The Nomadic Unveils New Single 'Marie Antoinette' from Upcoming Album

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Helmed by singer-songwriter Rob Gaylard, The Nomadic sweeps in today with a glimmering and oscillating bundle of melancholy and optimism, with Marie Antoinette stylistically nodding to the likes of early Coldplay, Radiohead, Phosphorescent, The War On Drugs, The 1975 and The National, while also fostering The Nomadic's introspective and immersive unique flair. "Marie Antoinette is about being in a relationship with someone where things are so close to working but it's not quite there," explains Gaylard. "You both have work to do on yourselves, you both have hidden trauma, there's a revolution coming for both of you! You just don't know it yet! But over time you will come to see the silver lining in the current (painful!) cloud and realise that you grew from pain, suffering, hardship and crisis. The song is not about anyone in particular, just really inspired by the stage of life I was at and the observations of the world around me and the struggles friends and family were going through!"

After relocating back to Sydney in 2022 following years as a regular fixture on the New York City indie rock scene, Gaylard's original designs for his latest body of sonic work also grew alongside working with some high-profile local talent, with an army of collaborators from around the industry joining Gaylard to grow The Nomadic journey; and, to ultimately bring both Marie Antoinette and its broader album New Horizons to full-bodied life. "I was lucky enough to work with some of the best in the business!" shares Gaylard. "I relocated home to Sydney Australia in 2022 and recorded New Horizons with Dan Frizza in Sydney at Forbes Studios. The Nomadic is the best of Aussie rock talent, with Miles Thomas (Lior, Ronan Keating, Montaigne) on drums, Oliver Thorpe (The Whitlams, Matt Corby, Meg Mac) on guitar, and Brendan Clark (Meg Mac, Montaigne, Jack River) on bass. Dan Frizza as producer lends the kind of magic touch that has seen him enrich the work of the likes of Tones and I, King Princess, and Gurrumul."

Mastered by Greg Calbi of Sterling Sound in New Jersey, New Horizons builds upon the foundations set by The Nomadic's 2022 debut album My Mind is Racing. Detailing themes of loss, change and hope amongst fluctuating moments of indie hues, classic and modern rock, wistful anthems, alt-country and more, New Horizons feels instantly intimate and welcoming, with many of Gaylard's own powerful experiences percolating throughout. "The main themes of the album are feelings of being stuck in life and having the feeling that there is 'something out there better for you', of not wanting to let go of dreams, going through big changes professionally and personally, loss of relationships, and generally life upheavals!" Gaylard reveals. "This personal theme is set against the backdrop of major global changes and events, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, climate change, social and societal changes, and revolutions in the west."

Opening with calm melancholy, New Horizons kicks off with Treading Water, before diving into an alt-country-meets-rock charmer courtesy of All Changed. From here, The Nomadic explore more upbeat rock territory (the Led Zeppelin-inspired First Light), unbridled and driving optimism (Don't Give Up On Your Dreams), and a Bloc-Party-esque propulsive rocker (Hearts And Minds), with the latter also traversing heartache set against a personal backdrop of political instability and crumbling security witnessed by Gaylard during his time spent with the UN in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2011. Shifting into glossy emotives via title track New Horizons, a sublime nine minute opus buoyed by violin and cello, the album's second half oozes into wistful beauty (Luminescent View), evocative storytelling (Erasing Mental Photographs), and a nod to The Boss himself, aka Bruce Springsteen, via The Absolution; also another track heavily influenced by Gaylard's time in Afghanistan, and in particular the mental health issues caused by America's troop surge in 2009. And returning again to some alt-country flavours with Blood Red Sky, recalling the devastating Australian bushfires in early 2020, New Horizons ultimately closes out with a rousing call to arms (Revolution), the gentle yet equally powerful stylings of Find A Way, and, ultimately, its closing track, and also The Nomadic's brand new single out today: Marie Antoinette.

Imbued with a passion for music and songwriting from a young age, Rob Gaylard's road to forming The Nomadic stemmed from his own nomadic lifestyle, living in five different countries in the first 10 years of his life, including Australia, Burma, Singapore, the Soloman Islands and the UK. This nomadic theme continued into Gaylard's adulthood, with the talented creative living and working with the United Nations, national governments and NGOs in Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, and Israel/Palestine. Also a massive sports fan alongside his musical pursuits, Gaylard's adventures under The Nomadic moniker entices listeners to enter a world of boundless melodies and wanderlust-inspired styles, first witnessed in 2022 with The Nomadic's debut album My Mind is Racing, and set to flourish further this December with the release of New Horizons. Commencing The Nomadic project in 2014 off the back of immersing himself in the vibrant energy during a stint in New York City, Gaylard ultimately returned to his Australian roots in 2022, teaming up with producer Dan Frizza to begin work in earnest on New Horizons in 2023; and the rest is set to be history.

"It's incredibly exciting to be releasing Marie Antoinette today!" shares Gaylard. "It feels like the culmination of a long journey, from the initial conception of the songs to the development and creation of the final product in the studio, mixing and mastering! Combine that with the emotional experience of going through some rough times and coming out the other side to see some New Horizons – overall It's been a bit of a marathon!"

The Nomadic's full-length album New Horizons is due out Saturday December 14.

THE NOMADIC – MARIE ANTOINETTE – Official single artwork

THE NOMADIC – NEW HORIZONS – Official album artwork

Female.com.au Q&A

How would you describe your music?

The Nomadic is indie/ alternative rock, with elements of Americana!

Can you tell us about Marie Antoinette, what was the inspiration?

Marie Antoinette touches on the idea of being in a relationship with someone where things are so close to working but it's not quite there. You both have work to do on yourselves, there's an evolution/ revolution coming for both of you! But over time you will come to see the silver lining in the current cloud and realise that you grew from pain, suffering, hardship and crisis.

What are your musical influences?

Theres a definitely Britpop influence- Oasis, Coldplay, Radiohead, The Verve etc. In recent years- The War on Drugs, The national, The Paper Kites, Night Traveler, Phosphorescent are definite influences!

Do you prefer performing live or recording?

They both have their positives! It is so much fun creating and executing a recording! And there is so much energy and connection playing live of course!

What should we expect from your upcoming tour?

A dynamic and fun musical experience!

What is the story behind the band name?

It really reflects my life experience- living in 5 different countries before the age of 10- and then working with the UN all around the world!

How did the band come together?

When I moved back to Australia in Feb 2022, I teamed up with Dan Frizza for the recording of New Horizons. Dan brought along long term friends and collaborators Miles Thomas (drums) Ollie Thorpe (Guitar) and Brendan Clark (Bass.)

What motivates you most when writing music?

I think it is just the fun and meaning of creating something from scratch, and expressing whatever is going on for me emotionally at that moment in time!

Which music/artists are you currently listening to?

Fontaines DC, The War on Drugs, The Wild Feathers, Haim, The National, The killers, London Grammar, Sam Fender

What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

No-one in particular! I've always just loved music and cool songs! So I'm not sure I was ever motivated to 'get into the industry' more just to create cool songs that express how I'm feeling!

If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Bernard Fanning, Angus and Julia Stone,

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in the music industry?

As an independent artist, theres alot to learn on the creative and business side of things! So learning to take it slow, do things bit by bit, learning to take a break when you need to- and to keep going and enjoying the journey!

What's next, for you?

Writing more songs! Recording more songs, and playing them live!

Share your socials

The Nomadic is:

Rob Gaylard/Singer songwriter

Dan Frizza/ producer/ keyboards

Miles Thomas/ Drums

Oli Thorpe/ lead guitar

Brendan Clark/ Bass

You can check out/ follow the Nomadic at the following links:

Spotify:

https://artists.spotify.com/c/artist/4qdJEh4eMD6ghLEpgmM071/profile/about