Alan Pownall and Lee Canham have come a long way since they went on tour in 2012 with The Vaccines and DIIV, getting an enthusiastic response everywhere with their spare, moody alternative electronic music. Critics likened their sound to Depeche Mode and after several more months of refining this sound with producer Jas Shaw of Simian Mobile Disco, the duo gained the attention of Mick Shiner, who signed The Streets and Plan B. They released the single Too
Much and The Comeback EP through Mick’s label 37 Adventures. It seemed as though the band were on the brink of global success but the champagne went back in the fridge when Lee and Alan – who now goes by the name Alan Power – took a left turn, touring separately in other bands and working as session players.
‘I went to Berlin and Alan went to Somerset,’ explained Lee. ‘Alan got married to a supermodel and I went on tour with Baxter Dury. Somehow, stuff got in the way.’ Lee added: ‘We tried working remotely but it just didn’t gel.’
None of that washes with Pale’s army of fans, though. ‘We thought they’d disappear, but we’ve been getting emails every day asking where our album is,’ said Lee. ‘So we just had to get together and finish it.’
Alan divides his time between being a stay-at-home dad and writing the band’s haunting lyrics. ‘I think we’ll do an Elvis tribute album next,’ he jokes.
Listen to the tracks at home, on your way to work, chill out over Gold or powering away in the gym to Fearing Faces on a playlist. Whatever you do – hear the music and feel the groove Pale wants you to know.
