Holiday Ghosts

Holiday Ghosts take inspiration from vintage garage rock, surf, and bands like Violent Femmes. Their clattering, playful indie tunes surfaced in 2017 with the group’s self-titled debut, which also drew on early punk influences. Still loose and rooted in the ’60s, they established a sweeter, cleaner sound on West Bay Playroom in 2019. North Street Air followed in 2021. The band continued to balance tuneful indie pop and more urgent, clattery influences while increasingly embracing sociopolitical subject matter on releases like 2021′s North Street Air, 2023′s Absolute Reality, and 2024′s Coat of Arms. The latter two albums found them reaping the benefits of a consistent, collaborative lineup. Originally a solo project by multi-instrumentalist Sam Stacpoole, then a duo with singer/drummer Kat Rackin (the Black Tambourines), Holiday Ghosts expanded into a full band over the course of five years, recording an eponymous debut with additional members Ben Woods (bass/vocals) and Charlie Murphy (guitar/vocals). Stacpoole, Rackin, and Murphy all contributed songwriting to the album. Recorded in the group’s base of Falmouth, England, Holiday Ghosts was issued by PNKSLM Recordings in September 2017. With the retooled lineup of Stacpoole, Rackin, guitarist Charlie Fairbairnon, and bassist Ryan Cleave, they followed up with the more tuneful West Bay Playroom in February 2019. Third album North Street Air featured the lineup of Stacpoole, Rackin, and Murphy. Released in 2021 on FatCat Records, it was partly inspired by a relocation to Brighton. Holiday Ghosts tweaked their lineup again for July 2002′s Credit Note EP, which featured the core duo along with B. Spanks as second guitarist and Morgan Lloyd-Mathews on bass. Its sociopolitical commentary continued in the vein of North Street Air, as did their next full-length, April 2023′s spirited Absolute Reality. The relative success of the latter album led to their biggest U.K. headlining tour yet, and they made their first trip to the U.S. for March 2024′s New Colossus and SXSW festivals. The band’s fifth album, Coat of Arms, arrived on FatCat later the same month. ~ Marcy Donelson