Band Of Skulls

English rock outfit Band of Skulls gained traction during the opening years of the 2010s by forging atmospheric indie rock that blended bluesy textures with gritty edges, recalling the approach of fellow acts the Kills, Duke Spirit, and the Black Keys. Their 2009 debut drew initial notice, yet Sweet Sour (2012) and Himalayan (2014) secured broader global audiences and paved the way for a major-label deal that yielded By Default in 2016.

Russell Marsden on guitar and vocals, Emma Richardson on bass and vocals, and Matt Hayward on drums first assembled while studying in Southampton; operating at the time under the name Fleeing New York, the trio cut a demo in 2008 that generated sufficient interest for the full-length Baby Darling Doll Face Honey to appear the following year, after which they embarked on an international tour. To shape their sophomore effort they relocated to Rockfield Studios in Wales and enlisted producer Ian Davenport, known for work with Supergrass and Badly Drawn Boy; Sweet Sour emerged from those sessions in February 2012, featuring the crunchy single “The Devil Takes Care of His Own,” which had already registered as a modest Canadian hit in 2011. Material from the subsequent album, helmed by Nick Launay, surfaced first with the riff-driven single “Asleep at the Wheel” in January 2014, followed by the complete Himalayan long-player that spring.

Following their move to BMG, the group unveiled the intense single “So Good” ahead of By Default, their fourth studio album, which arrived in May 2016. Hayward’s departure in early 2017 left Marsden and Richardson to proceed as a duo supported by session drummers; the pair later entered the studio with producer Richard X, whose credits include Goldfrapp and Pet Shop Boys, to complete Love Is All You Love in 2019.