The Illness are a Liverpool-York (and beyond) based alt rock collective that traverse genres, as guided by the revolving door of collaborators that augment the core line-up from song to song. Their full-length debut, 'Macrodosed', is an eclectic but defiantly melodic collection of addictive hooks that pulls from all corners of popular alternative music. The album will be preceded by a single and video release for the album's song Speedway Star on January 6th, featuring the distinctive sound of David Pajo (Slint/Tortoise/Papa M etc) on lead vocals (Pajo can also be heard lending his unique guitar stylings later on the record). 'Macrodosed' never rests on its laurels, as it shifts between modes and demands the listener's attention, but is warm and inviting from start to finish. Synthpop banger Glitter Witches feints deftly to give the impression of being an early outlier in the running order, but by the track's peak, everything makes perfect sense. Boldly calling at many stylistic stops along the way - hear the ominous vocoder-Morricone menace of Entropolis segue to the lush '60s Brian Wilson/Jimmy Webb-isms of Ghost of Haxby, for example - the album culminates with the instrumental Macrodoser (as hinted at throughout the record), in which it's easy to imagine Brian Eno and NEU! getting together to produce an Allman Brothers workout. A 'Free Bird' for introverts if you will. Following two well-received previous EPs that saw the band working with Steve West & Bob Nastanovich (Silver Jews/Pavement) and Liverpool based multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Laura J Martin, 'Macrodosed' shows the developing arc of The Illness' range of inspiration. A colourful introduction to a band with a dizzying scale of ambition tempered by an intimacy that can only come from the joyous embrace of collaboration. A band in sync with itself and its sense of kaleidoscopic purpose.
