: “and true love will not find you in the end.” A knowing nod and a wink to Daniel Johnston’s earnest refrain that indeed true love will find you in the end. It’s such moments that fill the album with equal parts weight and lightness, a smart touch delivered with a deft hand. Of the broad range of the album and its wide-spanning lyrical content Adams simply says: “the upbeat stuff is pretty upbeat and the darker stuff is pretty dark, but it’s all still with some humour.” Perhaps the song that best encapsulates this split between the light and the dark and the funny and the personal is “My Brother, the Racist” a self explanatory song that skips along with an infectious groove as Adams sings about, well, his racist brother. It unfurls in an intimate manner that recalls the kind of deeply personal allure of Sun Kill Moon’s Benji. “It’s an awkward thing to sing about, but it was the right thing to do,” he reflects. “I’ve written about British racism before, but never this close to home.” Recorded at Soup by Simon Trought and with band members Laurie Earle, Daniel Fordham, David Stewart and Michael Wood, this is the first time Adams has worked in such a harmonious and in sync way. “This is the first record I’ve made with the band all playing in one room, getting everything down at once,” he says. “We played live with all of us on the floor, and it came together really quickly. But we still gave ourselves time to experiment and do fun stuff all over it. This combination of allowing things to be light, not overstressing, the harmony of the group, and the seamless knack of Adams’ songwriting has resulted in a truly special record. “I’m usually sick of a record by the time it’s mixed and I don’t get much of a kick out of hearing my own stuff, but this one’s different,” he says. “I know I sound like a wanker saying this but this is the best record I’ve ever made.” Artist Steven Adams & The French Drops Genre Rock And Pop Label Fika Recordings Buying Options 1LP Format 1LP Condition New Country UK Track Listings A1) Soft Landings A2) Bring on the Naps A3) Canary A4) Gracechurch St A5) Oh Dear B1) Going to Everglades B2) Note to Self B3) My Brother, The Racist B4) Jonny B5) Mr Sunshine Share this On Facebook On Twitter Via Email More from Steven Adams & The French Drops and more from Rock And Pop View Product Quick View Steven Adams & The French Drops Virtue Signals Rock And Pop | Hudson Records | 1LP Released 4th May 2018 £17.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Steven Adams & The French Drops Virtue Signals £17.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Hudson Records SKU: HUD010LP Formats: 1LP Released Date: 4th May 2018 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Alexander 23 Aftershock Rock And Pop | UMC | 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released 15th July 2022 £26.00 Select options Alexander 23 Aftershock £26.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: UMC Formats: 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released Date: 15th July 2022 Read More Select options View Product Quick View Michael Jackson History: Continues – Picture Disc Rock And Pop | Sony Music | 2LP, Picture Disc Released 24th August 2018 £62.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Michael Jackson History: Continues – Picture Disc £62.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Sony Music SKU: 19075866451 Formats: 2LP, Picture Disc Released Date: 24th August 2018 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Bill Callahan Gold Record Rock And Pop | Drag City | 1LP Released 25th September 2020 £20.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Bill Callahan Gold Record £20.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Drag City SKU: DC760 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 25th September 2020 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Heartless Bastards Arrow (10th Anniversary) Rock And Pop | Partisan Records | 2LP, Coloured Vinyl, Gatefold Sleeve Released 2nd September 2022 £25.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Heartless Bastards Arrow (10th Anniversary) £25.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Partisan Records SKU: PTKF2101-8 Formats: 2LP, Coloured Vinyl, Gatefold Sleeve Released Date: 2nd September 2022 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Smoke Bellow Open For Business Rock And Pop | Trouble In Mind | 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released 17th September 2021 £18.00 Select options Smoke Bellow Open For Business £18.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Trouble In Mind Formats: 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released Date: 17th September 2021 Read More Select options View Product Quick View Grimes Visions Rock And Pop | 4AD | 1LP Released 12th March 2012 £16.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Grimes Visions £16.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: 4AD SKU: CAD3208 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 12th March 2012 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Eleni Mandell Wake Up Again Rock And Pop | Yep Roc | 1LP Released 7th June 2019 £26.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Eleni Mandell Wake Up Again £26.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Yep Roc SKU: LPYEP2641 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 7th June 2019 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Eric Clapton Live in San Diego with JJ Cale Rock And Pop | Warner Bros | 3LP Released 21st November 2016 £42.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Eric Clapton Live in San Diego with JJ Cale £42.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Warner Bros SKU: 0093624918547 Formats: 3LP Released Date: 21st November 2016 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Balmorhea Clear Language Rock And Pop | Western Vinyl | 1LP Released 22nd September 2017 £21.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Balmorhea Clear Language £21.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Western Vinyl SKU: WV150LP Formats: 1LP Released Date: 22nd September 2017 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Ty Segall Manipulator Rock And Pop | Drag City | 2LP, Gatefold Sleeve Released 21st August 2014 £19.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Ty Segall Manipulator £19.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Drag City SKU: DC600 Formats: 2LP, Gatefold Sleeve Released Date: 21st August 2014 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders See more in Rock And Pop Start again
View Product Quick View Steven Adams & The French Drops Virtue Signals Rock And Pop | Hudson Records | 1LP Released 4th May 2018 £17.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Steven Adams & The French Drops Virtue Signals £17.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Hudson Records SKU: HUD010LP Formats: 1LP Released Date: 4th May 2018 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Alexander 23 Aftershock Rock And Pop | UMC | 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released 15th July 2022 £26.00 Select options Alexander 23 Aftershock £26.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: UMC Formats: 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released Date: 15th July 2022 Read More Select options
View Product Quick View Michael Jackson History: Continues – Picture Disc Rock And Pop | Sony Music | 2LP, Picture Disc Released 24th August 2018 £62.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Michael Jackson History: Continues – Picture Disc £62.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Sony Music SKU: 19075866451 Formats: 2LP, Picture Disc Released Date: 24th August 2018 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Bill Callahan Gold Record Rock And Pop | Drag City | 1LP Released 25th September 2020 £20.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Bill Callahan Gold Record £20.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Drag City SKU: DC760 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 25th September 2020 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Heartless Bastards Arrow (10th Anniversary) Rock And Pop | Partisan Records | 2LP, Coloured Vinyl, Gatefold Sleeve Released 2nd September 2022 £25.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Heartless Bastards Arrow (10th Anniversary) £25.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Partisan Records SKU: PTKF2101-8 Formats: 2LP, Coloured Vinyl, Gatefold Sleeve Released Date: 2nd September 2022 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Smoke Bellow Open For Business Rock And Pop | Trouble In Mind | 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released 17th September 2021 £18.00 Select options Smoke Bellow Open For Business £18.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Trouble In Mind Formats: 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released Date: 17th September 2021 Read More Select options
View Product Quick View Grimes Visions Rock And Pop | 4AD | 1LP Released 12th March 2012 £16.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Grimes Visions £16.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: 4AD SKU: CAD3208 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 12th March 2012 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Eleni Mandell Wake Up Again Rock And Pop | Yep Roc | 1LP Released 7th June 2019 £26.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Eleni Mandell Wake Up Again £26.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Yep Roc SKU: LPYEP2641 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 7th June 2019 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Eric Clapton Live in San Diego with JJ Cale Rock And Pop | Warner Bros | 3LP Released 21st November 2016 £42.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Eric Clapton Live in San Diego with JJ Cale £42.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Warner Bros SKU: 0093624918547 Formats: 3LP Released Date: 21st November 2016 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Balmorhea Clear Language Rock And Pop | Western Vinyl | 1LP Released 22nd September 2017 £21.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Balmorhea Clear Language £21.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Western Vinyl SKU: WV150LP Formats: 1LP Released Date: 22nd September 2017 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Ty Segall Manipulator Rock And Pop | Drag City | 2LP, Gatefold Sleeve Released 21st August 2014 £19.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Ty Segall Manipulator £19.00 Genre: Rock And Pop Label: Drag City SKU: DC600 Formats: 2LP, Gatefold Sleeve Released Date: 21st August 2014 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders