Beloved Melbourne indie rock band Love Outside Andromeda have reformed, releasing their first new album in 18 years.
Love Outside Andromeda released their new album, Stella Interrupted, on Bandcamp last week and will support another recently reunited band later this month: 78 Saab. The band is now a trio, with Sianna Lee on lead vocals and guitar, Jamie Slocombe on guitar, and Jesse Lee on bass.
Stella Interrupted follows their 2006 album, Longing Was A Safe Place To Hide, and their 2004 self-titled album. Between the full lengths, Love Outside Andromeda released three EPs: Umabel (2001), Something White And Sigmund (2003), and 2019’s Acoustic Demos 2003-2005.
In a statement posted to the band’s website, Sianna Lee revealed that in 2019, one of the band’s longtime supporters, Craig Kamber, convinced them to reform. Comprising the original line-up, which included Joe Hammond on drums and Tim Harvey on guitar, she wrote that it was “obvious” the band couldn’t operate and came to a stop once again.
“I recorded a selection of songs and started working with producer and mixer Mikey Young,” Lee wrote about what would become the band’s eventual reunion this year. “Jamie, who had also been working on and releasing his own solo work for a few years, started to contribute opinions, ideas and expertise. Then, so did Jesse.
“We started writing together again, and the album started to take shape, but most importantly, excitement returned. I really love playing with them both and am grateful we’ve had the chance to make this recording.”
Lee continued, “After living in different states for years, they both moved back ‘home’ to the Mornington Peninsula and a playful, creative rapport returned with them.”
Stella Interrupted was created and engineered by the trio over the last four years, mostly in the room adjoining Lee’s kitchen. They recorded some parts in the Grampians, others in North Melbourne, and more “around the corner” in good friend Luke Buckley’s garage.
The album also features “synth-related exploration” that happened during Covid-19 and stars some of the band’s friends, including “Sarah Heyward, Misty Jenkins, Philip Brophy, Luke Buckley and my Dad!”
The band concluded their post, “We hope you like Stella Interrupted when it comes out April 6th… It has appeared some 18 years after Longing…but better late than never.”
Stella Interrupted has been released digitally on Bandcamp, and the band is also offering the opportunity to purchase their complete digital discography.
