Public Service Broadcasting recently dropped “The Fun Of It”, the third track taken from their upcoming fifth The Last Flight, available October 4th 2024 via SO Recordings. “The Fun Of It” sees Berlin voice Andreya Casablanca, who appeared on Bright Magic, joyously state Earhart’s philosophy of life: “I do it because I want to.”

Speaking about the track, J. Willgoose, Esq. said: “I can’t think of anyone better than Andreya to add the kind of spirit, bounce and just pure melody that this song called for. She’s a wonderful foil for Amelia’s determination, her bravery and her honesty. “I do it because I want to – isn’t that a good enough reason?” The song is an attempt to sum up that kind of attitude in musical form.” “The Fun Of It” follows the release of the album’s first single, “Electra”, and “The South Atlantic” (Ft. This Is The Kit), the ominous orchestral ode to her determination and passion.

The Last Flight is similarly full of life-force, evoking adventure, speed and freedom as well as the psychological depths of a unique and admirable individual. Recorded in the band’s southeast London studio, with one day for strings at The Church in north London with the London Contemporary Orchestra, The Last Flight’s guests include Carl Broemel from My Morning Jacket pedal steel, Berlin voices Andreya Casablanca and EERA who both appeared on Bright Magic, as well as This Is The Kit’s Kate Stables. Listeners may be surprised that the album does not feature original first-person testimony, but dialogue newly recorded by actors, including Kate Graham who read Amelia. This was then sensitively manipulated to give thirties sonic characteristics and distortion. Earhart’s first-hand writings including 1937’s Last Flight was used as a start point, along with the biography East To The Dawn by Susan Butler.

Speaking about the album, the band’s first studio album since 2021’s Bright Magic, J. Willgoose Esq. said “I wanted to do a woman-focused story, because most of the archive we have access to is overwhelmingly male. I was initially drawn in by Earhart’s final fight, rather than the successes that she had, but the more I read the more I became fascinated by her. Her bravery and her aeronautical achievements were extraordinary, but her philosophy and the dignity that she had… she was an outstanding person.

The final flight is the spine of the journey: the story jumps off at different points, and examines different facets of her personality, her relationship with her husband, her attitude to flying, her attitude to existing. She gave herself, I think, less than a 50% chance of survival when she flew the Atlantic alone. To put yourself, willingly, in those situations… I think it says something about that drive at the heart of humanity.

However The Last Flight isn’t doom-laden or covered in grief. There’s adventure, freedom, the joy of being alive. The reason why she wanted to fly was to find the beauty in living – ‘to know the reason why I’m alive, and to feel that every minute.’ The flight did fail, but she was right. Of all the people we’ve written about, I have the deepest respect and admiration for her.”

Public Service Broadcasting
The Last Flight
SO Recordings

I Was Always Dreaming
Towards The Dawn
The Fun Of It (ft. Andreya Casablanca)
The South Atlantic (ft. This Is The Kit)
Electra
Arabian Flight
Monsoons
A Different Kind Of Love (ft. EERA)
Howland

Public Service Broadcasting 2024 Tour Dates

Fri 4 Oct – UK, Leeds, Crash – daytime – Store – signing only
Fri 4 Oct – UK, Manchester, Piccadilly – evening – Outstore at Night & Day
Sat 5 Oct – UK, Liverpool, Jacaranda – evening – Outstore at The Baltic
Sun 6 Oct – UK, Southampton, Vinilo – evening – Outstore at The Brook
Mon 7 Oct – UK, Bristol, Rough Trade – daytime – Outstore at Strange Brew
Mon 7 Oct – UK, Bristol, Rough Trade – evening – Outstore at Strange Brew
Tue 8 Oct – UK, Kingston, Banquet – evening – Outstore at Pryzm
Wed 9 Oct – UK, Glasgow, Assai – evening – Outstore at Oran Mor
Thu 10 Oct – UK, Edinburgh, Assai – evening – Outstore at The Liquid Rooms
Wed 16 Oct – UK, Glasgow, Barrowland (SOLD OUT)
Thu 17 Oct – UK, Aberdeen, Music Hall Aberdeen
Fri 18 Oct – UK, Manchester, Albert Hall (SOLD OUT)
Sat 19 Oct – UK, Leeds, O2 Academy Leeds
Mon 21 Oct – UK, Gateshead, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music
Tue 22 Oct – UK, Nottingham, Rock City
Thu 24 Oct – UK, Coventry, Warwick Arts Centre
Fri 25 Oct – UK, Cambridge, Corn Exchange (SOLD OUT)
Sat 26 Oct – UK, Bristol, Bristol Beacon (SOLD OUT)
Mon 28 Oct – UK, Cardiff, Cardiff University, Great Hall
Tue 29 Oct – UK, London, Roundhouse (SOLD OUT)
Wed 30 Oct – UK, Brighton, Brighton Dome (SOLD OUT)
Thu 31 Oct – UK, Aylesbury, Friars Aylesbury at The Waterside Theatre
Sat 2 Nov – Ireland, Dublin, 3Olympia Theatre
Sun 3 Nov – UK, Belfast, The Telegraph Building
Mon 4 Nov – Ireland, Cork, Cyprus Avenue
Sun 10 Nov – Netherlands, Amsterdam, Melkweg (Oude Zaal) (SOLD OUT)
Mon 11 Nov – Belgium, Brussels, Ancienne Belgique Club (SOLD OUT)
Tue 12 Nov – Germany, Cologne, Club Volta
Wed 13 Nov – Netherlands, Groningen, Vera
Thu 14 Nov – Germany, Hamburg, Knust
Sat 16 Nov – Norway, Oslo, Blå
Sun 17 Nov – Sweden, Stockholm, Kägelbanan
Mon 18 Nov – Denmark, Copenhagen, Vega
Tue 19 Nov – Germany, Berlin, Columbia Theatre
Wed 20 Nov – Germany, Munich, Ampere
Thu 21 Nov – Switzerland, Zurich, Mascotte
Sat 23 Nov – Italy, Milan, Arci Bellezza
Mon 25 Nov – Spain, Barcelona, La Nau
Tue 26 Nov – Spain, Madrid, Sala Copérnico
Wed 27 Nov – Spain, San Sebastian, Dabadaba Club
Fri 29 Nov – France, Paris, Petit Bain

Pre-order The Last Flight HERE