Parlour Bells Ask “To Be Or Not To Behave?” With New EP Due This Summer

BOSTON, MA (July 2, 2024)

If you sense a little saltiness in their new single, “Knight Owl,” your musical taste buds would not be far off track. For over 14 years, Parlour Bells have experienced many of the highs and lows that come with being longtime veterans of a dynamic local music community. From lineup changes to shuttered venues, being in a band brings its share of growing pains. But with age comes deeper wisdom–and what doesn’t kill you makes you even stronger. And that wisdom and experience has culminated in the new EP from Parlour Bells titled To Be Or Not To Behave due later this summer.

The first offering from the new EP is an anthemic arena rocker called “Knight Owl” that takes aim at the scene sycophants and phonies who too often take the fun out of being an artist. But while cynical at times, the song’s protagonist is never defeated. Behind some of the angrier lines is a smiling anti-hero who claims victory by turning their spite into big glorious rock and roll songs. There’s also some obvious but cute wordplay with the song’s title as the protagonist concedes that it’s “all who (hoo) who you know.”

Not wasting a second of track time, the song opens with a monstrous voice sample summoning the namesake “KNIGHT OWL,” getting right to the point. Tony Porter’s drums clobber everything within earshot as Mike Leggio’s bass alternates between marching ahead and just giving right into the dance groove at the core of this gleeful little fight song. In a nod to the soft / loud aesthetic of his beloved 90s influences, Goddamn Glenn delivers his vocal intimately as if unaware of the raucous audio storm just beside him. Allison Sigrist’s keys undergird the 80s metal sheen of the track with dreamy new wave siren calls that elevate the chorus as Michael Johnson shreds into a guitar solo for the rock ages.

“Knight Owl,” as with all of the forthcoming To Be Or Not To Behave EP, was recorded at both Q Division and Rare Signals. Mixed and produced by the fantastically talented Brian Charles of Rare Signals in Cambridge MA, this new EP and era for Parlour Bells is marked by the same deep love of songwriting and the endless pursuit of the catchiest chorus possible.

Parlour Bells celebrates the release of “Knight Owl” on Saturday July 6th at The Rockwell in Davis Square, Somerville. They perform at 8pm and will be followed by Lovina Falls and Happy Little Clouds.

ARTWORK FOR KNIGHT OWL. AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE ON JULY 5TH