Spitting Image

Spitting Image is the third and final studio album by Irish rock band The Strypes, released on 16 June 2017. The folIow-up to the band's lukewarmly received second album, 2015's Little Victories, Spitting Image was recorded In Rockfield Studios in Wales and produced by Ethan Johns throughout November 2016. The album was released on the Virgin EMI label. It was proceeded by the Spitting Image Demos E.P and the Almost True E.P (both 2017). The band embarked on a world tour in support of the album. Despite this, the album became the band's least successful, failing to reach the top 3 of the Irish charts and failing to chart at all in the U.K, France or the Netherlands. Seven months following the conclusion of the tour on 14 November 2018, the band announced their break-up on Instagram, making Spitting Image their last album as an active band. Background and production The band began writing the follow-up to their 2015 sophomore album Little Victories at the beginning of 2016. The band had recently finished their tour in support of Little Victories and were spending time at home. While off the road, the band members wrote music which they planned to turn to songs for their then unannounced third album. During the summer, the band went to the U.K, where they recorded acoustic demos of some of the songs. While in the studio, the band met producer Ethan Johns whom they were big fans of. The band toured some small venues around Ireland in order to road test material for the album before they began the main recording sessions. These concerts were documented on the "Never Mind the Mocks" youtube series. The band reunited with Johns to produce the album and recorded it throughout November 2016 in Rockfield studios, Wales. It was the first time the band recorded an album in one go, rather than having to record in different studios or in sporadic sessions due to their touring commitments. The band cited Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and Squeeze as heavy influences on the album. Drummer Evan Walsh cited the New York Dolls and Johnny Thunder as influences for "Garden of Eden". Guitarist Josh McClorey cited Nirvana as an influence on "Heavenly Soul" from the subsequent Almost True e.p