Photo Credit: Matt Licari

Nearly 26 years after dropping their last full-length album, Love at Irving Plaza, 2001, indie rockers The Bogmen are expected to return with a highly-anticipated new set of music titled In My Kingdom on May 31, 2024. As a preview of what’s to come, the band has exclusively premiered the official music video for their title track with Relix, created by artist Jack Powell (Opus Thimble, Hot Mustard). 

“In My Kingdom” starts with bold declarations, visions of hope during the current societal state–fragmented and torn with differing ideologies and head-butting discrepancies. Countering pessimism, lead singer Billy Campion, otherwise known as Vic Thrill, presents a call for hope, aspirations for his idyllic home, and the creation of kindness through the listing of deities (including Mother Nature) extended through the lyrics, “In my kingdom/ Everyone would be king for a day.” 

In a statement exclusively shared with Relix, the group’s frontman Campion echoed, “‘In My Kingdom’ is a utopian fantasy land where everyone is ‘king for a day’ with a roundtable of philosophers, prophets, saints, shamans, avatars, deities and messiahs. A world open to ideas, where there’s no such thing as mistakes and everyone is encouraged to express themselves freely, follow their hearts and unlock their imaginations.”

Today’s single release and the impending album were recorded at The Carriage House in Stamford, Con., by engineer Phil Palazzolo and produced by Campion and Brendan Ryan from 2021 through 2023. “The pandemic was a strange time again, different, but dark and tragic just the same. The world seemed to be falling apart and people were becoming divided and confused. There was a reversion back to our primordial instincts of survival, a return to nature and a reflection on religion and spirituality. This is reflected in the music of this record,” added Billy Ryan. 

Adding context, Brendan said, “The three of us (Billy, Billy and myself) began writing music and pooling our influences during the difficult times of the pandemic and the loss of a close friend. This resulted in a full-length album of new songs as well as some re-recorded oldies that we are really proud of.” 

The Bogmen’s return comes after triumphant experiences, extended through their early work, from signed to Arista Records for their first album, the Jerry Harrison-produced Life Begins at 40 Million, known for sing-along classics “Suddenly,” “Yellar” and “Englewood,” and subsequent sophomore release, Closed Caption Radio. Status spots on the road birthed sold-out shows and a hardy following, which ended when tragedy struck the group in 2001. 

Now, positioned for their reentry, The Bogmen continue their legacy by releasing new music. Presenting the visual companion piece for “In My Kingdom,” Billy said, “Jack Powell created a hypnagogic video by extracting album artist Gregory Stovetop’s artwork and turning it into animation. Campion and I discussed various religious iconographic images, natural and spiritual concepts with Gregory, as well as, like the Star Wars Bar, we’re all a little freaky and different. He nailed it with the album art and Jack took his work, ran with it to create this amazing  phantasmic video.” 

The legend of The Bogmen endures. Watch the official music video for the title track, “In My Kingdom,” below.