Ward Thomas are back! After the brilliant lockdown album release of Invitation, the Hampshire-duo return with Music In The Madness – their fifth studio album – out March 10th, 2023.
The record’s first offering is the captivating ‘Justice & Mercy’ that was revealed in full last night by Bob Harris on his infamous Radio 2 show – listen here. Begun on a Nashville trip, the creepy country corker is a fictional tale, inspired by the pair’s shared love of true crime podcasts.
“It’s a fun story song about a wrong ’un who ruins lives on his travels and meets a sticky end,” says Lizzy. “I imagine it set in the ‘20s Western States, although we partly based the psychopath on Putin. There are two outcomes when you listen to true crime – one merciful, one justice-driven. Either the perpetrator has to die or his soul can be saved. There were some deep discussions in that writing session. If one of us was murdered, would the other be team justice or team mercy?”
Music In The Madness is both a harmony-soaked balm for shattered souls and an uplifting reminder of what really matters. Love, family, unity and the healing power of music are recurrent themes on an album begun as war broke out in Ukraine and the world went into a post-Covid tailspin.
“In Ukraine in particular we witnessed these wonderful, moving moments of music in the madness,” says Catherine. “Soldiers singing the national anthem and getting married on the front line. The viral video of the girl in a bomb shelter singing Let It Go. In times of crisis, music matters even more. That’s what we set out to celebrate.”
One of the album’s key tracks from the second Nashville trip is the acoustic spine-tingler ‘Love Does’, on which unusually the duo harmonise from start to finish and the lyrics will bring you to tears.
Co-written and produced by former Cage The Elephant guitarist Lincoln Parish, ‘All Over Again’ is an emphatic ode to no regrets steeped in synths and shimmering guitars. ‘Next To You’ the sisters call Carry You Home 2.0, a follow-on from the lead single from 2016’s chart-topping Cartwheels, which could be about their own bond or a romantic relationship.
‘Joan of Arc’ is a battle anthem co-written with Ed Harcourt, about fighting back and standing up for yourself, while the closer of Side A on the vinyl is a spectacular reworking of Razorlight’s ‘America’ drenched in the twins’ trademark harmonies.
Still only 28, Catherine and Lizzy are on a roll and already working on a sixth album which they plan to release before they turn 30.
“We look up to artists like Brandi Carlile, whose career has grown organically. Of course, we love success, but the artists we admire are the ones who keep showing up and don’t sell out. We do what we do because we love music and we have something to say.”
Ward Thomas hit the road in March & April next year and will play the following headline dates. Tickets on sale 18th November HERE
March 2023
Thu 30th Glasgow, Old Fruit Market
Fri 31st Gateshead, Sage
April 2023
Sun 2nd Liverpool, Olympia
Tue 4th York, Barbican
Wed 5th Manchester, Albert Hall
Thu 6th Birmingham, Town Hall
Mon 10th Cambridge, Corn Exchange
Tue 11th Cardiff, St. David’s
Thu 13th Bexhill, De La Warr Pavilion
Fri 14th London, Barbican
Sat 15th Southampton, Central Hall
Mon 17th Reading, Hexagon
Tu 18th Bath, Forum
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