The Deathray Davies are continuing their return to the indie rock scene with a new album, LAMPSHADE EARTHQUAKE MICROPHONE, due for release on November 6, 2026, through Having Fun / We Are Busy Bodies.
The band has introduced the 13-track record with its first advance single, “Red Lights,” offering an early glimpse of an album that combines psychedelic pop, vintage garage rock and paisley punk with experimental studio techniques.
The project follows 2021’s Time Well Wasted, which marked The Deathray Davies’ comeback after a 15-year hiatus. However, the foundations of the latest record stretch considerably further back, drawing on material originally recorded for a project that began in 2006 but was ultimately shelved.
New Album Revives Recordings Dating Back Two Decades
Rather than simply releasing the archived recordings, The Deathray Davies returned to the sessions and extensively reworked the material. Those recordings eventually developed into the 13 songs featured on LAMPSHADE EARTHQUAKE MICROPHONE.
The result combines the band’s established indie rock sound with new production work, layered instrumentation and musique concrète-inspired elements. The record also features contributions from musicians associated with the Elephant 6 collective.
Recording and production took place across several locations in Texas, including DRM and Valve studios in Dallas and Echo Lab in Denton. Additional work was completed at Dufilho’s home studio, Elephant Cloud, where he was responsible for mixing and mastering the album.
Dufilho and Garner Lead the Recording Sessions
Much of the album was performed by Dufilho and Garner. Dufilho handled guitar and keyboards while Garner played bass, with the pair alternating on drums and sharing vocal duties throughout the record.
Live members Rich Martin, Nick Earl, Andy Lester and Mike Middleton also contributed to the project, expanding the instrumentation developed during the album’s long production history.
Several musicians involved in the original 2006 sessions appear on the finished record. Dufilho’s bandmates from The Apples in Stereo contributed vocals, while the late Bill Doss, co-founder of The Olivia Tremor Control, also provided vocals.
Doss additionally recorded a group of horn players from Athens, Georgia, whose performances can be heard on tracks including “Red Lights.”
Robert Schneider Helped Revisit Archived Sessions
The Apples in Stereo leader Robert Schneider also played a role in bringing the older recordings into their finished form.
Schneider spent approximately a week working alongside Dufilho, reviewing the archived sessions and helping organise ideas that had remained unfinished for roughly two decades.
The approach allowed The Deathray Davies to retain connections to their earlier sound while developing the recordings with contemporary production and newly completed arrangements. Rather than functioning strictly as a comeback record, the album represents a continuation of ideas developed during an earlier period in the band’s history.
“Red Lights” Introduces the 13-Track Album
“Red Lights” serves as the first advance release from the album and reflects its combination of psychedelic pop, garage rock and detailed studio production.
The full track listing begins with “The Ballad of Lousy Robot,” followed by “Go Scare The Ghosts” and “Factory,” with “Red Lights” appearing as the fourth track.
Other songs include “They Stuck Me In A Box Pt. 8,” “They Stuck Me In A Box Pt. 9,” “Cold Hearted Friend,” “Boy Takes Grandpa To Slayer Show,” “Marbles,” “Monkey” and “Helicopters In The Sky.”
The album closes with “They Stuck Me In A Box (Reprise)” and “When Will You Come Home?”
The Deathray Davies Build on Post-Hiatus Return
The arrival of LAMPSHADE EARTHQUAKE MICROPHONE represents another chapter in The Deathray Davies’ activity following their lengthy hiatus.
By combining previously unreleased sessions with newly completed production, performances and collaborations, the band has turned recordings dating back to 2006 into a new studio album.
With “Red Lights” now introducing the project, LAMPSHADE EARTHQUAKE MICROPHONE is scheduled to reach stores on November 6, adding a 13-track collection to the band’s renewed catalogue.
George Orwell is a writer and contributor covering politics, society, culture, and current affairs. His work focuses on providing clear analysis and thoughtful commentary on the issues shaping modern Britain and the wider world, helping readers better understand complex topics.
