BLEAK SQUAD - Black & White

Following the release of 'Strange Love'; an album and (super-natural) group that seemingly
appeared out of nowhere this year, Bleak Squad (Adalita / Mick Turner / Mick Harvey / Marty
Brown) have announced their swift follow up, in form of a two track 7" - released by Poison
City in line with their upcoming Feb-Mar Aus tour.
"Sometimes in life you have to make tough choices. And so it was with these two tracks
'Black & White' and 'Suitcase In Berlin'. Recorded during the sessions for 'Strange Love' they
were both just as equally loved as the other tracks - but there's only so many minutes of music
one can fit on a record and album track orders are mysterious beasts, and one popped out
that sadly hadn't included these two songs.
'Suitcase in Berlin' is Bleak Squads version of an old Marlene Dietrich song: 'Ich Hab' Noch Einen
Koffer in Berlin'. Translated and arranged by Mick Harvey and actually the second version of it
that Mick has recorded.
'Black and White' has origins from an instrumental created by Mick Turner, with lyrics by Adalita,
and demonstrates the potency of Bleak Squad being able to craft something that is so loose
and shambolic but nuanced, that ends up sounding like it was always meant to be.
Both have since become firm live favourites, so we are thrilled we have found a home
for them as a 7-inch addendum to our debut album Strange Love" - Bleak Squad
It seems like Melbourne super-natural-group Bleak Squad are here to stay. The new Melbourne
four-piece comprised of true Australian art-rock royalty: Adalita (Magic Dirt), Mick Harvey (Nick
Cave & The Bad Seeds, PJ Harvey, The Birthday Party), Mick Turner (Dirty Three, Mess Esque) &
Marty Brown (Art of Fighting) - have just announced a new run of shows in Feb/March 2026.
Adding to their already announced festival appearances at Perth International Festival, Golden
Plains and Riverboats, will be their first headline shows in Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra, as well
as regional centres the Blue Mountains, Ballarat, Castlemaine, Eumundi and Murwillumbah.
Says Brown: "We looked at our calendars for next year and there were only a few weeks we were
all in the country and available, so we've jam-packed as many shows into them as we could
because god knows when the next opportunity to play live together will happen again"
Their debut album Strange Love has been a roaring, out-of-left-field success in 2025. Topping the
AIR Chart, making a top 40 ARIA Chart debut, RRR and 3PBS Albums of the Week, and being
shortlisted for The Australian Music Prize (to be announced on Thursday). Plus their first live shows
that have left audiences mesmerised, including two shows at the Melbourne Recital Centre and
a show in Sydney's City Recital Hall with Ed Kuepper and Jim White.

Vinyl release of Bleak Squad - Black & White. Released through Poison City and available on 7in.