All the hits
Tickets are selling well for the Spearmint show in London on Tuesday November 26th, where we’ll be playing all our hits! (I know we haven’t technically had any hits, but you get my drift). We’ll be joined by our favourites, Open Up (name-checked on Sweeping The Nation) and you can get tickets here.
Leicesterval
And… we’ll be headlining on Saturday 1st March 2025 at Leicesterval, The Leicester Indiepop Weekender. Tickets have just gone on sale here.
Thanking you!
Shirl
Thank-you to everyone who voted for the Spearmint songs you’d most like hear us play live.
107 different songs were voted for in total!
However, clear favourites have emerged in the poll, which we’ll be playing at our London show in November 2024.
Shirl X
Seven years ago, we played a ‘Spearmint Jukebox’ show comprised purely of songs voted for by all of you. On Tuesday 26th November 2024, we’re going to do it again, and you can get tickets here.
The gig will be at Colours in Hoxton, London, and we will be joined by our longtime friends, the wonderful Open Up, featuring Toby Carter (co-writer of several Spearmint favourites).
You can vote for the songs you’d most like to hear here. Choose up to five Speamint or Shirley Lee songs you’d most like us to play live. If you can’t think of five, then just skip to the end, but you do need to click ‘submit’ at the end for it to count. Please do vote, even if you can’t make it to the gig.
We’ll tot up the votes and play the top 20 or so at the show!
Shirl X
We’re delighted to announce two shows this year:
Paris:
On Saturday 13th April, we’ll be playing at Le Chinois in Paris with Louis Lingg and the Bombs, Parenthesis and Astrid & Alexander. This was originally going to be at L’International, which has now had to close its doors for a while.
The show is a Mini Popfest as part of a series of ‘Another Sunny Night’ gigs organised by the good folk at Paris Popfest.
Tickets are on sale now and it would be lovely to see you there!
Pop at the Lock:
On Saturday 6th July, we’ll be playing at a ‘Pop at the Lock’ all-dayer at The King’s Lock, Middlewich with BMX Bandits, The Flatmates, Nervous Twitch, McCookerbook & Rotifer, Big Other and Ian Button.
All profits from the day will go to Christies Against Cancer. Tickets are now on sale and set to sell out very soon – you can get yours here: https://www.wegottickets.com/event/610964.
Sounds great!
Shirl X
We’re delighted to announce that our new album ‘This Candle Is For You’ is out today, and we love it! You can get it digitally here, on limited edition vinyl here and on CD here, both with limited edition 32-page lyrics book.
Here’s what it says in the current issue of Mojo:
“London indie lifers; still minty fresh: * * * *
Established in the mid-90’s, the quirky, inquisitive Spearmint, led by the elusive Shirley Lee, build on 2021’s joyous Holland Park with This Candle Is For You, their 10th LP. Seasoned ‘Mint listeners will be delighted to know that all standards are firmly in place. Songs are sung about John Gavin, the man who was almost James Bond after George Lazenby, the relationship between Prince and Joni Mitchell, and catching night buses from Tottenham Court Road to Camden in 1999, all set against their sweet soul-Mod-country hybrid. As ever, it is cut through with reality and sadness – Flowers on the Bandstand examines the reaction to Sarah Everard’s death; the track’s extended flute and guitar fade-out is deeply moving. It is a delight to think there may be a Spearmint album every two years for the rest of our lives. Daryl Easlea.”
Not sure about an album every two years, but thank-you Daryl!
And don’t forget that tickets are now available for our first live show in four years, at Hoxton Colours in London on Tuesday 5th December. This will be the launch show for the new album, where we’ll play the new songs alongside tunes from our last album ‘Holland Park’ live for the very first time. You can get tickets here.
Cheers,
Shirl X
Our new single ‘Older Cats 2’ is out now: and you can see the video here.
It’s available digitally here and on very limited 7-inch, featuring non-album b-side ‘Let It Go’ here.
We’re now getting ready to play at Hoxton Colours in London on Tuesday 5th December. This will be the launch show for the album, where we’ll play the new songs alongside tunes from our last album ‘Holland Park’ live for the very first time. You can get tickets here.
‘Older Cats 2’ is from our new album ‘This Candle Is For You’, which comes out in two weeks’ time. You can get the album digitally and on limited edition vinyl, complete with 32-page lyric book, which you can pre-order here.
The album will also be available on CD. Initial orders will include a 32-page lyric book, and you can pre-order here.
All getting quite exciting!
Shirl X
New single
The new double A-side Spearmint single ‘Prince & Joni’ coupled with ‘Three More Songs On The Jukebox’ is released today and you can see the videos here and here.
It’s available digitally and on a very limited 7-inch, which you can order here.
London gig
Tickets are now available for our first live show in four years, at Hoxton Colours in London on Tuesday 5th December. This will be the launch show for the new album, where we’ll play the new songs alongside tunes from our last album ‘Holland Park’ live for the very first time. You can get tickets here.
The new album
Our new album ‘This Candle Is For You’ comes out on Friday 17 th November 2023. You can get the album digitally and on limited edition vinyl, complete with 32-page lyric book, which you can pre-order here.
The album will also be available on CD. Initial orders will include a 32-page lyric book, and you can pre-order here.
Cheers,
Shirl X
… and we’re back.
The new Spearmint single ‘Melody’s Mother’s Jam’ is released today and you can see the video here.
It’s available digitally and on very limited 7-inch, featuring non-album band favourite ‘Bradley’s Bar’ on the b-side. You can order the 7-inch here.
‘Melody’s Mother’s Jam’ is about the dwindling memories of the mother while she’s around, and the dwindling memories of the mother once she’s not… but it’s quite cheerful, really! It features Si on lead vocals and is the first single from our new album ‘This Candle Is For You’, which comes out on Friday 17 th November 2023.
You can get the album digitally and on limited edition vinyl, complete with 32-page lyric book, which you can pre-order here.
The album will also be available on CD. Initial orders will include a 32-page lyric book, and you can pre-order here.
Finally, Spearmint will play live at Hoxton Colours in London on Tuesday 5th December. This will be the launch show for the album, where we’ll play the new songs alongside tunes from our last album ‘Holland Park’ live for the very first time. You can get tickets here.
Hope all is well with you and hope to see you soon,
Shirl X
The new Spearmint single is released today! It’s a double A-side featuring ‘Albion’ from the new album ‘Holland Park’ on one side. You can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/pzgxEmEWGcA
On the other side is a brand new blue collar Christmas song ‘Santa Lives In My Building’, from the compilation album of new Christmas songs ’24’ on WIAIWYA records. It’s a true story, from time I spent in New York in 2014, and you can watch the video here:https://youtu.be/z13AeHCnO_8. You can get the whole ’24’ album on CD or digital here: https://wiaiwya.bandcamp.com/album/24
From around 9am today, both songs are available on a HIGHLY limited seven-inch from https://hitbackonline.co.uk/product/spearmint-albion-7inch – get it while you can.
We’re out of vinyl copies of ‘Holland Park’ now, but you can still get the CD here https://hitbackonline.co.uk/product/spearmint-holland-park-cd and the digital version from all the usual places.
Hope you enjoy! Shirl X
Our new album ‘Holland Park’ is in stock and available now:
Vinyl: Our stocks have sold out now, but you can still get a copy by searching for it online from other shops.
CD: https://hitbackonline.co.uk/product/spearmint-holland-park-cd/
Digital: https://spearmint.lnk.to/hollandpark (also digitally through Bandcamp)
Shirley has also put together an accompanying fantasy album: https://rgm.press/shirley-lee-from-spearmint-reveals-his-fantasy-album-tracklisting/review/
Here’s what the press have said so far:
Mojo: “How amazing that Spearmint, all in middle age, clearly still keeping up the day jobs, can unite to make music this wonderful.” ****
Eighth Day: “It’s brilliant!”
Morning Star: “Unique and beautiful… A fascinating musical voyage of affirmation and tribute” *****
Devizine: “This is one rich, uplifting record.”
Prog Magazine: “Durable, indefinable art-pop mavericks Spearmint go all out on the brilliant, bittersweet concept album Holland Park.”
About That Record: “Record of the Day.”
Brooklyn Vegan: “Another fine entry in a remarkably consistent catalog… from swoony new romanticism through Madchester, Britpop and the ’00s post-punk revival.”
Peterborough Telegraph: ” rich vocals and romantic songs are a tonic for sore ears!” 8/10
Wall of Sound: “a strong and persistent pop vibe, happy and upbeat. You can enjoy this for what it is, or you can take the time to listen to the lyrics, where there is more to be found than is often the case.”
Off The Hook: “A brisk poppy ride with fathoms of melancholy depth.”
Hope you like it!
Shirl X
