Arkells have announced a new album of covers featuring songs by Robyn, Hall & Oates, ABBA, Harry Styles and more.
Disco Loadout Vol. 1 will be released on May 17 offering songs the band "like to play when we need to party like it’s a late show."
The Hamilton, ON band are no strangers to performing covers, having played an ungodly number of them in their time, two of which were released as a 7" single in 2014 called Arkells Sing Motown.
The band issued a statement about the project, which appears to be the first of multiple volumes.
A disco loadout is a term in our industry that describes a very humbling act. Many bands have experienced this, and we certainly have. Sometimes when you’re on tour you might pull up to a venue to find there is a later show happening the same night. The promoter, looking at his spreadsheet, has decided that it makes financial sense to book two separate shows on the same night. Your band is playing the early show, and when you are finished, you must load your gear down the stairs and out the door while a lineup of people waits to get into the venue for the next show. The later show is usually a cover band, performing songs that everyone knows and likes.
We have been humbled by this in the past and instead of living with the embarrassment, we have performed and recorded those songs for you. We’re taking the term back.
Disco Loadout Vol 1. Songs Arkells like to play when we need to party like it’s a late show.
The band posted a YouTube Shorts video teasing each of the songs, which you can watch below.
Fans can pre-order a copy of the CD or vinyl here.