Berlin quartet Riches Of The Poor, a deeply thoughtful and experienced indie band, gear up to release and tour with their brand new album of originals ‘The Long Way Down’ (June 19th 2020 on Crocodile Tears).

From crisp, clean intimacy, to the full warmth and distortion of classic rock, the band showcases a profound sense of oneness and humanity. Decidedly personal songwriting and a powerful level of unity between musicians stand tall at every step. The 8-track project is as immersive as it is addictive; proving all the more hypnotic the further along you get.

From breakups and heartache to poetic imagery and hopeful thoughts of tomorrow, ‘The Long Way Home’ brings together a plethora of emotions, not just lyrically, but in the pristine and powerfully atmospheric way in which the band compose and perform.

The project showcases the efforts of Miky, Simon Breth, Daniel Segerberg and Ferdinand Hübner. Though Ferdinand departed in 2019, the album was already completed, and the new line-up – now featuring Cordelia Polinna – holds close to precisely the same values and intentions.

Philadelphia-born vocalist and guitarist Miky is a well-traveled and educated family man, with an unwavering passion for songwriting and performance. Having been writing songs since he was barely seven years old, during a chapter of his life living in Natanya, his love for music and his skillset have grown stronger over the years.

From his hard-rock outfit Dictionary in 1994 (aged 18), to Britpop three-piece Bigmouth from ‘96 to 2000, music in all of its forms connected on a profound and incomparable level. From 2009 to 2016, Miky took the solo acoustic route, further perfecting his sound and style as an artist – his depth of tone proving one of the most unique and recognizable on the scene.

Influenced by all manner of acts across the indie and mainstream spectrums, from The Cure to The Smiths, Baxter Dury, Tomberlin and Damien Jurado, his approach has been eclectic, with focused and heartfelt, intentional songwriting, and this quality shines brightly throughout the band’s new project.

‘The Long Way Down’ is a powerful and distinctive new album, often showcasing a skillful progression from memorable riffs and calmness, to the full-throttle passion and vibrancy of a mighty hook. Every detail and layer is intricately crafted so as to offer something that wholly and unequivocally underlines the concept at hand, and this compelling strength is given true life by every single band member.

Bassist and backing vocalist Simon Breth, is an equally well-traveled musician. An architect by trade, and a professional cellist on the side – with an extensive background touring with Norway’s Silje Nes during the noughties.  

Guitarist Daniel Segerberg skillfully blends his background as an installation artist in Sweden, with family values and an unwavering precision and power on the stage, resulting in superb attention to detail and dedicated unity within the band.

As a unit, Riches of the Poor drive with unquestionable depth and skill, offering unwavering presence on stage and promising the full embrace of skillfully crafted, engaging songwriting. Uniting elements of indie, eighties rock, Britpop and even shoegaze, the album marks a huge leap forwards for the band. 2020 is undoubtedly set to see them rise higher than ever within the global rock scene.

Rebecca Cullen

PRESS+RADIO: Crocodile Tears Records