CLOCKWORK FLOWERS – Clockwork Flowers (2025 Digital, Self-Release)  

RELEASE INFO:

Label: Self-Release

Format: Digital

Release Date: 11 June 2025

Clockwork Flowers are an exiled British Psychedelic pop/Baroque pop/Power pop/New wave/R&R duo formed in Dharamsala, India in 2005 by a London based musician/composer/artist John Bliss and a London based artist/designer/musician Anthea Bliss after having lost all their hope and possessions and moved to the Himalayas from London in the mid 1990s. In 2007, they moved to Tokyo, Japan, living and creating music there ever since. The band participated in a special compilation album project “Yesterday’s Sunshine Today – New Magical Covers” of a legendary British psychedelic pop rock band ‘Nirvana’ from the 1960s (songs from 1967-1969). They recorded a previously unreleased Nirvana song, “Flowers For Friday”, written by Patrick Campbell-Lyons and Alex Spyropoulos for this special project. A limited-edition (500) vinyl-only album was released in June 2020 through Timemachine Productions (check the LP release here). Due to demand, an unedited digital version (check) was released in November 2020. There’s also a CD reissue in 2024 by Think Like A Key US label, including 4 more bonus tracks (check here).

“Clockwork Flowers” is Clockwork Flower’s fourth album, which was recorded 10 years ago, remained unreleased till today, and it features the late Keith Law on two songs! The band decided to release it now because this is a perfect way to celebrate their 20th anniversary. Let’s take a look at the very informative press release by the band: 

As part of the band’s 20th anniversary celebration, we decided to release this previously unreleased self-titled original album ‘Clockwork Flowers’ includes 2 co-written songs with a British psych legend late Keith Law (Velvett Fogg/Jardine) which we recorded and mixed between 2013 – 2015, and then re-mixed/mastered between 2022 – 2023. This is the 3rd original album after another unreleased original album ‘Wonderland’ (2009 – 2011) and an official bootleg mini-album ‘2013 Demos’, however, this is the 1st original album after Clockwork Flowers went ELECTRIC!

Everything started when Keith Law asked John to write the music to his lyrics in 2013. “This was my first-ever co-written project, and I chose ‘Moonlight In The Sky’ from his vast collection of lyrics. I don’t know why, but I just got this Eddie Cochran sort of R&R vibe from the lyrics.” – John Bliss.

So, John made a simple demo (acoustic guitar and vocal) of ‘Moonlight In The Sky’ and sent it to Keith. Keith really loved the demo, and he immediately wrote new lyrics dedicated to us entitled ‘Clockwork Flowers’ on Anthea’s birthday (without knowing her birthday)! The lyrics were truly wonderful and so blissful…then he said, “The music is up to you, John!” So John wrote the song in few days and recorded 2 demo versions, one with acoustic guitar and another one with keyboards and sent 2 demo versions to Keith and wondering which one (acoustic guitar version or keyboard version) he would go for… and he said “I like the second demo more (keyboard one), as I guess it sounds psych and reminiscence of The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper album, which was the definitive album in my life…” However, he suggested John, to amalgamate the guitar with the keyboards, and the two demos will become one…wow, man! This is the final version of the song ‘Clockwork Flowers’…

Then we started rehearsing these 2 songs for the recording sessions. First of all, Anthea started practicing the drums for the first time (!) and John bought a cheap 1960s electric guitar, and so on… That was the beginning of the 2nd incarnation of Clockwork Flowers, which means we went ELECTRIC (!) after having played for 8 years as a psychedelic acoustic duo. Also, we stopped playing in public and stopped selling/sharing our music in Japan in 2012… Keith’s timing was just perfect.

Now, having spent 6 months, we finally recorded and mixed these 2 songs in 2014 with very limited recording equipment and instruments in very poor condition. Everything was recorded on a MacBook Leopard 2006 (not even Pro!) in our tiny studio flat, aka Great Bliss Studio (except drums – recorded at our local rehearsal studio), with one microphone as we only had one microphone at that time. Incidentally, the last song we recorded as an ‘acoustic duo’ was ‘Within The Night’, which is a cover song of Velvett Fogg (written by Keith Law). So, obviously, we dedicate these 2 songs to the late Keith Law…

After we completed these 2 songs and just thought we should record more songs to make an album, as we stopped playing in public so that we can focus on preparing and practicing for the recording sessions… luckily, we got many songs to choose from. Initially, we used a working title ‘The Continuing Story of Wonderland’, which then became ‘Electric Wonderland’ because the concept of this album is like part 2 of the previously unreleased album ‘Wonderland’, and we actually went ELECTRIC! However, considering this special co-written song ‘Clockwork Flowers’, we decided to entitle this album ‘CLOCKWORK FLOWERS’ eventually.

The album includes songs John wrote in Avebury (England), Dharamsala (India), Tokyo (Japan), and 2 co-written songs with Keith Law. The 1st track, ‘Green Griffons’, which is an instrumental track, was written in the Himalayas, entitled after the band’s previous name, ‘The Green Griffons’. ‘Habit The Rabbit’ and ‘I Was Lord Kitchener’s Valet’ were written in Tokyo to continue the story of the song ‘Good Morning, Lord Kitchener’ from ‘Wonderland’ that was written in the Himalayas. ‘God’s Gardens’ and ‘Timeless Beauty’ were written in Avebury in 1996, just before we left England for the Himalayas. These 2 songs were part of an unfinished project ’12 Grand Aspects of Heaven’, which John was working on at that time. In addition, ‘I Am Crying’ and ‘Wishing You Were Here’ were written in the Himalayas. ‘Going Going Gone’ was written in Tokyo, and 2 demo versions of the song were included in ‘2013 Demos’ along with ‘Habit The Rabbit’ and ‘I Was Lord Kitchener’s Valet’.

We completed this album ‘CLOCKWORK FLOWERS’ (including artwork) in January 2015. Although we received a brilliant review of the album from ‘The Strange Brew’ in the UK, we just didn’t feel like releasing the album anytime soon because of our own past experiences. Whatever we created or achieved in the past, and no matter how much effort we put in, they all became meaningless and pointless in a day or two here in Japan. To us, it was quite obvious that if we released the album in this horrible situation, it would be rotten within a day! So we decided to wait till the right time comes. Didn’t realise it takes 10 years, though.

This year, 2025, is the band’s 20th anniversary, and we needed something special. Fortunately, we had re-mixed/mastered and finalised this album ‘CLOCKWORK FLOWERS’ in 2023. We both thought that it’s time to release the album on this special occasion. Despite the fact that we recorded the album more than 10 years ago in very poor condition, we still feel some kind of ‘MAGIC’ throughout the album. Hope you can feel it too!  

Clockwork Flowers”…

After listening to this album, the sense I get is that it could have been made during the 60s! Yes, it’s totally inspired and influenced by the 60s era, especially the late 60s British period. Of course, the whole album is “flooded” by the Beatles’ magic! “Clockwork Flowers” consists of 10 songs. The instrumental opener “Green Griffons” starts in a warm, melodic way, soon to be transported back to the 60s, probably inside Octopus’s Garden, the combination of the keys along with the backward guitar sounds, adds something psychedelically beautiful to the already groovy atmosphere, making this a superb mind-bending instro deeply 60s influenced (of course), while the duo makes a shiny appearance, a grant opening, stating “we’re hear to take you back and blow your minds”… “Habit The Rabbit” is an amazing Beatlesesque song that kind-of- reminds me a much slower and let loose version of “Taxman”, or something like that, anyhow. The balladesque “I’m Crying” follows, mid-tempo with a sad, nostalgic feel that sounds like it’s taken from a Paul & Wings early 70s album! “Moonlight In The Sky” is the first of the two songs co-written with legendary Keith Law (Velvett Fogg/Jardine), a fantastic piece of British Popsike music that blends some 60s Californian sunshine groovyness, and it contains the sweetest “Na na na’s” I’ve heard in ages… “God’s Gardens” is an unbelievable track, a song that could easily have been an outtake from The White Album! Tremendous Beatlesesque atmosphere, and an image of the Fab Four playing “God’s Gardens” at the rooftop, stuck inside my brain! Wow! “I Was Lord Kitchener’s Valet” is a late 60s popsike meets “Friends” main TV theme, track, while “Wishing You Were Here” is a happy kind of sing-along tune that you could have been singing with your friends in the backseat of a bus going on a trip to the countryside… The faster “Going Going Gone” follows, a Rocker, still 60s inspired with a touch of some “glam rock” (or something like that), with a catchy backward guitar sounding and a jolly “96 Tears” groovy keys sound! Bells are ringing and the dark full of melancholy “Timeless Beauty” starts, a sad, and kind of Procol Harum atmos with a strong balladesque Beatles edge, a rather heartbreaking song. The album comes to an end with the self-titled “Clockwork Flowers”, a song co-written with Keith Law, the lyrics emerge with an autobiographical feel, and the music follows in the same sentimental mood… Well, it may have taken them 10 years to release this “Beauty”, but every single second of “Clockwork Flowers” is worth the wait!!! TimeLord Michalis

Tracklist

Links       

Check CLOCKWORK FLOWERS Official Web

Visit CLOCKWORK FLOWERS Facebook

Check CLOCKWORK FLOWERS YouTube 

There are plans for a physical release (LP/CD), but in the meantime, the album will be available on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, and other popular download and streaming sites on June 11th, 2025.

Amazon Music

Apple Music