Broadcast :: Spell Blanket / Distant Call: (2000-2009)
Like most bands that end due to unforeseen circumstances, tragedies, and the tonal timeline that sways like the poetic pendulum of death, the Birmingham, England-based psychedelic pop and highly influential indie outfit Broadcast fall into this captivating category, but not without a fearless fight. Since the release of the group’s last official studio album, “Tender Buttons,” back in 2005, and the devastating passing of lead vocalist and one-half of the band, Trish Keenan, exactly fourteen months ago, their magical material has become even more sought after, with the fundamental floodgates opening only to reveal the rare archives of their most treasured teachings. With their lyrical legacy and museum of melodies protected by longtime label Warp Records, which was founded in Sheffield before being permanently relocated to London, the group’s sacred archival material was officially released after lying dormant for several years back in 2024, and has since exposed a liberating light on Keenan and Cargill’s brilliance. “Spell Blanket” (2006-2009) and “Distant Call” (2000-20006) are marvelous in their material efforts to cast sonic shadows across the lyrical lands of their rich, sophisticated craftsmanship. While “Spell Blanket” consists of songs drawn from Keenan’s atmospheric archive of 4-track tapes and MiniDiscs, the captivating content captures the electrifying essence of the post-Tender Buttons era by showcasing the gravitational groundwork for what would have been the band’s fifth album.
A spiraling storm of sensual spells cast into the awkwardness of space, Broadcast appears in the melodic mist like a psychedelic phenomenon before disappearing back into the volumeless void. While “Distant Call” serves as the group’s very last entry of blissful sound, its delightful demos convey the epic energy and sublime frequencies that define their melodic makeup. Consisting of material that nearly spans the entirety of their discography from “Haha Sound” (2003) to “Tender Buttons” (2005) and “The Future Crayon” (2006), this critical collection of emotional entries and gorgeous gestures into the afterlife tells the tale of a complicated world filled with hope, lust, love, and the never-ending desire for human connection. The album also includes two special tracks later discovered by Cargill after Keenan’s untimely passing: “Come Back To Me” and “Please Call To Book,” and have since found their way back to the ears and hearts of fans worldwide.
