Ultimate Painting’s Jack Cooper announces solo album ‘Sandgrown’

It’s only been a few months since Ultimate Painting released their most recent album ‘Dusk’, but the band’s Jack Cooper has announced his first solo album. ‘Sandgrown’ will be out on 25th August via Trouble in Mind, and is set to examine feelings of nostalgia and identity through Scott Walker-like lyricism and a touch of experimentalism a la John Cale and Robert Wyatt. Speaking of the record, Jack said: “Everyone’s from somewhere. I don’t think it’s particularly important people know this album is about Blackpool, but I think everyone can empathise with the themes on the record”. To coincide with the announcement, Jack’s shared the album’s lead single, ‘North of Anywhere’. He says of the track: “I think one good thing about the EU referendum that happened last year is that everyone seems more engaged with politics in the aftermath. I’m quite open with my opinions and I enjoy discussing things, but my opinions change from week to week and like most people my world view changes when I’m presented with a compelling argument”. He continued: “There’s a huge pressure on people and especially young people to think a certain way, especially online. If you don’t subscribe 100% to a particular ideology, then you’re out the club. I think it can be incredibly intimidating nowadays to voice an opinion… If you’re young, maybe people will say “you don’t know what you’re talking about” or if you’re Northern and you voted to leave the EU, you’re immediately a racist”. Listen to ‘North of Anywhere’ and see Jack’s upcoming UK tour dates below.