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FROM NOW ON

FROM NOW ON is Petula's forty-fifth studio album released in the UK on 16 September 2016 by BMG. FROM NOW ON debuted at #70 on the official UK album chart and marks Petula's fiftieth year on the UK album charts with her first chart album being I COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOUR LOVE released in 1966. Along with the standard album on CD, fans can also purchase the release as a vinyl LP - the first studio album to be issued by Petula on vinyl since 1988!

FROM NOW ON features eleven tracks, seven of which feature Clark as a writer / co-writer. On making the album, in an interview Clark reflected: "On the new album I am much more involved than I was on LOST IN YOU - I play piano on a lot of it, co-wrote songs and did the backing vocals. I'm learning all the time, and it never stops. And to do new songs - it's like having love affairs. They're always my favorites because they're sort of slightly unknown. And to do things in the same way... I love singing the old songs, but I've done that. Newness is important to me. Moving on is important to me".

FROM NOW ON comes from the writing / production team behind Petula's 2013 UK chart album LOST IN YOU which emerged to widespread critical acclaim. THE GUARDIAN described LOST IN YOU as "sleek and surprising" and drew comparisons with Lana Del Rey, while THE TELEGRAPH stated: "The really astonishing thing is that it sounds utterly contemporary... it could pass for the debut of some hip young singer-songwriter a quarter her age".

FROM NOW ON was produced by John Owen Williams, an established record producer and songwriter who operates from his studio in West London 'The Hut'.

John Williams and Petula at the opening night of Bombay Dreams in 2002

Petula first collaborated with Williams in 2002 when he co-ordinated the release of Petula's chart compilation album THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION for Sanctuary and produced the tracks MEMORIES OF LOVE, LA VIE EN ROSE and ALL THROUGH THE YEARS.

Petula teamed up again with John in 2011 when he co-wrote the single CUT COPY ME (voted in the Top 10 Best Songs of 2013 by Time Magazine and featured on the Radio 2 playlist), which was initially released on the French album PETULA in 2012 and on LOST IN YOU in 2013.

CUT COPY ME is significant in that it was the first song Petula recorded at Williams' studio, The Hut, which Petula refers to as the Wendy house.

Work on FROM NOW ON commenced in September 2015 at John's studio The Hut. Commenting on the studio, Petula reflects: "John's garden is a beautiful, real English garden with a building that looks like a Wendy house - a studio with windows looking out at the trees and flowers is unusual, and for me at least it was a joy to hang out there and sing when the mood struck! It was so great being back in the Wendy house - a bijou recording studio tucked away in West London. The vibe is very special here - and the garden was in full bloom too".

News of the release was first announced in February 2016.

SACRIFICE MY HEART became the lead song from the album, co-written by Petula Clark, Sarah Naghshineh, Paul Visser and John Owen Williams and became an upfront single released ahead of the album on 05 August 2016 on digital platforms. Promotional copies were also manufactured by BMG and allocated to radio stations. The song was selected by the Radio 2 Playlist team and was featured in the C-list for four consecutive weeks. 

To accompany the release, Petula issued a music video directed by Jack A Bowden and produced by Kode Media whose high profile featured works include music videos for Mark Ronson, Will Young, Norah Jones and Sam Smith.

Jack A Bowden directed Petula in an appropriately elegant yet characterful setting, using some old-school techniques to showcase the track and her performance. Commenting Jack A Bowden reflected: "We wanted to show Petula in an angelic, ethereal light, while placing her in an environment which contrasts with this kind of quality. The house in-which she's placed is decrepit and weathered, but proudly holds hints of grandeur and class, having aged gracefully. Petula performs an emotive message to a past companion, whom, for whatever reason is no-longer part of her world. Using techniques, such as 'fake cuts', and old school methods, like slow shutter speeds, we presented Petula in a haunting fashion. This was designed to pose a question as to whether Petula had left her lovers realm, or vice versa".

On 24 September 2016, Petula performed a segment of SACRIFICE MY HEART on the National Lottery show for BBC 1 (below).

 

BLACKBIRD became the second focus track from the album and was issued on digital platforms.  BLACKBIRD was also issued as a instant grat track on YOUTUBE in September 2016. Of BLACKBIRD; Petula commented, "When I'm in London I stay at what one might call a bijou apartment in Chelsea. It's on a very quiet street with trees and greenery. I have a small balcony and I usually leave the door open so that I can hear the birdsong. My favourite by far is the Blackbird who seemingly sings just for me. I recorded this song in his honour. Apparently Paul (referring to McCartney) wrote it as a civil rights song, and that is another reason to record it".

"BLACKBIRD is a magical lullaby, a stripped back acoustic gem with no frills, bells or whistles. Its hypnotic guitar captivates whilst Petula Clark's authentic vocals reflect the very essence of the song" Vents Magazine

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Tracks / Recording Notes:

01: Sacrifice My Heart (Clark / Naghshineh / Visser /Williams) 03:2 7
The backing vocals on this track are by Petula. This track was issued as an upfront track ahead of the album release. The track appeared on the Radio 2 Playlist (C list) for four consecutive weeks and a specially commissioned video was issued to support the release. Petula also performed the song live on TV on the BBC's National Lottery programme on 24 September 2016.

02: Blackbird (Lennon / McCartney) 02:21
Originally an idea for the Lost In You Sessions but never completed. Issued as the second focus track from the album in September 2016 as a grat track via Youtube.

03: Endgame (Clark / Williams) 03:10
First mooted for the Lost In You sessions. Endgame is the elder sibling of all the new songs.

04: Fever (Cooley / Davenport) 02:48
The second cover on the album. Petula was nervous about tackling Peggy Lee's Fever - they met years ago, and even sang together - but here the song gains an interesting, and sly, rocky edge.

05: From Now On (Clark / Degiorgio / Visser / Williams) 04:04

06: While You See A Chance (Winwood / Jennings) 02:54
The third cover on the album is the Steve Winwood 1980 hit While You See A Chance which gains a choir, created quite by accident by Petula, John Williams and Paul Visser "I love how that happened: organically, naturally. It's how the music should be - from the heart, and straight out" - Petula.  

07: A Miracle To Me (Clark) 02:38
Another of her own compositions, written in the French mountains, embellished later by her writing on her piano - on the track Petula is credited as playing harp and piano. This track had its first UK airplay on the 28 August 2016 by Elaine Paige on her Sunday Show tunes programme for BBC Radio 2. Elaine referred to the recording as "Lullaby Like".

08: Sincerely (Naghshineh / Visser /Williams) 03:43

09: Pour Etre Aimee De Toi (Clark / Aznavour) 02:57
Originally an album track recorded during the sessions for the French album Petula issued in 2012 by Sony BMG and co-written with Charles Aznavour - here the song gets an overhaul in a stripped back version with Petula at piano. Radio 2 presenter Graham Norton cites this as his favourite track on the album. Petula sang the song live accompanying herself on the BBC Radio Four programme Loose Ends broadcast on 24 September 2016.

10: Never Let Go (Clark / Large / Visser / Williams) 03:04

11: Happiness (Clark) 01:53
Happiness is a song recorded for the Lost In You album sessions recorded in London. Happiness was first performed in concert in 2011 in Paris and then performed as the opening song in Petula's concert tours of Australia (2012) and the UK tour (2013) with the French language verse replaced by a new English language verse written especially for her concert opening. Although recorded for the UK chart album Lost In You, Happiness was kept back for a proposed deluxe edition of the album which never materialised. The song was later included on the Japanese release of the album as a bonus track. It is presented here for the first time for the UK market. The French lyric is by Alain Boublil.

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GALLERY

At the premiere of The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years

The Graham Norton Show - September 2016

The Danny Baker Show - September 2016

Loose Ends - September 2016

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