The Van Pelt were only active for four years in the mid-90s, calling it quits at the peak of their success, but interest in the NYC post-hardcore group has only increased since. It's developed into a unique cult appeal that manifested itself most vividly when Charlotte Church reviewed their second LP, Sultans of Sentiment, in a list of her favourite albums for The Quietus. After going on to play in other bands like Jets to Brazil, Enon and The Lapse, The Van Pelt reunited briefly in 2009, and again in 2014 when they released their third album Imaginary Third. Now, they're set to release a live album called Tramonto, which was recorded on the first date of their 2014 European tour – a private gig for friends in a garden in the rural area of Ferrara, Italy. Marking the first time they'd performed the songs in years, Tramonto acts as a retrospective of the band's material as well as documenting a new chapter in their history; those original songs filtered through an older, wiser Van Pelt.Singer and guitarist Chris Leo explains: "Though I loved touring, I have always hated performing. Without going into a long winded diatribe, the long story short is that I have tremendous difficulty reconciling why my audio art must also be something visual - and even if it is a cross contamination of the senses that the world demands, why does the world settle for the visual of another 4 dudes on stage? Hence, my performances have always been subpar, my inter-song banter downright embarrassing, and my awkwardness of knowing how to talk to people after a show regrettable to say the least.These shows were different. Having gone so many years without revisiting them the performance was a performance for me too. I loved re-singing the lyrics a 20 year younger me sweated out. I loved re-tracing the patterns on the guitar and listening to every sound the other guys were making. It was all too heady in these ways for me to get caught up in my previous problem."We're premiering their live version of "Nanzen Kills A Cat" below, which still sound as wholly original now as it did then. As for the band, Tramonto has propelled them into a new period of activity, with more material and touring planned for the future.Listen below.
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Tramonto will be released on the September 23 on gatefold 2 x LP vinyl and digital download, and is available to pre-order now from Gringo Records (UK) and Flying Kids Records (EU/Italy), who will be releasing the record jointly worldwide.