Skyscraper Stan Begins Album Tour And Releases New Single

Aotearoa/New Zealand-born and Australia-based Skyscraper Stan and his longtime touring band and collaborators, the Commission Flats, have generated a body of work that has attracted a loyal, and more recently, global fanbase drawn to Stan’s easy lyrical style, inventive arrangements, and deft genre twists and turns— from folk and country to indie rock and consummate soul— all key elements across the diverse new album.

'Anjali' is the latest single from Stan's new album Those Were Days. The reggae-infused and soulful slow groove is a devotional swoon of a song in which Stan pays tribute to his recently betrothed soulmate. "I'm not a spiritual person, but my wife is. Her belief in the ephemeral and the mystical is contagious and exciting. Sometimes I wonder if I'm missing out on something. She is my spirit guide. This song is for and about her."

Those Were Days has had an incredible response since its release. Debuting at #1 on the ARIA Australian Country Album chart, #20 on the ARIA Australian Album chart and #14 on the Aotearoa Music Album chart. Stan has had widespread support across Australian community radio, and received wonderful reviews from Italy, New Zealand, and in Australia's Rhythms magazine. The album was also included in a Best Australian Music of the Week feature in Rolling Stone. 

Written through the pandemic, and between the cities of Ballarat and Naarm (Melbourne), Stan found himself reminiscing a lot about places, people, and the state of the world as he put pen to paper. The song 'Those Were Days', that gives the album its name, is a lament for the lost hedonism of one's early 20s living in share houses in Fitzroy and Collingwood, and as such, it ties in perfectly with the general nostalgic feel of much of the album.

Across the album's singles, Stan displays both the world-class quality and versatility of his songwriting. On the alt-country meets indie rock first single 'Let Me Be Frank With You' he discusses the phenomenon of working-class people voting for conservative politicians, through the metaphor of small-town gossip.

'Strange Things Happen' and its brilliant zombified video clip is a hooky heart-ache song, with a bouncing feel somewhere between soul and 60s rock, while on 'Down The M8' Stan details the lengths that he and his partner are willing to travel for love, over a soundtrack of rollicking electric guitar and a fascinating blend of impassioned soul and rolling country rock.

Most recently, on 'Talk To Me' Stan digs deep into what one might imagine as a kind of Antipodean Stax/Motown revue. On the infectious track, complete with a funky organ groove and saxophone solo, Stan delivers a stellar vocal performance as he sings about conversations in the age of conspiracy.

A true group effort, the album has been a collaborative labour of love between Stan and the Commission Flats. "We did the whole thing in-house. We arranged the songs together, we produced it ourselves and our drummer Andy mixed it," says Stan. "It has been a long process, but certainly the most enjoyable music making experience of my career so far."

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia.

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