It’s been seven long years but the highly acclaimed Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5 are finally releasing their second album.
As much a collective as a band, its members number more than the expected six. The 10, 11 and sometimes 12-piece outfit’s follow-up album; The Difficult Number 2, will be available in record stores, digitally and on streaming platforms from Friday.
The eagerly awaited album has been a long time in the making and they have added to their collective with familiar names from the music scene.
Party to Make Music to Party to Make Music to Party to Make Music to, Pt. 1 was released in 2014. Since then, up until the pandemic, the band continued to enthral live audiences with their interactive shows.
The new release is out on the Button Up Records label operated by Coatbridge musician Garry John Kane.
Garry John knows a thing or two about recording as he’s been the bass player in The Proclaimers for almost 20 years now.
When he’s not in the studio or touring the world with one of Scotland’s most favourite bands, he is helping others to release their own music.
Garry John, also known as Kano, admits that releasing the second Colonel Mustard album is a bit of a coup for his independent label.
He said: “It’s been seven years since they released their debut album.
“They’ve taken a bit of a gamble as Button Up Records is not a big label, but I’ve been doing the work of 10 people myself to make sure this release is available in as many places as possible. Once it’s released on Friday I’ll be able to sit back at last. It’s been hard work.
“There are six singles on the second album so it’s basically like a greatest hits album.
“There’s a bit of everything on it from house and funk to disco, reggae and rap. And they’ve managed to get people to work on it such as Mary Kiani, Ant Thomaz, and Larry Love from Alabama 3”.
Former singer with The Time Frequency (TTF) Mary Kiani and Ant Thomaz both feature on the track This is your House, with Love guesting on the song Country as Muck.
The album has been produced by Paul Gallagher, who also works with synth-pop pioneers CHVRCHES.
The Colonel Mustard collective features North Lanarkshire man John McAlinden who is from Moodiesburn, and is better known as Colonel John McMustard.
He revealed how the new album has been inspired by nights that band members spent at the legendary Arches in Glasgow. The Glasgow club night Death Disco gets a mention in the lyrics of one song.
The voice of a well-known Scottish television comedy celebrity can also be heard narrating on the track We Are Dinosaur.
Gavin Mitchell, who plays Boaby the Barman in Still Game is a firm friend of the band.
To celebrate the album launch they will play a gig at the Barras this Saturday, which will be streamed online.
Tickets priced £14 are available from: dice.fm/partner/antidote-booking/event/lv8pw
John McMustard said: “Thankfully the Barrowland has a big stage, so 10 of us can get on it and still socially distance.”
The Difficult Number 2 is available from Friday on vinyl, CD and digitally from stores including HMV and independent record shops.
