iSound

Writing and recording Poison Kiss, their major-label debut, The Last Goodnight set the bar almost scarily high: “We wanted to write great songs that no one ever heard before,” states singer Kurtis John. Indeed, while influences and references range from Ella Fitzgerald to Richard Ashcroft to Supertramp to Sly Stone to ELO to U2 to Massive Attack, Poison Kiss is impossible to pigeonhole. “It’s about vibe. We keep the spontaneity and adventure in every aspect,” John explains. “In the studio, we built whole songs using the versatility of drum machines and laid down live drums last. We wanted to let the rhythm of the song define itself through the creation. I love the unexpected crafting of musical and lyrical desperation and vulnerability mixed with upbeat hooks.” The result is 12 cinematic, singular songs, rife with ‘80s musical references and classic rock influences, but with a modern resonance. Poison Kiss is piano-driven but guitar heavy, and at once rhythmic, lush and soulful. Fr...