What is it about The Bats that we all know and love? Is it the fragile but determined vocals, the ringing psychedelic guitars or the chunky rhythms that seem quintessentially South Island indie; remote, cool, spacious, unusual but strangely familiar? Or is it the oddly melancholic yet optimistic, distant but touching sound? Whatever it is, alongside a select group of other South Island bands, The Bats have a unique sound that has captured the imagination of many; both at home but especially abroad.

For their seventh studio album released December 2008 – The Guilty Office – the band continue to refine and develop their own idiosyncratic path, whilst also adding fresh sparkle and new ideas. The strings and additional instruments come to the fore, such as on the first single Castle Lights, and Robert Scott’s songwriting has become particularly strong on tracks such as Countersign and Crimson Enemy. It could have been pentagonal room they recorded in at John Kelcher’s studio, or the proximity to the Heathcote river, but either way, the band have come up with an album that shines among their best.

The Bats have amassed plenty of fans at home and offshore, particularly in US. There they toured four times between 1986 and 1993 - when they took to the road with Belly and Radiohead. They also scored very well with front cover of benchmark US industry magazine Billboard featuring glowing reviews for their releases through Communion and Mammoth Records. The Bats also achieved Single of the Week in British magazine NME, high placing on the CMJ charts and use of their songs in several movies and on MTV.

Currently, classic Bats track North By North features as the theme song to successful Australian political satire, The Hollowmen. Their 2006 album The Bats At The National Grid saw a global release including distribution through Magic Marker Records in the USA, Little Teddy in Europe, Egg Records in UK, and Reverberation in Australia. The album received excellent reviews from influential media including Spin, Magnet Magazine, All Music Guide and College Music Journal and achieved places on playlists on close to 200 of the CMJ radio stations.

In 2006 they returned to the US for a 15 date tour including a sold out show at SXSW. The Bats were formed in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1982 by Robert Scott, bassist for the massively influential The Clean, as an outlet for his songs when he thought The Clean had split for good. He became guitarist and prime vocalist, while ex-Toy Love member Paul Kean took on bass. Malcolm Grant became drummer and guitarist Kaye Woodward’s gleaming harmony vocals would come to be a defining presence in the band. Signing to New Zealand's hottest at the time indie label, Flying Nun, The Bats went on to release three EP’s, six albums and two compilations as well as numerous singles and videos.

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LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM

Buy this CD from Arch Hill now

(ARCH HILL PRICES IN US$ - CURRENCY CONVERTER)


Buy this release at Amplifier.co.nz

Buy this release on iTunes

The Bat's song "The Orchard" is NPR's song of the day for 23rd of July...described as "Perhaps the record's greatest moment is its closer, "The Orchard," in which plaintive strings meld with plucky guitars as wistful hope burns off a mist of gloom"

The Bat's excellent album 'The Guilty Office' was released on Hidden Agenda records in the USA in June, and since then they have picked up some excellent reviews all over the shop...

They have also released a split 7" single with Australian band Songs with The Spring Press

Pitchfork: "The band hasn't tinkered with its signature chiming guitars and surging straight-ahead rhythms. But why fix a formula that works? From melodic, bobbing lead "Countersign" to bucolic closer "The Orchard", Office is a comfortable, comforting listen, wonderful in its very familiarity." (7.5)
Agit Reader (interview): "Stuck away at the bottom of the world could be an advantage."
Popmatters: "Over seven full lengths, the Bats have not only perfected their own melancholy sound, but they've remained a vital and strikingly consistent pop band. One listen to The Guilty Office makes that clear."
Prefix Mag: "The Guilty Office also shows a willingness to expand things a bit."
Big Takeover: "This is definitely an album that rewards repeated spins."
Washington City Paper: "Few can work a Velvet Underground riff as tenderly."
Flavorpill/Flavorwire interviews Robert Scott.
Blurt Magazine: "Simple riffs, angelic harmonies & dreamy atmosphere."
Dusted: "Across 26 years and seven albums, the Bats have been quite consistent. Each tune has a crisp beat driven by the unstoppable rhythm section of Paul Kean and Malcolm Grant, an economical guitar melody by Kaye Woodward, and a sweet-sad lyric delivered in a matching voice.... [The Guilty Office] renders the familiar in sharper detail."
All Music Guide: "Songs that burrow into your consciousness and settle in for a long visit."
The Times UK: "A perfect example of old-school melancholy indie pop."
Maximum Ink: "Shimmering indie innocence swung around frenzied, art-punk thunder."
Uncut Magazine UK: "Defiantly lo-fi romanticism."
Mojo Magazine UK: "Byrdsian chimes and the freewheeling grooves of the VU's Loaded."
Aversion: "Straightforward songwriting executed with amazing subtlety."
Sounds XP: "Indiepop heaven"
The Line of Best Fit: "Like folk rock played in a charged atmosphere."

John Campbell of Campbell Live says 2 of his top 5 favorite albums of 2008 were ...

	David Kilgour - The Far Now John says: "One of the greatest albums ever to come out of New Zealand. So stunningly brilliant that I'm completely ignoring the fact it came out last year in order to make it one of my albums of the year for 2008 too."
	The Bats - The Guilty Office John says: "Twenty-six years after they were formed, to make music as fresh and joyful as this is almost miraculous. Everything I want music to be. And Kaye Woodward is one of the two sexiest women in music."

Samantha Hayes Nightline Presenter says...

Luke Buda - Vesuvius was one of her top 5 for 2008

Now we say thats reeealy lovely of them

If you live in New Zealand you might have heard it already...! But either way you can vote for the Bats album "The Guilty Office" in the USA's Magnet Magazine poll asking "What album are you most looking forward to in the second half of June?" poll

Go on - give The Bats a vote...

For their seventh studio album – The Guilty Office – The Bats continue to refine and develop their own idiosyncratic path, whilst also adding fresh sparkle and new ideas. The strings and additional instruments come to the fore, such as on the first single Castle Lights, and Robert Scott’s songwriting has become particularly strong on tracks such as Countersign and Crimson Enemy. It could have been pentagonal room they recorded in at John Kelcher’s studio, or the proximity to the Heathcote river, but either way, the band have come up with an album that shines among their best.

And The Bats are heading out on tour for the following dates:
11th December - Al’s Bar – Christchurch – with Pine
12th December - Cassette (New venue on Vulcan Lane) – Auckland – with Pine
13th December – at The Adelaide – Wellington

Check out the latest single Castle Lights at the Arch Hill Myspace

THE BATS PHOTOS AT SUGARLOAF SHAKEDOWN - On the 22nd of May 2011 a gig to raise funds for Christchurch musicians effected by the Christchurch earthquake was held at the Kings Arms in Auckland New Zealand. Bands that played included The Bats, Street Chant, Lawrence Arabia, Dictaphone Blues, Princess Chelsea and the Drab Do Riffs. Here are a few photos of The Bats from the day