Castle Black Premiere Their Long-Awaited Debut LP ‘The Highway at Night’

The Highway at Night might be Castle Black’s first official full-length, but this band hardly needs an introduction. They have been pumping out some of the best modern post-punk for the better part of a decade now. We have been longtime fans of the duo, featuring them and showcasing their music several times previously.

The time has finally come for them to release their proper full-length debut, which will be officially released on June 21st. Previous to this, the Brooklyn-based rockers were focused squarely on EPs and singles. Three single releases have dropped ahead of The Highway at Night, all showcasing the band’s vintage New York punk energy and charisma.

Discussing the album release, lead singer Leigh Celent tells us:

“This album is our first full-length, after a litany of EPs. I didn’t want to record a full-length, initially. But I’m happy (drummer) Joey (Russo) convinced me. It really came together to fully display the type of music that we make, with all its twists and turns. With the freedom of a full-length, we were able to write and share a more complete story and do some things we haven’t done before.

“This album has a first for us, an inclusion of a cover of sorts. ‘May Colvin’ is our rendition of an Appalachian folk ballad (that has gone by numerous other names with various lyrical versions over the years). We essentially gravitated toward Jean Ritchie’s version (‘False Sir John’). We used those lyrics to build this seven-minute rock saga homage to this ballad, which has such a rich and interesting history.”

The previously released singles all hinted at the diversity and musical cohesiveness found throughout The Highway at Night. Castle Black felt particularly confident going into the recording of this record as a unit. With many EPs already released, they had plenty of time to hone their sound to where they wanted it to be. The terrific twosome of Leigh Celent and Joey Russo sounds just as big, if not bigger, than many quartets and quintets.

They received assistance throughout the recording process from the talented bassist Nick Kelly and backing vocalist Lisa Low, who provided her unmistakable harmonies to the songs. Throughout the years, producer Mark Plati has become a core force for the duo. Plati has worked with a bevy of legends, including David Bowie, Prince, and The Cure. He has become their go-to collaborator and again helped produce and record this new set of songs.

Both commanding and formidable, The Highway at Night is the full-length fans of Castle Black have long been waiting for. Celent and Russo have delivered, which is no surprise given their history.

Castle Black ‘The Highway At Night’ album artwork