The Pleasure Dome, a Bristol-based grunge-rock/punk trio, is making waves in the music scene with their raw and unfiltered approach to songwriting. Comprising Bobby Spender (vocals and guitar), Loz Fancourt (bass and backing vocals), and Alex ‘Bert’ Elvin (drums), the band has garnered attention for their heartfelt and vulnerable compositions. Their debut album, Equinox will be out on Friday, September 22 and promises to be a celebration of their journey through life’s ups and downs.
Taken from a fever dream about a futuristic arcade, Bobby says,
Above its doors in neon lights was written ‘The Pleasure Dome’. The next day I learnt that the romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge was the first person to coin the phrase pleasure dome in his opium-induced poem Kubla Khan. The name stuck!
The connection to the poet goes further he further explains,
Writing poetry means a lot to me; it’s the music of the soul. I find writing is a way for me to capture emotions and feelings in a way that can be called upon again, like a tool in a time of need.
With their debut album, Equinox, a culmination of their collective experiences and creative vision was recorded in Wales at Mwnci Studios and the album captures the trio’s commitment to seizing the raw energy of their live performances.
On the band’s recorded sound, Bobby adds,
What you hear on the record is us in a room playing together. No click tracks or computer tricks, just us going take after take. We want to capture the right moment, the human element, the energy that’s within us. Computers can fix anything, but what’s the point? It’s not what we’re about—we want to be real, authentic, genuine. No bullshit, no lies.
The album’s title symbolises the balance between darkness and light, winter and spring, summer and autumn and the band explores themes of duality and transformation, mirroring life’s ever-shifting nature.
The darkness and light can be heard on the double singles of “Insane” and “Love is Dead”. Both songs offer an exploration of love and mental turmoil. Forcing one to look at how love can create or trigger healed or healing trauma and the complexities of what defines what love is to oneself or others.
Confronting a moment from childhood in “Down the Alley”, the song captures emotions of a transforming moment in a young child’s life and how that moment drives the adult.
The thirteen tracks range from intense emotional release to powerful authentic vulnerability. Each note played and sung showcases The Pleasure Dome’s commitment to live performance, raw emotion, and unfiltered expression. They invite one to explore their own life’s journey through the good and the bad. With their music rooted in genuine human experiences, Equinox will resonate with audiences seeking genuine and heartfelt artistry.
MUST LISTEN TRACKS: “Psychodrama”, “What a Shame (Cocaine)”, “Insane”, “Vampire of the Night”
FAVOURITE TRACKS: “Psychodrama”, “What a Shame (Cocaine)”, “On the Beaches”, “Have You Ever Been in Love”
