Fake Palms Share New Single/Video For Visions; Lemons LP Out September 16th Via Hand Drawn Dracula

Fake Palms, the project helmed by Toronto-based artist, Michael le Riche is today sharing his new single, “Visions” the latest to be lifted from his new record, Lemons which is set for release via Hand Drawn Dracula (Young Guv, Tallies, Tess Parks) on September 16. Lemons was announced last month with the first single, “Satellite” (tipped at Brooklyn Vegan, Exclaim, CBC Radio and more) and arrives as the third full-length from Fake Palms and reintroduces the project after a short break in which le Riche focused on his electro-synth project, Sauna – itcomes off the back of earlier releases that found support at FADER, Stereogum, Vice, Brooklyn Vegan and Exclaim.

The arch jangle of new single, “Visions” evokes Lee Ranaldo linking up with the bubblegum-savvy early Wire while finding le Riche tapping into some of his poppiest moments as a songwriter following his previous work as Fake Palms, as well as the soupy electronica of Sauna and art-rock of Darcys. The track erupts with slashing guitar and quickfire percussion which matches Michael’s vocals toe for toe. Speaking about the track, he says: “Visions” is the sound of power chords and an overactive right arm. No more intricate, overly complex guitar parts or different time signatures. It’s Buzzcocks or the Dead Boys at its core, angular and jangly. “Musically, it’s the most direct thing I’ve ever done. No hiding behind walls of reverb, mutating time signatures, or vague lyrics.”

Michael le Riche called upon a veritable who’s who of Toronto indie-dom for Lemons, drawing from the ranks of Dilly Dally (Ben Reinhartz), Ducks Ltd (Evan Lewis), Sauna (Braeden Craig), and Twist (Laura Hermiston). Taking to Candle Recording studio with long-time contributor, co-producer, and engineer Josh Korody (Breeze, Beliefs), the songwriting dove headlong even further into dream-math-punk sensibilities.

Just the third proper release from a one-man band that le Riche routinely manifests in the flesh onstage in Toronto as a sort of amorphous, all-star underground-Toronto noise-pop “supergroup,” this is an album that fully derives its antisocial scorch through the increased clarity and precision of the Fake Palms vision. Lemons is slippery, spiky, not a little psych-y and more than a little lyrically sour, not to mention frequently, subtly tricked-out from a minimalist, nerdo-instrumental perspective that doesn’t demand that you dork out over the arrangements but will always leave the option open if and when you decide to do so.

The new record evolves from the 00’s angular guitar rhythms that defined the post-punk foundations of Fake Palms’ first two releases. Lemons switches out some of the irregular time-signatures of 70’s college rock and first-take recording approach, this time moving with confidence into more dissonant yet accessible directions of brighter melodic structures.

You can pre-order Fake Palms’ Lemons here