Constant Smiles, the group led by Ben Jones, have announced new album Moonflowers which will be out November 7 via Felte. It’s their first for the label after a few albums on Sacred Bones and this one was co-produced by Katie Von Schleicher, Chris Liberato and Mike Mackey and features contributions from Cassandra Jenkins, Shahzad Ismaily, Fred Thomas, Jonathan Schenke, P.G. Six, Steven R Smith, and more.
Constant Smiles have made many different sounding records over the years — 2023’s great Kenneth Anger was draped in gothy synths — but this one leans more toward pastoral folk rock as you can hear on the very pretty first single “Time Measured in Moonflowers.” The song features Cassandra Jenkins and was inspired by Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film The Wind Also Rises. “Unlike his other films, this one felt much more direct, beautiful and meditative, but it took me a while to fully understand it,” says Ben. I was fascinated, so I kept coming back to it. The song grew out of that experience, built around the idea of riding inspiration when it comes, like the wind, letting it arrive naturally, take flight, and guide you.”
Watch the video for “Time Measured in Moonflowers” below.
Moonflowers
Introduction (Song for Geoff)
Leave it at Why
Allowed to be
Everything is Personal
Harriman
In Place of Time
When You’re Gone
Run Out on Life
I Know Your Name
Time Measured In Moonflowers