Out now on Blood Records is ‘Home Protests’ from The Mystery Jets, a collection of live protest covers recorded during lockdown throughout 2020. It’s an album that covers everything from 'Big Yellow Taxi' by Joni Mitchell to 'Jesus' Blood Never Failed' Me Yet  by Gavin Bryers. Front-man Blaine Harrison recently last year was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery to stop an infection from spreading around his body. It took a lengthy recovery process and delayed the release of their newest album ‘A Billion Heartbeats’.

Speaking on social media at the time he said “I am lost for words when it comes to expressing my gratitude for the NHS. These three letters stir a feeling in those of us who’s lives it has saved time and time again.” These experiences are important to know, because they are embedded in the bands words and ethos. ‘Home Protests’ is a collection of protest songs from throughout the years, recorded live throughout 2020 and as relevant today as when they were collectively recorded.

The artwork of the record is the creative direction of Gary Barber from Is Tropical and is die-cut to reveal the lettering of the inner sleeve. It’s a process that on small-cuts becomes an exercise of precision to ensure that the lettering sits perfectly within each window. It was painstaking process involving several prototypes to get right and the result is stunning. The turquoise vinyl is described as ‘NHS scrub’ green, for obvious reasons. Though no replacement to the sudden glut in the live scene, ‘Home Protests’ is a nine-track reminder of the importance of the power of all people at a time when it has never felt more relevant.