The Arthur Brothers
Long-time Queen manager, Jim “Miami” Beach, was once famously quoted as saying “fortune favours the bold”; a line that can be justifiably attributed to London-based collective, The Arthur Brothers. Their debut album Nine, released late last year, epitomises a musical project as nuanced as it is flamboyant, unbound and unburdened by genre.
An artistic alliance centred around brothers Matt and Danny Arthur, the duo are complimented by the presence of producer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist J. C. Wright. With accolades from radio and press globally, as well as two award winning animated videos, it’s clear to see why The Arthur Brothers’ unique ingenuity and imaginative ambition has resonated with the wider music community.
Forthcoming single Watson (Pt.1), out on 27th May 2021, is The Arthur Brothers final single release from their epic debut album. With the album track running over 9 minutes long, the song is their most ambitious and complex musical undertaking. Watson (Pt.1) has been deconstructed as a stand alone single, coming in at just under 4 minutes, and fittingly takes the form of a complete single package release. The full length song itself is a mini modern two part rock-opera about Artificial Intelligence posing questions such as, could man made intelligent machines develop complex emotions and become almost human? If so, what kind of conflict would that cause for both man and machine? The story plays out through the voice of Watson, a vulnerable and confused sentient being unsure of who or what he is and eventually culminates in a menacingly hypnotic riff, thunderous drumbeats and intricate instrumentation combining as the perfect soundtrack for the widescreen, cinematic interplay between Watson, his human creators and a vast array of supporting characters. Emerging from the chaos, the final heartbeat leaves the listener with the ambiguity of Watson’s possible mutation into human form. With echoes of artists such as Queen, Animal Collective and The Flaming Lips, Watson (Pt.1) is the pinnacle of The Arthur Brothers’ creative journey on album Nine: a timeless record brimming with a brooding elegance, sonic majesty and an ethereal magnitude.
The ‘Watson’ single package includes Watson (Pt.1), as well as a music video complimenting the full length 9:24min ‘Watson’ album version, directed by J. C. Wright and Emils Lisovskis. The video aptly incorporates Generative Art using A.I. programming of nature-inspired simulations created by Ivan Isakov, PhD (Creative Technologist, Physicist, Engineer), combined with old public domain film footage. Also included in the single package is the bonus track remix Watson (MFP Reconstruction) by MFP’s Kenny C (Felix, The Party Crashers) and composer Neil Kaczor (Nico Muhly, Bishi, The LSO).
The band will also coincide its first NFT drop with the single release. It will consist of 3 tokens representing 3 unique and exclusive audiovisual pieces made in collaboration with the aforementioned Ivan Isakov, whose Generative Art explores physical, biological and agent-based systems. All 3 pieces will be available for auction on the day of release, 27th May (7PM BST), on Foundation. The band will offset the carbon footprint produced by crypto transactions by contributing towards conservation projects.
Watson (Pt.1) is due for release on 27th May 2021 via ClearLight Records/Declared Goods.
