The Murder Capital have surprise-released the stirring new single ‘Love Of Country’, with profits going towards aid in Palestine.
‘Love Of Country’ is the latest taste of the band’s recently announced upcoming album ‘Blindness’, which is set for release on February 21. You can pre-order it here.
The track is available only to download or in physical format and can be exclusively purchased via the band’s website (here) or Bandcamp store (here). All profits will be donated to the Medical Aid For Palestinians charity.
Frontman James McGovern said the track is about “the dark side of patriotism and nationalism, and what they become when they are warped and weaponised.” In a press release, he added: “Across the world, we are seeing hatred of “other” spreading like a disease. No claiming of land today is more barbaric than the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.
“We are releasing a 7” record of ‘Love Of Country’, with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to Medical Aid for Palestine. In the face of, and beyond such clear acts of evil, it is more vital than ever to cherish the richness of our diverse communities and the power of human connection. We must stand firm against the rise of nationalist ideologies and speak up for those whose worlds are being torn apart by hatred and violence.”
The band have been previewing the track while on tour with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Frontman James McGovern recently caught up with NME, where he shared the response to the song so far: “[Fans] seemed very into it! I suppose the big shining moment was with ‘Love Of Country’, when we figured out that it was a closer at the end of the set in Madrid,” he explained.
“That was inspired by the way Nick closes his show with ‘Into My Arms’. ‘Love Of Country’ is not as dynamically low as that, but in the context of our music, it’s down there – but it’s fucking intense. It was a really life-affirming moment.”
McGovern also told us about the upcoming release and explained how the members settled on the title. “There were a couple of other titles that almost caught fire for us, but they were doused pretty quickly. ‘Blindness’ ended up being the one, looking at the themes across the record,” he said. “This denial of faith – also a grappling with faith – and an underbelly of Irishness running through it.”
He continued: “I think blindness is endemic in the human condition, really. We’re made of blind spots. We try to focus on things and meet each person, task and song with as true a heart as possible. But at the same time, it’s powerful to be aware of how much you can’t see.”
The record will follow on from the Irish quintet’s acclaimed 2023 album ‘Gigi’s Recovery’, which arrived four years after their breakout debut ‘When I Have Fears’.
In other news, The Murder Capital recently announced their “biggest headline show to date” at the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin on July 19. They’ll be joined by British punk duo Soft Play – FKA Slaves – and London trio and former NME Cover stars Mary In The Junkyard.
Tickets go on sale this Friday (December 20) at 9am local time, and you can get yours here.
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