Martin Carr (ex Boo Radleys) releasing new single “Flames”: watch the videoThe 20 Best Britpop Albums of 1995

Martin Carr, the former guitarist and songwriter for shoegaze/Britpop greats The Boo Radleys, is working on his first solo album in five years, and as a taster, he's releasing a new single, "Flames," this Friday (11/26) via Sonic Cathedral. It's a little different than anything Carr has done before, embracing technology in new ways with a technicolor cut-and-paste style that feels very now, but still with his Beatles-informed melodic style.

“I wrote it on the guitar, it’s very simple, then I started throwing sounds at it,” Martin says. “I love to make collages and my music production method is identical. I move stuff around; I cut and bend and turn. I’m not after any particular sound or style, I try to be disciplined in the studio, but I wouldn't want anything to dampen the thrill of inspiration that moves so fast, you can't catch it all.” It's pretty terrific and comes with an eye-popping video that also incorporates Carr's collage style. That premieres in this post, and you can watch below.

Martin is also launching a new subscription service that includes a regular fanzine in both a digital version (with PDFs) and a physical version, New Shapes, featuring "random memories, artwork and other ephemera." Subscribers will also get "postcards, work in progress demos, exclusive live streamed performances and, vinyl production madness allowing, actual records, among other things." That will be available starting January 1 via Martin's Bandcamp.

In other news, Martin Carr will be on The Charlatans' UK tour starting Thursday, November 25. The tour features his new band, What Future, which includes Gaz Williams (bass), Bernie Plain (drums), Matthew Frederick (keyboards). All dates are listed below.

Martin Carr - 2021 Tour Dates (opening for The Charlatans)
Nov 25 - Buckley, GB The Tivoli Buckley
Nov 26 - Bristol, GB O2 Academy
Nov 27 - Birmingham, GB O2 Academy
Nov 29 - Bexhill, GB De La Warr Pavilion
Nov 30 - Bournemouth, GB O2 Academy
Dec 2 - Oxford, GB O2 Academy
Dec 3 - Cambridge, GB Corn Exchange
Dec 4 - Manchester, GB O2 Victoria Warehouse
Dec 6 - Lincoln, GB The Engine Shed
Dec 8 - Liverpool, GB Invisible Wind Factory
Dec 9 - Newcastle Upon Tyne, GB O2 City Hall
Dec 10 - London, GB O2 Academy Brixton
Dec 12 - Norwich, GB UEA LCR
Dec 14 - Exeter, GB Great Hall
Dec 16 - Nottingham, GB Rock City
Dec 17 - Leeds, GB O2 Academy
Dec 18 - Glasgow, GB O2 Academy
Dec 20 - Aberdeen, GB Music Hall
Dec 21 - Edinburgh, GB Corn Exchange

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The 20 Best Britpop Albums of 1995