It’s been around 9 years since John Hassall & The April Rainers released their debut album ‘Wheels To Idyll’, but now they return with new music in 2026.
The eponymous new album, is releasing on Friday 17th July via Crystal Lawn Records, and new single ‘Miracles’ is available to stream now.
Just as the UK has been surged with a sudden heatwave, ‘Miracles’ brings its sun-infused guitar and Lennon-esque warmth at the right moment.
The April Rainers all live in Aarhus, Denmark, and are made up of: John Hassall (Lead Vocals and Rhythm Guitar), Jakob Bruno (Backing Vocals and Drums), Erlend Eggestad (Backing Vocals and Bass) and James Jefferys (Backing Vocals and Lead Guitar).
Hassall’s basslines in The Libertines have always been full of rhythmic melody, and his abilities to embellish this into his own creation radiates through.
It’s hard to fight for your own space in a band, when your guitarists and frontmen are Peter Doherty and Carl Barat, but this new project with the April Rainers is the perfect opportunity for Hassall to showcase more of his talents to the world.
‘Miracles’ feels like finding an old postcard in the pocket of your denim jacket. It’s intimate but strangely timeless. Blending 60s psyche-infused British pop harmonies with the scrappy romantic lyricism you’d expect from The Libertines.
It wouldn’t feel out of place soundtracking a forgotten scene in ‘Wonderwall’ with its wistful, drifting psychedelic melancholy.
The album will be available on digital download and limited edition vinyl. Lead single Miracles is available May 29th when you preorder the album from: https://linktr.ee/theaprilrainers
Talking of ‘Miracles’, Hassall said “it’s a London based love story, but it’s also about finding the wonder and poetry in everyday life. Having dreams and chasing them gives you hope.”
The video for ‘Miracles’ was directed by Gary Lashmar and features an actor and actress loosely based on John and his Danish wife Line.
The new album was largely recorded at John’s home studio in Aarhus, Denmark where he has been living since 2009. And was produced by the band, with string player Clementine Brown having a big influence on the sound.
Most of the songs were cowritten by John and longtime poet collaborator Steev Burgess exploring memories of school days, journeys and adventures, fading dreams, ancient empires and even somebody’s trinket collection. Burgess who has known Hassall for many years, wrote the lyrics to lead single ‘Miracles’, a sort of Ballad of John and Line. Libertines band mate Peter Doherty is also involved with a co-writing credit on ‘Doing Time’.
Talking of the album, Hassall said “These 10 songs are the ones that survived, grew and took on a life of their own. There’s no way of telling if a song will make it until the end.
“That Pale Lantern in my opinion, started off as a rank outsider and then turned into one of the strongest songs on the album. Lessons were learnt from Wheels to Idyll and a new musical development runs through it. Whereas the last album was recorded pretty much live. The new album maintains similar classic songwriting and pop sensibilities, though with more complex arrangements and production.”
John Hassall and The April Rainers will be announcing UK shows shortly, in the meantime JOHN HASSALL will be appearing with The Libertines at summer festivals across Europe and the UK.
The full track listing is as follows:
1. Miracles
2. Doing Time
3. A 45 to 1967
4. That Pale Lantern
5. Silver Crucifixion
6. Last Lover of the Summer
7. A Land I’ll Never Know
8. Shaded Roman Eyes
9. Winter Term
10. Leaf-lined Song
Written by Brad Halcrow for The Songbird HQ
Photos by Marine Gastineau