THEY WALK AMONG US have recently returned from a 3 month promotional tour of the US to promote their debut album Mathematics, Art in Progress. The band travelled 15,000 miles across 26 states and performed in 36 cities. From Chicago to New York, Washington D.C. to New Orleans, Austin TX to LA and back again TWAU pushed themselves further and further to get across their own brand of ethereal pop/rock. Now back home in Wales TWAU are busy recording the follow up album Champaign tastes and Lemonade Pockets. The album is currently being recorded and produced by the band themselves.

Here’s how the tour and album went down in the US:

THEY WALK AMONG US
MATHEMATICS, ART IN PROGRESS

Press 2015-2016

  AUSTIN TX

God bless the Welsh. They speak a language that doesn't seem to need vowels and still they've produced musicians as diverse as John Cale and Super Furry Animals. Their fellow countrymen They Walk Among Us falls somewhere between the two, pairing Cale's progressive bent with the sort of spacey guitar epics that the S.F. Animals turn to candy-floss. 

Singer/guitarist Richard Proctor has one of those classic rock voices, like Ian McCulloch's (you know, from Echo and the Bunnymen? Anyone?), that just bleeds feeling and seems custom designed for the arenaÖ.When they let the songs breathe, and cut their widescreen emotions with weird noises and feedback, everything feels that much more alive. It's the sound of Welshmen trying to find some vowels amongst the stars. ó Joe Gross

   LOS ANGELES CA

The five blokes of They Walk Among Us ó landing in L.A. for the first time ó keep the ghost of Manchester rock (although theyíre actually from Wales) close at heart with warm tambourine beats and rocking Hammond organ throwbacks to mid-ë90s Brit droners Ride and Charlatans UK. TWAU spent the holidays shredding through the Midwest, spreading cheer from their newly released full-length, Mathematics, Art in Progress. -Wendy Gilmartin

SAN FRANCISCO CA

Fans of Welsh rockers Super Furry Animals are going to love They Walk Among Us. In fact, the band's debut album, "Mathematics Art in Progress" (Aeronaut Records), was actually produced by SFA's producer Richard Jackson, which helps explains the band's catchy spatial rock sound, a lush and dreamy blend of shoegazer, Britpop and garage styles.

LAS VEGAS NV

 If this is the future of Brit-pop, then this quintet out of Wales could win lots of fans across the pond. Theirs is a simple, yet refined sound, benefiting from some decent writing. Altogether, fans of understated garage band-esqe rock will find this album wholesome and fulfilling. Kind of like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. ñDamon Hodge

CONTRA COSTA CA (SF BAY)

UP-AND-COMING WELSH QUARTET They Walk Among Us is bucking to join the ranks of next-generation Britpop bands poised to conquer the States, earning comparisons to Teenage Fan Club, and Belle and Sebastion with its blend of lush pop/rock harmonies and quirky guitar and keyboard effects.

SOUL SHINE MAGAZINE - CANADA
'Telescope' first hits you as an electronic song for the band, but quickly transforms itself into a proper rock song that has more freshness than other Brits before them. It's translucent tracking at its best with each song being composed of layers of several beautiful songs creating a burst of energetic goodness from all directions. Richard Proctor on lead vox has an incredible throaty quality which balances out the electric guitars and smoothes each track over with a fine tooth comb. Definitely not your average British rock, there's a fusion of several influences in this album and I think with They Walk Among Us, it can only get better.

Writer: Lindsay Bloemink

 TERRE HAUTE IN

 This past Friday at the Verve, I got to listen to one of the best bands I may have ever heard in a bar. 

They Walk Among Us, a five-piece band out of Wales were in town in support of the first major release, "Mathematics, Art in Progress," which hits stores Dec. 16. The band sounded very polished and tight. Their music can be compared to Coldplay, Radiohead and Blur. They have a definite "Brit-pop" sound. 

Lead singer Richard Proctor knows how to sing, and sing well, and the songs were very well written. Without hearing any previous music from the band, I was still able to hum along by the end of each song. Proctor was backed by Paul White on guitars, Dean Roach on bass, Steve Roberts on drums and Gareth Clark on keyboards. 

The band played well together, and their best song of the night was the first song they ever wrote, and have never recorded, according to Proctor. The sound was, as Proctor explained, "As close to a country song that we get." Hopefully one day we will get to hear it on a CD. 

 SANTA MONICA CA

If you liked smart, 1980s pop groups like Modern English, go get Mathematics, Art in Progress by the Wales-based They Walk Among Us. Play track three first and youíll hit the ground running. Appropriately, itís called ìHit The Ground Running.î Only fans of bad hair bands will be disappointed. ñ Tony Peyser

 AUSTIN TX

Though "Telescopes" opens the new Mathematics, Art in Progress with a reverberated, Killing Joke-type riff, They Walk Among Us actually has nothing to do with postpunk. U2 is more like it for this Welsh five piece, whose debut was produced by Richard Jackson, knob man for fellow countrymen Super Furry Animals. Fans of both SFA and latter-day U2/Echo & the Bunnymen descendents like Longwave take note. Dragonfly Jones rings the closing bell at this Red Eyed Fly engagement. ñ Michael Chamy

EMERYVILLE CA (BERKELEY, OAKLAND)

Despite his band's Misfits-evoking name, Richard Proctor of the Welsh band They Walk Among Us likes to get sentimental. He may very well have a Shakespeare complex, the way his lyrics evoke Shylock in "Telescope" ( Cut and I will bleed, like anyone else/A passion and a need for everything/I'm alive like anyone else ). Or maybe it's a Tom Waits complex, judging by the boozy, romantic melancholy spelled out in "It Goes On" ( Did you just sneak a look at me?/If so, pull up a chair and sit by me/We can talk about the news and weather/You can flutter your eyelashes/And I'll pretend to be clever ). So if you like your Britpop sensitive -- Welsh, even -- the Stork Club is the place for you tonight, when They Walk Among Us -- not as cold as Coldplay, not as weird as Radiohead, not as cuddly as Blur -- appear, with Yeah Man opening.

Epochal, sweeping tunes that simply ring out joy. I haven't really heard a band go for this warm, engaging sound in a while, and these folks really know how to make it work. Depth, grace and unmistakable good feelings--hard to beat that, isn't it? - Jon Worley

 BOSTON MA

A promo for the band They Walk Among Us , brought to you by a number of things. First and foremost, their publicist Brooke really seems to like them. I usually trust her, because she has pretty good taste, and she is a human being. Second of all, I would like to promote the Skybar, because it could be a very good club, and people should go there more. Third, the band is from Wales, and they worked Super Furry Animals producer Richard Jackson on their Aeronaut Records debut Mathematics, Art in Progress , which for a lot of you will be reason enough to check them out. Fourth, there is shit else going on tonight.  And last, and certainly most importantly, damned if they aren't actually alright! I couldn't get their song ìTelescopesî out of my head in the elevator, leaving the Dig office with two large pimps just now. ìI'm alive like anybody else/ I give (love, blood?) like anybody else.î It's true. We are all humans, and we all need to be loved. 

 THE CELEBRITY CAF…

An album that has the ethereal qualities of a Pink Floyd album and the energy of a garage-band. They're five guys playing much more intelligent music than your average indie band, using a bit of samples, soundscapes and other ethereal mixes. I can't emphasize enough the ethereal qualities of this band, that constantly make me feel as if they're playing rock with a background of a new age soundscape. –Michael

Welsh band, They Walk Among Us, has released their debut album, Mathematics, Art in Progress, and are on tour to support this excellent new record.  The musicians in the band are Richard Proctor (lead guitar, vocalist), Dean Roach (bass), Gareth Clark (keyboard), Steven Roberts (drums, piano, vocals, Hammond) and Paul White (guitar, vocals).

Their CD opens with "Telescopes," a sound and song that takes off like a rocket to the future. This is rock music that requires good musicianship, and the band shows they've got the chops to play tight arrangements. From the album cover graphics to the quality production, this release is about music for the new millennium.

The vocal harmonies on track two, "You And Me" are outstanding, and lead vocalist Richard Proctor is top notch. "It Goes On" continues this fine song collection with positive lyrics and a lead vocal performance using a full range, with a strength the likes of Brian Ferry of Roxy Music. The band has a Euro sound with very high quality keyboard work as the foundation of each of the eleven songs on this superb debut.

The ballad, "I Am G.M.T" (Greenwich Mean Time) is an acoustic number with cellos added to the mix. It's lyrically romantic with a twist of fun. As the record proceeds to "Aeroplane," a modern Ziggy Stardust song complete with sound effects and space age guitar playing, the modern space concept of the CD is musically more evident.

They Walk Among Us is a concert band on the level of Yes or King Crimson, and this record brings to mind an arena show. All the musicians in this band are very talented and perform each song with a fresh updated sound.

The last song on the record is "Getting Us Nowhere," a smart pop song that shows this band could easily have a hit on radio and leaves the listener with a feeling to hear more.

Mathematics, Art in Progress is a thinking rock fan's record. The excellent song arrangements, skilled record production and thought-out lyrics show a lot of terrific work. The entire team has used state of the art technology to its best, keeping it in control to make a great rock record. They Walk Among Us is off to good start with their debut CD, and this record makes you want see them perform it live on their current tour.- Brad Wilson

 NEW HORIZONS UK
There is already a great tradition of bands coming from Wales, and for my money 'They Walk Among Us' are right up there with the best of them.† This is an impressive work and one which any of our readers who enjoy Rock/Pop and Indie music would be well advised to check out. While listening this CD, I have never failed to be impressed by the strong song writing (in terms of tunes and lyrics) and the good musicianship diplayed by the band.† Add to this the superb production from Greg Havers (Manic Street Preachers*) and Richard Jackson (Super Furry Animals*), and what you get is an album to listen out for. ñSimon Hill

SOUTH BEND IN

Another British invasion 

WEEKEND
The modern Brit-pop band They Walk Among Us makes its U.S. concert debut at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Cheers Lounge, 103 Indiana 933 N., South Bend. Natives of Wales, band members are touring in support of their first album, "Mathematics, Art in Progress." "It's melodic pop-rock," band leader Richard Proctor says. "We use the laptops live. It's aural soundscapes; ethereal pop-rock would be a good description." Also on the bill are the South Bend-based bands Ultra Black and Structural Damage. 

LAS VEGAS NV

NIGHT BEAT: They Walk Among Us should perform a fine show 

A very promising concert tonight belongs to a band from Wales called They Walk Among Us. Last month, reviewer Jon Hueber wrote in the Indiana Statesman that the band was "one of the best bands I may have ever heard in a bar." 

The music of They Walk Among Us would fit on a radio station with the tear-stained echoes of Radiohead, Coldplay and Teenage Fan Club. But the modern-rock They Walk Among Us is less echo-y and a touch slicker than those bands, among other differences. 

And as you can tell from the fact that They Walk Among Us is playing for free at the Double Down Saloon, the band isn't exactly rich. Band members are still hauling around their own equipment in a Winnebago. 

"We got a tour manager. He's roadie. He's driver. He's tour manager. He's merchandise salesman. He takes all the flak from the band. He's the chief smoker, the chief drinker," says singer-songwriter Richard Proctor, speaking in a heavy Welsh accent that disappears in songs. 

The band recorded its first full-length album -- 2015's "Mathematics, Art in Progress" -- in four studios in Wales, whenever they scraped up the time and money. 

But poverty can breed creativity. One of the studios they recorded in was the same place where the Buggles recorded "Video Killed The Radio Star," which turned into the first music video broadcast on MTV. 

"It's funny, because they have all these Buggles gold discs on the wall, and we used their pianos. We were, like, starstruck teenagers," Proctor, 29, says with quite an amount of earnest excitement. 

Proctor claims he wrote many of the lyrics to the band's songs when he was 17 and 18 years old, lines such as the one about how "you and me, we can never, ever" be together, though "we share the same starry sky." 

"They're still relevant now, but we've reworked songs. The song, `You and Me,' was a much heavier song, and then we pulled it apart," he says, "which is much better, because we're going for the crooner pub" feeling on that song. "Tongue-in-cheek, rather than be all serious and heartbroken." 

How does Proctor remember lyrics he wrote a dozen years ago?

"My brain cells, they haven't been killed by alcohol, yet," he says. "I'm working on it." 

Proctor understands why people in the press have compared They Walk Among Us to all the obvious bands they sometimes sound related to, from the dizzying rock of Coldplay to the guitar heaviness of Dream Theater to the Britrock of Blur.

"They might hear something in it -- one thing in it" that reminds them of someone else, Proctor says. 

But Proctor says the group worked with two producers to get two distinctly different sounds on "Mathematics, Art in Progress" to give the band both a polished side and a raw side. 

The group worked with producer Richard Jackson, who also helped rough up the sound of Super Furry Animals, and with Greg Haver, who also has helped cast gloss on the bands Manic Street Preachers and Stereophonics.

They Walk Among Us has planned to work with those producers again, although it is waiting to find out if it will work with former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman. 

"We weren't expecting any of this. We're not name-dropping," Proctor says. "We heard from him. We don't know yet ... We're not sure we can afford him. We'll know when we get back (to Wales) in the end of January."

Welsh Rare Writs 
Spacy.Rocky.Ethereal.Melodic.Strong.Its not often I can describe a collection of songs on a piece of plastic these days with adjectives like these but with this release,its perfectly easy to hear sections of the tracks,vocal lines,even guitar parts,(these days all too heavy),that simply breathe the descriptions above. 

The music is very well thought out and not always akin to the usual verse/chorus/verse/chorus formula,which works perfectly well but it is increasingly becoming a way of working that appears everywhere. 

Some songs are album tracks but not fillers by any means.I would say that at least three tracks could be hits with enough promotion behind them;namely Girl on a Wire,You & Me and Hit the Ground Running.The musicianship is also of the highest order and the vocals are refreshingly arranged to the best effect. 

Production quality is always something to be aware of and theres no disappointment with the sound here but then again,with the talents of fellow MSP and SFA producers,you cant go much wrong - and they havent!

If you are an afficianado of classic rock(Floyd,Yes,etc.),Im sure you will find something to your liking here.Similarly,if you prefer the more modern acts,(SFA,Supergrass,etc.),I think you will find that this is a little known gem,of which there have been many to come out of Wales in the last few years.
I recommend you get hold of a copy! 

I rate Mathematics, Art in Progress - 4/5

With help from producers Greg Haver (Manic Street Preachers) and Richard Jackson (Super Furry Animals), the album is a crisp production of harmonized choruses, hygienic guitars, and textured keyboards.  songs like the hook laden “Telescopes” and power ballads like “1 a.m. GMT” would have a crop of major label reps maxing their expense accounts

If you are looking for hooks you will really enjoy this album.

Buzzed-about indie rock bands don't always include Las Vegas on their West Coast tour schedules, so it seemed worthwhile to pay a visit to our own "Happiest Place on Earth" to catch They Walk Among Us.Lead singer and guitarist Richard Proctor followed each song with a polite "cheers," mentioned his fellow Welshman, Tom Jones, was also playing Vegas that night, and expressed his band's gratitude for its first-ever opportunity to play a "24-hour pub." The songs were tight and atmospheric, thanks to the keyboards and computer loops contributed by Gareth Clark, who was wedged into a corner behind stacks of gear. I'll give them points for being well put together--They Walk Among Us crammed more equipment into the Double Down than any other band I've ever seen there. Proctor, Gareth, bassist Dean Roach, guitarist Paul White and drummer Steven Roberts are all great players. Proctor had an earnest croon, and White offered some sweet harmonies to complement some catchy pop melodies. 

BROCK RADKE 
They Walk Among Us at the Double Down.

COME AROUND
Editor's Notes: An interesting fusion of grunge and dream-pop with a forceful, rolling two-guitar hook. This tightly-crafted pop track cribs from the best of the alternative pop groups of the 80s and 90s and demonstrates the potential They Walk Among Us has.

GETTING US NOWHERE
Editor's Notes: Close to an alt-country track with texture and with vocal phrasing like "One Week" by the Bare Naked Ladies.

HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
Editor's Notes: This is a pop ballad from Welsh band “They Walk Among Us,” featuring an organ, glittery cymbals and an interestingly distorted guitar solo. The vocals are bumped up into Eddie Vedder territory

Not a Misfits cover band, but that's okay. TWAU play very pleasant, layered Britpop. It might be ballady and cheesy, but they're melodic enough to stick in my head. File under guilty pleasure.