Gary Daly + Eddie Lundon ca. 2013

Yow! Just when you can cozy up to the DLX RM of “Diary Of A Hollow Horse” comes the news that China Crisis are currently putting notes to hard drive on their first new album of material in 20 years. This bulletin comes hot on the heels of the band’s two trips across the pond to North America this year. With that under their belts, can it be shocking that they are ready to issue that loooong awaited seventh album.

And, seeing as how we live in the 21st century, the band are making this project happen with a boost from Pledge Music. Fans can pony up to subsidize the new album, “Autumn In The Neighbourhood,” in an astonishingly granular array of buy-in points. For as little as £8 [~$13.01] for a download of the new album all the way to £5000 [~$8134.05] to have the band play a full show at your home [UK only]. All pledgers also get access to “rare demos, remixes, videos from the studio” for added value.

It’s the price points in-between that offers the more intriguing  premiums for committed fans. Got a spare £250 [~$406.70] burning a hole in your pocket? Why not enjoy a “Cookalong With Gary?” Spend the afternoon one-on-one with Gary in the kitchen cooking with you on videoconference. £300 [~$488.04] nets lucky fans a “Trip to Anfield With Eddie,” for a Liverpool home soccer match [a.k.a. ‘football’] complete with a pint and a pie at half-time.

Since I’m tapped out, with just enough to buy a $200 Moogfest ticket tomorrow before they increase in price, the very next thing that I buy will be a pledge for the garden variety CD, as signed by Gary & Eddie for £20 [~$32.54]. I’m more than happy to put my money where my mouth is regarding China Crisis. Their last album, “Warped By Success,” disappointed these ears on its release in 1994, but recent listenings to that album have been more satisfactory in recent years.

Their new sound, can be sampled on their PledgeMusic page and if you sign up to their mailing list [or pledge] you may download a new song from the album, “Everyone You Know.” The sound is familiar; crisp, melodic pop with even more elegance than on last outing.  The female backing vocals and the acoustic guitars and strings conspire to make it sound impossibly polished. It’s nice to know that their penchant for sophisti-pop has not let them down with age.

When not playing live, Gary Daly has been plying his trade as an artist. Eddie Lundon has been teaching songwriting and performance at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts. And now it looks like teacher Lundon now gets to practice what he preaches. Inasmuch as their continued live presence in the world has delighted, it’s good to have CC back in the studio making the dignified, melodious pop as they know how best to do. Not just I think so. In the five days that PledgeMusic has hosted their campaign, they’ve already met 21% if their goal, so not just The Monk misses these guys! That’s comparable or better than the numbers that Joan Osborne has also racked up for her new album [15%] in just four days, so… a burner on Joan Osborne! They still have 139 days to go so there’s plenty of time to share the China Crisis love. I’m hoping they get many times their goal so that they can afford lots of strings and woodwinds!

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