New music from Balaban and the Bald Illeagles

Hailing from Stourbridge in the UK, Balaban and the Bald Illeagles was first formed back in 2016 by Roscoe Balaban in the aftermath of the break-up of cult Birmingham outfit Miss Halliwell. The project began with a simple aim to create a space for his own songwriting and bring to life his musical vision exactly as he sees it. Bringing in longtime friend Ian “The Onion” Whittaker on bass, despite him not being a musician at the time, alongside drummer Jon “Cosy” Compton, the band came together quickly and began developing their own sound.

In 2017, they entered Magic Garden studio with producer Gavin Monaghan to lay down their self-titled EP, resulting in a rough and raw snapshot of a band still figuring itself out in real time with tracks like “Dronehead” and “Lucid Dream” outlasting that formative period and remain part of their live identity. By the next year, the band had begun to stretch out, spending more time in the studio shaping what would become their 2019 debut album Going Clear. Recorded at Stourbridge Studios with Christopher Wilson, the record took cues from late 70s post punk, 80s alternative rock and 90s grunge to deliver an emphatic statement of artistic intent.

The following year brought lockdown and with it, a kind of slow disintegration that stifled their building momentum. The band never fully returned to the rhythm they had built, playing only sporadic shows in flashes of what had been, including a hometown performance supporting Blue Orchids at Claptrap Venue, but by late 2022, Balaban and the Bald Illeagles slipped into an indefinite hiatus.

However, in late 2024, Roscoe formed a new project, Remaindermen, alongside Ken Sutera Jr, Sid River and the returning Onion on bass. That separate venture quickly blurred into something else and after a single open mic performance featuring new material, the conversation shifted to returning to what had been left unfinished. By early 2025, Balaban and the Bald Illeagles were back, reformed with a new lineup now consisting of Roscoe Balaban on vocals and guitar, Ian Whittaker on bass, Ken Sutera Jr on lead guitar and backing vocals,and Sid River on drums and backing vocals.

Now with their long awaited sophomore record titled Post Truth Apocalypse Blues set to drop later this year, Balaban and the Bald Illeagles mark their highly anticipated return with the lead single and title-track, “P.T.A.B.” Recorded once again at Stourbridge Studios with Christopher Wilson, the track signals a shift not just in sound, but in artistic focus, offering a track that’s direct, heavy and charged with a sense of frustration that reflects the world it’s responding to.

Thematically, the track takes aim at a landscape shaped by capitalism, misinformation and the erosion of individuality, speaking to a broader disquiet, a feeling that power has drifted into the hands of those more concerned with profit than consequence. The delivery matches that powerful context, landing as a gripping alternative rock outing packed full of driving rhythm, gritty instrumentation and belted vocal intensity.

Brought in by the twang of crunchy guitar chords, the track jumps with the punch of pattering drums to form an energising rhythm as Roscoe’s moody vocal leads enter. Spinning brooding melodies carrying profound lyricism via theatrical delivery, his voice soars above the murky arrangement to present an anthemic rock experience that’s sonically riveting and conceptually impactful. Marking their welcome return to the music sphere in spectacular fashion, Balaban and the Bald Illeagles are sure to win over countless new fans across the UK and beyond as they approach their exciting new album release.

Watch the music video for P. T. A. B. below

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