What a month it's been!
'Broken Heart Surgery' was released on July 7th and has met with a very positive reaction - here is a quick(ish) summary of our reviews
The Guardian called it "a gently melancholic album that's really rather lovely" whilst Q magazine described it as "a sparse, rather lovely album. Bickers' playing is a masterclass,
while Fij's voice has the fragile, worldly wise tenor of Richard Hawley or Ian
McCulloch" and Mojo had it down as a "gorgeous set of bruised mid-life ballads."
On-line 'Broken Heart Surgery' has already made an all time top 12 line-up courtesy of this Brandish list of All-Time Top 12 Break Up Albums, nestling alongside the likes of Adele, Coldplay, Bob Dylan, Lykke Li & Fleetwood Mac "...a decade in the making and the finished result is a work of exquisitely
melancholic, stripped-down songwriting". Backseat Mafia has the album down as an 8.9/10 (so close to a 9 damn it!), describing it as "funny, poignant, clever and, frankly, beautiful"; Jon Robb writing in Louderthanwar said that 'Broken Heart Surgery' was "One of the most captivating albums of the year...a back from the dead triumph", Pennyblack thought " Pete Fij has a great vocal talent, which recalls in it's cheeriness Damon Albarn of Blur...while Bickers' guitar work shines like rough diamonds in the Brighton sunshine". Isolation Records said of the album "There are no weak moments here - this is about as a complete a collection as you would ever want to hear", Say It With Flowers has it down as "One of the best albums of 2014, ... With nods to Johnny Cash, Spiritualized and John Barry it’s raw, deeply personal, melancholy and cinematic, but also has plenty of gallows humour and deadpan wit." whilst A Musical Prioirty also marks it out as a contender for album of the year describing it as "A Masterpiece".
On radio messers Bickers & Fij won the Roundtable Review Show 'Single of the Week' for Out Of Time, getting both the nods from the panel and the listners alike; the listeners of BB6Music also voted overwhelmingly for Out Of Time to win the Rebel Playlist, ensuring daytime plays on Shaun Keavney, Lauren Lavern, Radcliffe Maconie and Steve Lamacq, as well as plays on Gideon Coe, Janice Long (Radio 2) and Huey Morgan (Radio2). Our two downbeat mariachi's were guests on Radio 4's 'Loose Ends', and on TV the video for Out Of Time was shown on Channel Four's 'Sunday Brunch'.
The Bickers & Fij tour bus did a quick trip round 5 dates, playing to sell out shows and a great review in louderthanwar - "Reminiscent of the Bad Seeds at their most gentle and remorseful. It sounds like the Velvets brought up on the streets of a seventies British town. The sound of the Beach Boys lost at sea... Broken Heart Surgery is a gentle maudelin classic in the making", whilst brumlive said "It's easy to see why they are so successful", whilst highlighting a third member of the duo who stole the limelight.
The album is available as a CD or download from Pete & Terry's bandcamp page (and you get the envelope hand-addressed by Pete!), you can also purchase from i-tunes, amazon,
as well as a whole host of online stores. It is distributed in UK by Republic Of Music, who supply independent and national record stores.
More UK dates are planned for the Autumn and will be announced shortly.
Thank you for all your help and support in helping us get this far. Keep track of what is going on in Pete Fij / Terry Bickers' world by liking the Facebook page or following Pete on Twitter
'Out Of Time' is released today (30th June), and the boys are parting like it's 1999 to celebrate.
The single, which won 6Music Rebel Playlist listener vote, as well as winning both the panel and listener vote on Steve Lamacq's Roundtable review show, and was listed as 'song of the year on A Musical Priority is avalable on i-tunes & amazon as well as the duo's own bandcamp page for download.
Watch the Pete Fij -directed video here As the duo party like only they know how. Warn the neighbours, alert the police and get ready for a Bickers & Fij party like no other! By the looks of it, the morning after is going to be frail
You can now pre-order the CD album of 'broken Heart Surgery' with immediate download from our bandcamp page & you can join in the knees-up celebration with the party-loving duo at their live dates in July:
Support on all shows is from I Am Ampersand the alter ego of Fujiya & Miyagi's Matt Hainsby
Join the Pete & Terry on Facebook to be kept up to date on all things Bickers & Fij-shaped.
Sometimes help comes in the most unusual of forms. It has transpired that one of the Kickstarter guardian angels who came to assist Pete & Terry is a genuine screen icon - none other than Frank - the giant 7 foot rabbit from the cult film 'Donnie Darko'.
Actor James Duval who played the menacing rodent in the 2001 classic, was one of those who pledged money for Bickers & Fij to help make the album, and his name appears in the credits of 'Broken Heart Surgery'.
Messers Bickers & Fij have been invited to appear on this week's 'Loose Ends' on BBC Radio 4 hosted by Clive Anderson. Our two radioheads will be guests alongside Suggs, David Schneider, Janet Suzman, Arthur Smith, Chris Stewart & The Moulettes.
The show will be aired on Saturday 21st at 6.15pm, and will then be available on the i-player for 7 days, as well as being repeated on Radio4Extra throughout the week.
You can now order the album from our the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers Bandcamp page.
If you pre-order the album you will recieve an immediate download of
the album, and the CD will be sent to your letterbox on release.
Live Uk shows in July:
Wed 2nd Worthing, Persia Bar, Grand Victorian Hotel
Thur 3rd Brighton Komedia, Studio Bar
Wed 16th London St Pancras Old Church
Wed 22nd Norwich Bicycle Shop
Thur 23rd July Coventry The Tin Music & Arts Centre
Support from all shows will come from I Am Ampersand - the superb side project of Fujiya & Miyagi bassist Matt Hainsby
You can keep uptodate by liking the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers Facebook page & you can follow Pete on Twitter
Photo Credit: Cait Brassneck
Messers Bickers & Fij have announced the release of their debut album 'Broken Heart Surgery' released on Broadcast Recordings on July 7th, and a series of live shows to celebrate.
The album which will be sent out prior to release to the Kickstarter supporters who helped fund the project will be available to the public via the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers BandCamp webpage as well as through selected stockists.
Pete said "Well, it's been a long drawn out process to get here - a bit 'will-they-won't-they?' at times - like a soap opera extended story line about the delayed trip to the altar that has taken several years, but finally we're there...everything's in place - the vicar has the rings, the organist is in full flow, and Terry looks quite stunning - this is going to be our special day".
The album will be preceeded by a single 'Out Of Time' which will be released on June 30th, and the duo will be playing a series of live dates around the time of the release
Click links to take you tickets :
JULY
Wed 2nd Worthing, Persia Bar, Grand Victorian Hotel
Thur 3rd Brighton Komedia, Studio Bar
Wed 16th London St Pancras Old Church
Wed 22nd Norwich Bicycle Shop
Thur 23rd July Coventry The Tin Music & Arts Centre
Support from all shows will come from I Am Ampersand - the superb side project of Fujiya & Miyagi bassist Matt Hainsby who has been championed by the likes of Jarvis Cocker & Gideon Coe on 6Music.
You can keep uptodate by liking the Pete Fij / Terry Bickers Facebook page
