New Jersey alternative rock outfit Deardarkhead is set to release ‘The Pendulum Swings’, their first album in 25 years and the second full-length record released via their own imprint Fertile Crescent Records. These ten tracks capture an ever-evolving band, refining their voice through texture, atmosphere, and emotional momentum.
Recorded at Miner Street Recordings in Philadelphia, this album was produced, engineered and mixed by Brian McTear and Amy Morrissey (The War on Drugs, Kurt Vile, Sharon Van Etten) and mastered by Grammy-nominated engineer Joe Lambert (Animal Collective, Blonde Redhead, Beach House, M83, Wild Nothing).
Formed in 1988 in Atlantic City, NJ, Deardarkhead is made up of guitarist Kevin Harrington, drummer Robert Weiss and bassist James Malizia, who recently replaced Brandon Howard following the recording of this album. Deardarkhead has built a distinctive identity since the departure of vocalist Michael Amper in 2009, shifting fully into melodic texture-rich instrumental composition.
The record moves through shifting moods ranging from soaring, psychedelic-tinged guitar anthems to driving post-punk rhythms and more ambient, abstract passages. The result is a dynamic and cohesive work that highlights the band’s signature blend of shimmering guitars, pulsing bass, and powerful percussion. The band pushes the envelope with their instrumental approach, using drum loops, unusual time signatures, ebow, bass VI, and expanded guitar layering.
“‘The Pendulum Swings’ is a collection of both older and newer material that we are very proud of. Each song has its own distinct vibe, but they collectively make up the DDH sound. This was the second time we recorded at Miner Street Recordings and we focused on trying new things with drum loops, different time signatures, backing keyboard tracks, using an ebow and bass VI, plus more guitar tracks than ever,” says Robert Weiss.
“The album’s final and title track ‘The Pendulum Swings’ is one of our newer songs, but emotionally and thematically, it perfectly summed up everything the band has been through over the years and it felt like a statement.”
Deardarkhead earlier shared the lead track ‘Letting Go’, a collaboration with keyboardist Joe McGinty, known for his work with The Psychedelic Furs, Nada Surf, Ryan Adams and Deborah Harry, who added additional layers of atmosphere and texture. A song about growth and change, it espouses releasing old patterns and embracing new directions.
‘In Another Life’ followed, built around soaring guitar leads and melodic bass hooks. Balancing tension between crystalline guitar arpeggios, fuzzed out tremolo, and melodic baselines, here the band concocts an introspective atmosphere about what could have been. For this track, drummer Robert Weiss was also particularly inspired by sitar music for the rhythmic droning lead sections.
Taking their name from the 1867 Irish poem “Cean Dubh Dilis” by Samuel Ferguson — a work about a beautiful dark-haired girl, Deardarkhead’s identity is rooted as much in mood as in melody. Their music blends atmospheric dreampop, shoegaze shimmer and ethereal rock, unfolding as an original, guitar-driven psychedelic tightrope walk balancing moody textures and shimmering melodies.
Over nearly four decades, Deardarkhead have had many notable milestones, including shows with Supergrass, The Psychedelic Furs, Everclear, Nothing and The Lilys. They released five recordings via Fertile Crescent Records, debuting with the 1998 album ‘Unlock the Valves of Feeling’, they also featured on numerous US and Japanese compilations. In 2011, Captured Tracks released ‘Oceanside: 1991-1993’, a retrospective of their early material (and second release in their Shoegaze Archives series). They joined Saint Marie Records to release their acclaimed ‘Strange Weather’ EP in 2016.
As of July 10, ‘The Pendulum Swings’ is available from music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. It is now available for pre-order on CD, digitally, and on 180-gram vinyl. On July 16, Deardarkhead performs at the Anchor Rock Club in Atlantic City, NJ for their record release show, supported by Bitter Bitter Weeks, The Falling Out and DJ Bob Portella.
TRACK LIST
01 Flamethrower
02 Coming Undone
03 Tomorrowland
04 Tears
05 Sad Songs (and Better Days)
06 Letting Go
07 A Thanksgiving
08 Black Pearls
09 In Another Life
10 The Pendulum Swings
CREDITS
Written by Robert Weiss & Kevin Harrington
Kevin Harrington – guitars (all tracks) and bass VI, ebow & bass (track 10)
Robert Weiss – drums & percussion
Brandon Howard – bass (tracks 1-9)
Joe McGinty – keyboards (track 6)
Recorded at Miner Street Recordings, Philadelphia, PA
Produced, engineered & mixed by Brian McTear & Amy Morrissey
Mastered by Joe Lambert
Cover photography & design by Robert Weiss
Video directed and edited by William Murray
Band photos by Mike Maney & Rob Weiss
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR