Katherine and Ella are back in Liverpool, hiding out in what they call their “demo making hole”, sketching ideas for album two. The timing’s fitting, as they prepare for the arrival of their debut record, ‘The Parlour’ – a world they’ve been building for six years.
“It kind of feels like ‘The Parlour’ began the moment we met,” they explain. “Everything we’ve done together since has led us to this moment, really.” The idea behind the title came halfway through recording in Nashville. “We started unravelling this mutual feeling we have that no matter where we are in the world, when we’re making our own music or listening to our favourite music, we take on this certain mood or emotion. Almost as if we had our own venue to hang around in called ‘The Parlour’.”
It’s more than just a title. It’s a mindset. A fictional refuge. A space for misfits and lost lovers. “There’s definitely a joy in maintaining the visual ambiguity of ‘The Parlour’,” they say. “We want it to be whatever our listener wants it to be. That’s why we kept the visual structure so uncanny on the album artwork.” But if they had to define it? “It would look somewhat similar to the ‘Who’s There To Love Without You?’ video. Smoky, seedy and nocturnal. We’d keep the toilets clean, though. Seedy but clean all the way.”
“Buy the record and be nice”
Musically, that world began to solidify with ’24 Hour Open’. “We recorded that tune about halfway through the process, and I remember us listening back in the control room and feeling blown away by the sound of Ella’s guitars and Mike’s drums,” they say. “It was the moment we looked at our engineer Phillip and said, ‘This is it’.” That track became the bar. Everything else had to meet it.
It’s also, apparently, the sexiest moment on the record. “Just listen to the middle 8. Those reversed guitars and tape machine is working overtime to get you in the mood,” they laugh. “I guess when instrumentation feels free, it’s just sexy to me. Hits so much harder. Beatles’ Helter Skelter’ vibes.”
The world of ‘The Parlour’ isn’t all mood lighting and lust, though. Tracks like ‘Talk About It’ are sharper, more direct. “We wrote it as a bit of a joke, a cathartic game for ourselves after being written off as industry plants early on,” they explain. “Those false narratives still impact us today; that’s the truth of the matter. It’s hard to know people have developed misinformed opinions on this project because of a rancid and misplaced witch hunt.” The anger is still there, but so is the perspective. “It thickened our skin very early on and reminded us how important it is for artists and fans to advocate across the board for minority groups who come under scrutiny for simply existing.”
Making the record brought lessons, too. “Patience. It is only possible to be patient when there is no choice but to be patient.” The songwriting pushed them into new territory. “A leap for me was writing with other people. It’s not something I’ve ever done or felt comfortable with,” one of them says. “Allowing myself to be open and honest enough to collaborate was a big leap. And to also stand my own ground when I knew a particular thing needed to be a certain way. I’m a professional compromiser now.”
Their influences go beyond music. “Film is always influencing our work. Particularly David Lynch, which I know a lot of musicians feel,” they say. Right now, it’s ‘Phantom of the Paradise’ that has their full attention. “I think that may be my muse for album two.”
And what’s the best thing someone could say about ‘The Parlour’? “There are two things. One, that it made them want to pick up a guitar or bass and learn a riff. Two, that it helps them get up and ready to kick some ass in their day-to-day life.”
As for what’s next, they’re keeping it honest. “Depends how this album does, to be honest.” But the dream? “Picture Parlour support tour with Jack White.” If that happens in 2026, you heard it here first.
Until then, there’s just one final message: “Buy the record and be nice.”
Picture Parlour’s album ‘The Parlour’ is out now.
Got opinions on this? Got fingers to type them with? Spare your group chat. Our Discord is ready.
Open the discussion thread