Click here to download the new track 'Why We've Become Invisible (John Parish Redux)'

Too early and too experimental for the ‘Post-Punk revival’, too late and too lachrymose for the ‘New Eccentric movement’, The Playwrights have been carving out their own highly individual path through the press-driven scenes of indie-rock in the noughties.

And look how far they’ve come. From the fuzzy, keyboard rich home recordings and DIY ethos that made up their 2003 debut ‘Good Beneath the Radar’ to their electrifying and echo-drenched mini-opus ‘English Self Storage’ in 2006, the band covered a lot of ground in a short space of time. All this despite numerous set-backs, line-up changes and personnel problems of a rock-parody proportion.

And with their polyrhythmic interlocking guitar parts, funky and melodic basslines, syncopated drum patterns and stream-of-consciousness lyrics it could be argued that if The Playwrights were from Brooklyn instead of Bristol the band would be now enjoying the success that eluded them previously.

Sadly it’s unlikely we will find out. On hiatus since the release of ‘English Self Storage’, the band was forced to cancel tours and shelve plans to record their full-length sophomore album ‘When I lived in the Modern World’ following the departure of both drummer Tom and founding guitarist Nathan to pursue academic careers. Instead 2008 sees the release of ‘Bibliothèque’ and it offers glimpses to what could have been.

‘Bibliothèque’ collects previously unreleased studio cuts, home demos, alternate mixes, candid rehearsal recordings, live jams and unheard remixes from over the years. It offers a very honest look at a young group of musicians whose influence is only just becoming apparent. Never shy to make mistakes, the compilation shows how the band challenged themselves, for better or worse.

Amongst the treasures are tracks from ‘English Self Storage’ remixed by producer and PJ Harvey cohort John Parish; an intimate home demo of ‘Trapped In The Orbit of a Satellite Town’ recorded by Ben before The Playwrights had even formed; and the blue-eyed soul of the previously unheard ‘Meet At Steady Tempo’. And if any track sums up The Playwrights’ anger, intelligence and career arc it is ‘Dislocated’ - their flagship song of which two versions of are included here. ‘Bibliothèque’ finally puts the pieces back together; but whether the band takes to the stage again or this album is their final curtain call remains to be seen.

The Playwrights shared stages at the request of Mission Of Burma, Pretty Girls Make Graves and The National, and have performed alongside The Organ, New Young Pony Club, The Thermals, Film School, The Rogers Sisters, Shooting At Unarmed Men, James Yorkston, King Creosote, SJ Esau and Gravenhurst to name a few.