For listeners of the Innocence Mission, the Lancaster, Pennsylvania trio are beyond a favourite band, more like a beloved companion, such is their intensity and fragility of their sound and vision, spearheaded by Karen Peris’ heartbreaking, breathtaking voice. Those fans include Sufjan Stevens and Sam Beam (Iron and Wine), who have both covered innocence mission songs, and in whose company the trio deserve to be bracketed. Now, with Sun On The Square, their first album in four years and first UK / European release in over a decade, the trio have joined the Bella Union family, following Karen’s guest appearance on Ojal? by Lost Horizons, the band collective co-created by label skipper Simon Raymonde.“There’s less than a handful of artists on my Bella Union dream list,” he explains. “The Innocence Mission are on there but they’ve remained an elusive mystery, and believe me, I’ve tried! I’ve been a fan as long as I can remember. From the second I heard Karen’s voice, I’ve been smitten. Birds Of My Neighborhood is in my Top Three albums of all time. It’s a heartbreaker though. Guarantees tears. But the more the tears fall, the deeper I go!”
