The Maccabees reissue two classic albums on vinyl ahead of reunion
The Maccabees have announced they are celebrating their reunion by re-releasing two of their albums, 2007’s Colour It In and 2012’s Given to the Wild.
The band split up in 2017, but announced their return to the industry in 2024. They played their first gig as a group on June 20th, in London’s The Dome on behalf of the charity MS Society.
In an exclusive interview with Far Out, the band’s guitarist, Felix White, discussed their move to reunite. He explained that gradually, there was a “feeling in the air” from promoters because of how much time had passed, which led to “people sending some offers”. He added, “It felt like we were getting closer, but for reasons, not to do with the band on that or that obligation you made as a teenager for the thing, and all the heaviness that comes with that.”
The Maccabees also recently returned to Glastonbury Festival to headline the Park Stage for a triumphant set that included guest star Florence Welch, who joined for a performance of the classic hit, ‘The Dog Days Are Over’. They opened the set with ‘Latchmere’ before moving into hits like ‘X-Ray Vision’, ‘Precious Time’, and ‘Marks To Prove It’. Far Out deemed the show “a seismic moment would arise as the group re-emerged to finish off their performance.”
White commented on their choice to reissue the two albums, stating, “One of the things we are most proud of in the history of our music is how different each Maccabees album is.”
He continued, saying of their debut, “Colour It In was full of songs we had built as teenagers: the sound of a band racing each other to the finish line, all the attention on manic playing together in a room, with almost no effects.”
Their 2012 album was different, but no less special. White added, “Given To The Wild is almost the exact opposite: all about atmosphere, limitless layers and reaching for beauty. It’s the sound of two completely different bands, but somehow, with perspective, both are as ‘Maccabees’ as each other. I love that.”
The Maccabees will headline the All Points East festival in London on August 24th. They will perform alongside Bombay Bicycle Club, CMAT, Dry Cleaning and The Cribs.
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