When: 7pm on Friday 23 January 2015
Where: Gorilla, 54-56 Whitworth Street West, Manchester M1 5WW

We’re excited to be helping BC Camplight launch his new album, How To Die In The North.

Bella Union is excited to announce the release of How To Die In The North, the new album from maverick songwriter BC Camplight, on 19 January.

Lost treasure needn’t be found in the distant past; the 21st Century hides many artists who disappeared into the great wide yonder. BC Camplight is one such example. The alter-ego of American songwriter Brian Christinzio released albums in 2005 and 2007, both gems of a certain psych-pop vintage, combining eloquent songwriting with a self-destructive bent. Christinzio certainly knew it – he’s described himself as, ‘the guy who blew it’.

But this sublime talent with the keening vocal and fearless approach to lyrical introspection has another chance. His new album, How To Die In The North, recorded in his newly adopted home of Manchester, England, is a fantastically rich, stylistically diverse trip. From dramatic, layered pop to a haunted take on Sixties sunshine-pop, from blue-eyed soul to speedy surf-pop, from sparser piano balladry to psychedelic showstoppers and a grand finale that’s part Nilsson and part Broadway showtune.

Originally from New Jersey, Christinzio started playing piano aged just four, inspired by his mum’s Jerry Lee Lewis and Nilsson records and his dad’s classical collection. Depression and crippling hypochondria clashed with captaining the football team and a penchant for boxing. Post-school, he fell in with people, ‘willing to go through shit to be a musician’, which saw him relocate to Philadelphia where he occasionally played live with Philly faves The War On Drugs and guested on Sharon Van Etten’s album Epic.

He’s already done two sessions for long-term fan Marc Riley at BBC 6 Music, which featured Christinzio’s band of Mancunians who he met at The Castle Hotel pub, a watering hole in the city centre particularly popular with musicians. Christinzio also heard John Grant’s album on the jukebox there, which encouraged him to approach Bella Union. Grant’s cocktail of depression and self-sabotage thwarted an outrageous talent, but he took his second chance. The same deserves to happen to Christinzio, a similarly outsize, sharp and funny personality with a non-conformist streak. Far from dying, BC Camplight has been reborn in the North!

Support comes from Faitala. Formed during the summer of 2012, Faitala bring together cute, quirky pop thrown in with a few 8-bit sounds from time to time. Their music has been likened to We Were Evergreen and Metronomy – but make up your own mind. They’ve had a very busy 2013 playing live at Dot to Dot, Tramlines and Carefully Planned festivals as well as shows with Sweet Baboo and Jesca Hoop. Recently the band also did a live session on Marc Riley’s BBC 6 Music show.

Buy tickets now. Tickets are available from the bar, Common (both no booking fee), Piccadilly Records, Vinyl Exchange, Seetickets.com, WeGotTickets.com, Ticketline.co.uk and on 0871 220 0260.

Attend on: Facebook | Last.fm