On 4 April 2025 the Nightingales release a new album “The Awful Truth” on Fire Records and will embark on a UK tour shortly afterwards.
Fire were responsible for the deluxe reissues of the band’s earlier records plus the “King Rocker” movie (see below) and so have had a relationship with the ‘Gales that goes back quite a few years. “The Awful Truth” though is the first all new album for Fire since the group signed to the label in 2024.
Recorded in a remote spot in the old DDR, the album contains 13 songs produced by the band’s bassist Andreas Schmid and comes packaged in a beautiful sleeve featuring a painting by Tomasso Salini. The initial LP will be available pressed on red vinyl.
It is the Nightingales’ first release since September 2023’s “Live In Balsall Heath”, an individually numbered limited edition double LP issued by Tiny Global Productions.
“Live In Balsall Heath”, as the name would suggest, is the live show that the ‘Gales played in Birmingham, augmented by three guest musicians – sax god Terry Edwards and Brummie superstars the Nightingals. It is an unadulterated 68 minute document of the seven piece Nightingales from one of the four gigs the line up performed.
Following that album’s release the group were pleased to undertake their first post pandemic tour of mainland Europe, featuring visits to Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Czechia. This Euro jaunt was followed in December by a long weekend of shows in Ireland.
The Nightingales were less busy than usual in 2024 but did play the Rockaway Beach and Green Man festivals in addition to their own headline ‘Off The Beaten Track’ tour in May, featuring gigs in some smaller, less visited towns.