The Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale has shared a new song titled ‘Story of Blood’, featuring vocals from Weyes Blood, and has that announced his new album Mercy will arrive early next year. In a statement, Cale said that while working on the album, he’d been listening to Weyes Blood’s 2016 album Front Row Seat to Earth. He was struck by her “puritanical vocals”, and initially wanted her to sing some harmonies on the track.
“Once I understood the versatility in her voice, it was as if I’d written the song with her in mind all along,” he added. “Her range and fearless approach to tonality was an unexpected surprise. There’s even a little passage in there where she’s a dead-ringer for Nico.”
Watch the Video for John Cale and Weyes Blood’s ‘Story of Blood’ Below
Mercy is set to arrive on Friday, 20th January via Domino, and was previewed with lead single ‘Night Crawling’ back in August. The track released alongside an animated video in which Cale wanders the streets of New York with David Bowie. The album will feature numerous collaborators in addition to Weyes Blood. Laurel Halo appears on the album’s opening title track, while Actress, Animal Collective, Fat White Family and Tei Shi all make contributions elsewhere.
Mercy will mark Cale’s first album since 2016’s M:FANS. In that time he composed the score for French film Paul Sanchez est revenu!, released standalone single ‘Lazy Day’ in 2020, and featured on ‘Corner of My Sky’, a track from Kelly Lee Owens‘ 2020 album Inner Song.
Further Reading
Love Letter To A Record: Augie March’s Glenn Richards On John Cale’s ‘Paris 1919’
Weyes Blood On Finally Realising The Album She’s Wanted To Make For Years
