On the back of a big year - a rapturously debut album and first shows and an AMP nomination, all while the band's members have been hard at work on their other projects - the alternative super group that is Bleak Squad - Adalita, Mick Harvey, Mick Turner and Marty Brown - have today unveiled a new single as their inaugural national tour draws near.
Recorded during the same sessions as their album Strange Love and put aside for a (bleak and) rainy day, the two songs - the Adalita/Mick Turner-written A-side "Black & White" and a version of an old Marlene Dietrich song on the B-side - have already become live favourites. Together they will comprise the band's first 7" release, which is available for pre-order now and which will be released in a limited edition, one-time-pressing on Feb 6, on the eve of the band's tour. In the meantime, "Black & White" is available digitally as of today.
"Sometimes in life you have to make tough choices. And so it was with these two tracks ‘Black & White’ and ‘A Suitcase in Berlin’. Recorded during the sessions for Strange Love they were both just as equally loved as the other tracks - but there’s only so many minutes of music one can fit on a record and album track orders are mysterious beasts, and one popped out that sadly hadn't included these two songs.
"'Suitcase in Berlin’ is Bleak Squad's version of an old Marlene Dietrich song: 'Ich Hab’ Noch Einen Koffer in Berlin’. Translated and arranged by Mick Harvey and actually the second version of it that Mick has recorded.
"‘Black and White’ has origins from an instrumental created by Mick Turner, with lyrics by Adalita, and demonstrates the potency of Bleak Squad being able to craft something that is so loose and shambolic but nuanced, that ends up sounding like it was always meant to be.
"Both have since become firm live favourites, so we are thrilled we have found a home for them as a 7-inch addendum to our debut album Strange Love."
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2026 Tour Dates
Saturday 7th February Blue Mountains Theatre, Springwood
Sunday 8th February Perth Festival
Thursday 12th February Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat
Friday 13th February Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
Saturday 14th February Riverboats Festival
Thursday 19th February Princess Theatre, Brisbane
Friday 20th February Imperial Hotel, Eumundi
Saturday 21st February The Regent Cinema, Murwillumbah
Wednesday 4th March Canberra Theatre Centre Playhouse
Thursday 5th March The Factory Theatre, Sydney
Sunday 8th March Golden Plains Festival, Meredith
