EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL RELEASES FUSE, THEIR FIRST IN 22 YEARS

Arguably one of the most iconic duos in popular music, singer/songwriter Tracey Thorn and guitarist/keyboardist/producer and singer Benn Watt surprised longtime fans towards the end of last year when they announced on Twitter that a new album had been recorded and proceeded to revive their dormant social media accounts on facebook.com and Instagram. Back then, it seemed to be quite a long wait for the announced release date of spring of 2023, and with every post, the fans made it felt that they could no longer contain the excitement. 

Good thing that the duo – hailing from Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England – threw everyone a bone with the January 2023 release of the single “Nothing Left To Lose,” a pulsating, electronica-laden track that was well-received by their legion of loyal fans worldwide. Paired with an impressive and well-produced music video (which currently has surpassed the one and a half million views mark…), it could only be described as the best start to EBTG’s continuing journey in music. 

You can watch it here: 

By March 15th, a second single “Run A Red Light” was unveiled to the public – and the music was moodier, almost ballad-y but still with the characteristic layers of sonic textures only they could have crafted together. Also accompanying the track was a highly stylized video, this time directed by Charlie Di Placido. Both the track and video again, garnered highly positive reviews, with some fans claiming that it was if “Everything But The Girl never left…”

View here: 

And now, the wait is finally over as the ten-track full-length can be heard in its entirety on all digital music platforms.

During a rare press interview with journalists from Southeast Asia and beyond, both Thorn and Watt gamely answered questions and graciously received compliments from various media personalities. When asked what they had been up to the entire time they were inactive, Thorn quipped: “Well how long have you got?!” Watt immediately filled-in: “Well we’ve got three kids and they’re all grown-up now, but we never really stopped working… and there are some people who think we’ve done nothing since Temperamental [1999] but honestly, this is the busiest we’ve ever been.”

Formed in 1982, Everything But The Girl was originally deemed by listeners to have a jazz-pop/sophisti-pop sound, and Thorn’s vocals were lauded to be one of the most distinct on popular radio at the time. The duo would gain further acclaim – especially in the Philippines – with their timeless, well-loved staples like “I Didn’t Know I Was Looking For Love,” “You Lift Me Up,” “Understanding” and “Old Friends.” By 1994, the duo had reinvented themselves as one of the most highly regarded electronica acts with the success of their 1994 single “Missing.”

And it looks like decades later, they’re both ready to reclaim the throne. 

“It’s always about trying to keep moving forward, keeping things fresh,” Watt revealed when asked about the future of Everything But The Girl, as he also gave a special shoutout: “We are really aware that we’ve had a fan base in that part of the world stretching back to the 80s, especially in the Philippines, who was one of the first to jump on to the track “Cross My Heart” [from 1986’s Baby, The Stars Shine Bright…] so we’re really amazed that there is so much love coming from that part of the world. PULP

You can listen to the entire album here: