One of our all-time faves the DIY Indie/Punk/Emo legends Johnny Foreigner have dropped their new single "Their Shining Path”. This track is a preview of their upcoming sixth studio album, How To Be Hopeful, which is out on 13 September, through Alcopop Records.
The new album represents a departure from Johnny Foreigner's usual themes, embracing love and optimism in a way that feels fresh and unexpected. Frontman Alexei described "Their Shining Path" as a song that captures the essence of a surreal late-night conversation with a mysterious figure outside a hotel near JT Soars, where the album was recorded. The song is described as a concise, 2.45-minute burst of guitar-driven energy.
How To Be Hopeful is being touted as a chaotic yet joyful record, emerging from three years of planning and introspection. The album is structured as two parallel soundtracks that reflect a tumultuous year for the band, filled with both challenges and triumphs. Despite being 28 months behind schedule, the album is a labour of love and a product of the band’s evolution.
Thee band describes this album as their most personal and significant work to date, blending their familiar sound with a newfound sense of optimism. The album is not just a celebration of love but also a reflection on life’s inherent chaos and the connections that bind everything together.
Talking about the album and single Alexi from the band shared:
“It took us about a year to work out the shape and palette for this record; Actual love and giddy optimism not exactly being traditional anchors for Johnny Foreigner. One of the defining moments was a 3am conversation with someone I'm not 100% sure was a regular mortal human, in a hotel smoking area coincidentally (magic) a few minutes walk from JT Soars where we'd start recording it.
This is that story, neatly ghost-trapped in a 2.45 guitar pop song. Not sure if the title references them, or us, or my partner, or is just our final evolution of casually stealing from the late great Urusei Yatsura. Either way, it's an immense pleasure to just shout joyous shouts into the void.”
To celebrate the release of How To Be Hopeful, Johnny Foreigner will host two launch parties. The first will be held in London at Bush Hall on September 20th, 2024, followed by a second event in Birmingham at Hare and Hounds on September 21st, 2024. The shows will feature supporting performances from bands like Tellison, Dags, and others.
Fans of Johnny Foreigner can look forward to tracks like "What The Alexei," the band’s first true love song, and "Orc Damage," which explores themes of corporate greed and the end of an era. The album also includes a companion set, the sky and sea were part of me, or I was part of them, available now, which offers a preview of what’s to come.
For those eager to experience How To Be Hopeful, the full tracklist includes:
Roisin Does Advice Now
The Blazing World
What The Alexei
Museum of Useless Things
Orc Damage
Okay 1 More!
This Is A Joke
Dark Tetris
Their Shining Path
A Sea To Scream At
Emily and Alex
We Build This City
Johnny Foreigner’s return to the music scene is highly anticipated, and this new album promises to be a compelling addition to their discography.
Save the date for How To Be Hopeful, and watch the video for “Their Shining Path”:
Upcoming live dates
