Tag Archives: folk

Reviews

The Mountain Goat: Ian Munsick Knocks it Out of the Park Once Again!

Leave a comment

The American Country-Western singer-songwriter returns with his highly anticipated fourth album this coming Friday. Anyone who’s a regular here at our site knows how huge a fan of the guy we are, and have been already impatiently waiting for this since before it was even announced! I still regularly spin Eagle Feather now, and it was one of my favourite albums of 2025. So, when this came across our emails, we were very excited to be checking it out! Strap yourselves in, ladies and gents, this is a long one!

The title track sets the tone of the album excellently. Some great fiddle playing gives way to Ian’s iconic vocals, the neo-traditional Western vibes ringing awesomely right from the offset. The lyrics are fun too, with Ian proclaiming himself as the titular goat, fitting it perfectly with his character and sound. And, while the chorus stays a little understated, the whole track builds and builds throughout. It’s honestly the perfect way to kick off this mammoth release, however, building the anticipation and the expected sounds and layers in more with each part. And, as a song in its own right, it’s amazing! As you can tell, I already love this release!

Next up is the huge, awesome single, ‘Geronimo’. It was an excellent choice for a single as it certainly has more of a pop edge to it, but still has plenty of his signature Western/Americana sound too! The note he hits for the chorus is insanely impressive and sounds effortless, while the rest of the chorus is naturally catchy as anything! The bridge, while simple, breaks things up excellently with some great fiddle work and vocals, too. And, not only that, but we get the same for the outro, and it slowly dropping out was amazing! It was a great choice to put it this early on in the album too, hooking people in with maybe the biggest track on the release so far. Another excellent song, and one that I’ve loved since it dropped. It was an easy choice for the playlist!

The pace slows down for the first ballad-like track of the release, ‘My Montana’. It’s a perfectly timed change of vibe, and still sounds exactly as you’d expect from an Ian Munsick track. It’s still a catchy-as-anything chorus, one that will be stuck in my head for days to come. I also love the harmonies, be it the subtle ones through the chorus or the more clear ones on the second verse. The bridge is another fun one with some excellent instrumentation, alongside a great few vocal lines from Ian. The track as a whole is great, a bittersweet yet upbeat song that is surely going to be a big fan favourite when the album drops!

After a brief piano interlude, ‘Made Me a Man’ comes in and dials up the folky vibes to a 10. It’s a steady, stripped-back track built around Ian’s vocals and guitar, but the other instrumentation compliments it perfectly! The chorus is on a similar level to the rest of the track but still catchy and feels a lot bigger than it is. The structure is simple but so very effective, and it all adds so much emotion to the lyrics. It’s a truly beautiful song, another big high point of the release!

Some awesome Spanish guitar opens ‘Blue Roan’, reminding me instantly of ‘God Bless the West’, one of my favourite tracks off his last album. It’s a perfectly sets a great tone for the song, and is a complete change of pace again from what we’ve had on the album so far. I love it staying stripped back, the great guitaring and electric drum beat providing the perfect backdrop for the vocals at first. The chorus is once again on the same level as the rest, which I did find a little odd as I hoped that it would hit bigger. However, much like with the opener, the track feels like it builds steadily for its first couple of minutes, and certainly earns that huge explosion of guitars and acoustic drums. It shifts the whole dynamic of the track for a moment, and the ups and downs throughout from it are truly amazing. The solo and bridge parts honestly have a Stairway level of epicness to them, only adding even more awesomeness to things! Honestly, I can’t get enough of this song. It’s Southern/Americana rock at its very best, and may be not just an album, but a career highlight track for Mr Munsick. I cannot recommend this song enough!

Next up are a couple more singles. We are very familiar with ‘Love is Blind’ these days, being obsessed with it since it dropped and have thrown it plenty of praise over the months! It was an excellent early single, and hasn’t left my rotation since it dropped. Then you have ‘Medicine Man’, a slightly slower, simpler track than the former, but is no less great and catchy! The chorus is awesome, designed to be played to huge festival crowds around the world, and the instrumentation is another grandiose, amazing arrangement. Both are phenomenal songs in their own right, and fit the tone of the album excellently!

Another single, ‘Cutthroat World’, picks up the pace into a more lighthearted, rockier territory. It feels like a modern radio country-rock song, but very much still done in Ian’s signature style. The chorus is very Southern and Western, fitting his usual sound despite the verses giving off more of a FGL vibe. Somehow, the two parts and styles fit excellently together, like this is a completely normal thing that Ian is doing, and not something crazy and breaking new ground in the best way. It’s Munsick’s take on a stadium country song, and is completely excellent. Even the riffing is a lot of fun! What would you know, another huge highlight!

Another short interlude, and another big single in ‘Palomino Eyes’. The Spanish vibes return with that opening guitaring, and once again Ian’s vocals fit perfectly over the top. It’s another relatively stripped-back song, reminding me a little of ‘Blue Roan’ in that it builds a lot through its first third or so. However, it is still beautiful throughout, and just makes the song even more awesome when it gets into its higher gears. The harmonies and some of Ian’s higher notes are incredible, and the guitars and strings fill out underneath it perfectly. It was a good choice for a single again, that’s for sure, but with an album of this hugely high quality, it may be one that gets left to the wayside a little.

‘Earn Your Spurs’ is the most Western track on the album, and is a lot of fun! It’s pretty up-beat for the album and has a poppier vibe to it, but is a fantastic song in its own right! Honestly, to the point where I’m shocked this wasn’t a pre-release single, too! Everything from the instruments to the hugely catchy chorus to the little extra touches on the production and writing side of things, it’s all SO GOOD. It’s yet another song that I think I’m a little obsessed with coming out of this, and is another massive highlight for me!

Another fun interlude (though I have to say none are quite as great as those from Eagle Feather), single ‘World War III’ is another stripped-back, grandiose Western-Americana track. Again, I can’t help but marvel at the incredible production and little touches throughout, all making the song sound so massive, and makes me incredibly curious to hear if it is pulled off live. The chorus is still pretty damn catchy, and once again Ian’s vocal range and power is a high point of it. It feels redundant at this point to say the song is good, but it truly is. It’s crazy that Ian is still firing on all cylinders this late into a longer album, honestly!

And finally, we have reached the closer, ‘Winter in Wyoming’. Part of me was shocked that he went with another more up-beat, rockier Western number over an epic ballad, but it’s still a good song, and ties a bow around the album perfectly. It’s a fun, catchy song that has elements of everything that preceded it, as well as being a single-worthy chorus just like the rest! Despite it being an ‘album track’ and the closer at that, it is still worth listening to, and I’d recommend it to anyone! An amazing song to close out an amazing album!

Overall: Once again, Ian Munsick puts out an absolutely amazing album! I was already won over by the singles, but every single album track also knocks it straight out of the park. There’s no one that sounds or makes music quite like Ian, and his winning formula once again paid off here. My only slight note is that the album doesn’t quite feel like it flows as well as Eagle Feather, though that might have been because I enjoyed its interludes more, as I said already. But the album as a whole, is still absolutely phenomenal. It’s an absolute must for any country fan, and don’t be surprised to see it once again high on our albums of the year list come December!

The Score: 9/10

Interviews & Features

Alex Hughes: ‘I’m definitely looking forward to the next project!’

Leave a comment

We chatted to the wonderful Alex Hughes the other day about her new EP, the country music scene and her future plans. Check it all out below!

The EP’s been out a couple of weeks now, right? It seems to have gone down really well!

Yeah, it’s been a pretty great response! So, I feel really grateful that people are are digging the music!

What’s it like to finally have it out after a run of singles the last few years?

It’s been kind of surreal. Doing the single thing for years has been fun, but it just hasn’t felt like a collection of music. So, these songs all together, I’ve been working on them for three to five years, some of them. So it’s so nice to finally have see them through completely from the writing to the recording. And to I got to pick up my very first vinyl! So, just be able to even hold it in your hands is something that’s been on the bucket list for a while for me.

Was it always the same tracks on the EP? Or have some hopped on in that time or been released as a single instead?

Yeah, that’s a great question! It kind of all came together organically, and I did do a writing trip specifically for songs for the EP. But how it did end up changing was, we added one last song, not last minute, but, like, after the others were recorded. That was ‘Slow Dancing in the Kitchen’, and it’s ’cause I I couldn’t release the EP without having it on there!

What’s the plan moving forward? The EP’s only just dropped but is there another release already in the pipeline?

Absolutely, yeah. We’ve we’ve actually got a Summer Surprise that’s going to drop in July. so that’s exciting. And then, yeah, I’ve been writing a ton. So, I’m definitely looking forward to the next project. I think we’re going to definitely do another EP, we’re just kind of collecting those songs now. We’ll get in the studio hopefully soon, kind of after the summer rush, and, yeah, get back in it!

It seems like it’s so difficult these days to plan what you want to put out and how you want to release it, with the streaming algorithms and all this now. It’s such a nightmare to try and keep up with it all!

It is, and it’s just interesting ’cause music’s being consumed so quickly, and there’s so much good music out there. And it’s expensive to produce and release music, so it’s kind of balancing all those things like budgets and keeping up with the demand. But creating something that feels complete, it’s like, it’s a balance.

What’s the writing process like for you?

I know, at least with country, there’s a lot more focus on writing with other people or getting songs from other people. It’s quite fascinating to see from more of a rock background that everyone is kind of writing for each other and chipping in. It’s pretty cool!

Right, yeah. No, you’re so right. It’s so interesting how different genres sort of have their creative process, and then I know it’s different artist to artist, too.

Yeah, but for me, I spend a lot of time just with my guitar coming up with ideas, and brainstorming like titles, hooks. My voice notes on my phone is just absolutely filled with a million (probably terrible) ideas, but they’re there! And then I co-write a lot. So, what I usually do is collect those ideas, and then before I do, let’s say, a writing trip, or even just buckle down and do like a week’s worth of writing, I’ll go through all those ideas, figure out which ones are bad, which ones are good, and which ones I want to kind of maybe present because you can kind of tell, at least, sort of in the country world when you look into the background of somebody, what someone’s strengths might be. So, then I’m like, oh, I have this idea that I think this writer would really be able to help me create!

Do you have a favourite track on the EP?

Ooh, that’s a great question! Um, yeah. I mean, they’re all, as you know, they’re your song babies, so they feel like they’re all precious. Not to choose a favorite child! But, I guess I think maybe the title track, “Taking Me Home,” is my favorite because it it sort of encompasses all of the things that I wanted the EP to have; some fun, sonic sounds that are a little bit more pop and country and just sort of show the influences that I’ve had throughout my life. And, and then lyrically, it’s a love song, and even though it sounds like it might be surface level, when you really listen, there’s some deep, deep lyric things there. So, I think maybe, if I have to choose my favorite, I’d say this one.

While it’s marketed as your debut EP, you actually released another back in 2013. Are there any comparisons you can make between that one and this new release?

yeah, that EP was the first time I ever recorded all my own songs, and they’re all my originals that I wrote. I wrote every single one all by myself. So, it’s a really special EP, and I think you can very easily hear the growth and the change, and not only in sort of how my music has progressed. Like, I feel like this, my new EP is the type of music that I’ve always wanted to create. I’ve kind of finally landed on the sound that feels artistically like me.

I love that EP and I think it’s a really cool stamp in time. I was like quite young when I did it too, so even lyrically, it’s sort of like, you can hear the youth, like the young voice.

It sounds like you have a busy rest of the year planned in terms of shows, right?

Yeah, yeah. It’s going to be a pretty great summer with lots of festivals here in Canada! And then yeah, we’re looking at maybe doing a bit of a tour in the fall. So yeah, it’s great. This EP really sort of opens some doors for me to be able to get on the road and share these songs with people. We’re at that stage, which is great!

What’s it like being a Canadian country artist? In the UK it’s still a sound so deeply associated with the south of the US!

Yeah, you know, I think it’s a really exciting time to be a Canadian artist. I think our music scene’s starting to finally boom. And and it has been for years, but there’s lots of cool opportunities here. I spent some time living down in Los Angeles and then I did a little bit of back and forth to Nashville, but one thing that’s been kind of amazing about settling in Canada is the opportunities. For example, when I first moved back, I got to do a program called the Canada’s Music Incubator Artist Entrepreneur Program. It’s like this two-week long intensive where you learn all about the music industry, and you just gain all these amazing tools. I’m not sure if they do programs like that over there too, but there are just some really cool ways to get support and help. It’s a cool time, and yeah, there’s just there’s lots of cool things going on, too. Lots of cool venues, the Canadian Country Music Awards are always a really fun week, and lots of opportunities there. So, yeah, it’s exciting!

You seem rather active and sucessful on social media. Do you have any advice for artists just starting out, on that front?

This is something that I’ve truly struggled with, is like, how do you not be annoying? But it’s such a great tool, and I think you just have to get over that. Like, people who want to support you, they’ll like what you’re doing and they’ll think it’s interesting, and those who don’t, they’ll unfollow you, and that’s fine. I think it’s a really great tool, and there’s a bit of a balance between posting so much that you burn out. I’ve definitely gone through those phases where I feel like I don’t have any more ideas and I just can’t do it anymore. But when you find a balance that kind of works, it can be such a good tool. So, I guess my advice is like, don’t be afraid to post, you’re not annoying anybody, and be creative with it, and have some fun, like, it’s a free tool!

Any plans/hopes to come to the UK in the future?

Oh Yeah! Yeah, there’s no plans currently, but I really hope to make it out there soon! I’ve had some interesting people even from the UK reach out that that like the music. So, I would like to get out there and play some shows!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: The War and Treaty, Hard-Fi and More!

Leave a comment

A slightly quieter week this time, but we still have some great releases to be checking out! Let’s dive in!

The War and Treaty: The Story of Michael and Tanya

The second album in two years from the Southern soul duo and honestly, it may take a little growing for me. Tracks like ‘You Can’t Hurt Me Anymore’, ‘Holy Ghost Fire’ and the closer are high points, but the album as a whole is a touch slow. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not known for high pace generally, but they at least have some smattered throughout their projects. This is just all ballads aside for closer ‘High Heels’. Said track is up there among their best, honestly, but it certainly took some getting to. While I did very much like Plus One, it was a slight step below Lover’s Game for me in hindsight, and this release once again takes another sad step down. I did enjoy the concept of the release, the pair highlighting the ups and downs of their marriage from each perspective. However, it felt like they didn’t lean into each other as much, more having each track be a solo one with the other as backup. The emotion is still there, but it can make for a damn depressing listen at times. When they do sing together though, it still very much works to perfection. They still have two of the best voices in music currently. They just felt less of a team sharing each song than usual.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not exactly their target audience, and I’m sure plenty of their fans will love this. It’s still not a bad album by any stretch. However, it’s nothing we haven’t had from them before, except it leans hard on the stuff that I like a little more in moderation from the duo. As I said, hopefully it grows on me, as I’ll certainly be giving it more listens. For now, I can’t give it much more than 7.5/10.

Hard-Fi: Sweating Someone Else’s Fever

Having known the name for a while, I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard a track by the UK indie rockers outside of their big hit. However, the first album in a decade and a half and since their 2022 reunion, there was no way I wasn’t checking it out to see what all he hype was for.

It’s at very least interesting. The opener is terrible, but I did enjoy the Latin-infused single ‘Digo Nada’. Tracks like ‘Looking for Fun’ and ‘Now and Then’ are also pretty good! However, overall it isn’t really the sort of thing I’m into much. None of it is bad at all, and does have a bit of a nostalgic twinge for me from when this sort of style was big in the bands heyday. If you are big into this sort of music, you’ll almost certainly have a lot of love for this. The band are clearly talented! Krysten Cummings also does great on her two guest tracks, adding a lot to the sound. However, the whole album is a bit boring and samey, dragging across its 40 minutes. It’s nothing that hasn’t been done before, and feels kinda dated; a little expected given their time off. As I say, if you’re a fan of the band or 2000s/2010s indie music, this is worth a listen. Outside of that though, I don’t think it’s win many new fans over. If it was on I wouldn’t turn it off, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to this again. 5/10

When Rivers Meet: Rhythm Rust & Static

Coming just one year after the awesome Addicted to You, the husband-and-wife blues duo are back with album number five. I feels like the pair have gone a bit heavier with this release too, which was awesome to hear! I was hooked right from the opener, and not let go for the full 41 minutes. ‘Caught in the Middle’, ‘I’m Ready for You’ and ‘My Time Is Done’ are big personal highlights, but honestly the whole album is fantastic and has a great flow to it. Heck, as a soon-to-be-parent, hearing the pair of new parents write and perform a track like ‘Bring Life’ was truly beautiful. They are such a phenomenal combined talent, and I honestly feel like they have the ingredient that I was missing from War and Treaty above; they play off each other and compliment each other perfectly throughout. The pair and their backing band are all insanely talented, and I think they’ve maybe crafted their most cohesively high-quality release yet! Another incredibly solid 9/10 from us!

Endseeker: Coffin Born

The farewell EP from the German death metallers is a fittingly brutal. It’s 22 minutes of fast paced, heavy music, and each track is as good as the last! ‘Enemies of Peace’ is an amazing opener packed with some truly great lyrics. ‘Coffin Born’ goes hard too, and the Lord of the Lost-featuring ‘True Survivor’ not only closes things out perfectly, but adds some great dynamics to the release with some clean vocals. As I said though, the whole thing is great from beginning to end. It’s a shame to see the band go, but what a note to end it on! If to are into the heavier end of stuff at all, this is definitely worth a spin! I can’t give it any less than 8/10

Warning: Rituals of Shame

The first album from the British doom band in a whopping two decades finally dropped this last Friday, to much hype from its cult following. It’s 45-minutes of darkness and despair, the band picking things up like they never left it off in the first place. It’s only five tracks long, but each is proggy, doom-filled epicness, and it all flows surprisingly well together. Don’t get me wrong, on the whole it’s maybe a little slow for me personally, but I still very much appreciate the talent and writing that went into creating this! Having said that, I really enjoyed ‘Stations’, and closer ‘Teacher’ is awesome too. It all just feels a bit similar to me, and the slower doom stuff doesn’t hit as hard when that’s all it is, if that makes sense? For fans of the band, I imagine this is like Christmas, and it is certainly a worthy successor to Watching from a Distance. And while it is damn good doom metal, I can’t give it any more than 7/10

Pond: Terrestrials

Following up 2024’s Stung!, the Australian psychedelic five-piece show off their incredible talent once again here! While not typically my sort of thing on paper, I had a blast listening to it in full! Nestled comfortably between Yes, Deep Purple and ELO, their sound is awesome, and each member plays their asses off throughout, all getting their own time to shine. Personal highlights include ‘Casuarina’, ‘Roebuck Plains’ and ‘Personal Hell’, but the whole album is pretty damn good! If you like the softer, proggier side of rock music, this is absolutely an album for you. It’s not something I’ll be spinning too often, but will most likely be checking it out again in the relatively near future. It’s a solid 7.5/10, and is another that may grow on me even more through the rest of the year!

Inherits the Void: The Silent Abscission

This atmospheric black metal album is honestly awesome! Y’all know by now that I have an up-and-down relationship with black metal, but this was interesting and entertaining as hell throughout. Having elements of almost tech death added to the rest was awesome, the sheer playing and writing ability on display being off the charts. From the opener to ‘In the Shadow of the Falling Star’ to ‘A World Unmade’, the album is packed full of great songs! It’s another release that flows fantastically too, not at all feeling nearly 50 minutes in length. It’s not a release for everyone, but I really enjoyed it, and will certainly be spinning it again plenty moving forward. Even if you aren’t typically into black metal, give this a try, it will almost certainly win you over like it did me! 8.5/10, great stuff!

Kashus Culpepper: Act I: Summer Nights

The new EP from the rising country star is a short but very sweet affair. Three new songs, backed up by a fantastic cover and an interlude, and it makes for incredibly easy listening! It’s 13 minutes of chilled-out, beautiful pop-country/Southern soul, and I can’t get enough! ‘Let me Show You Love’ is fantastic, as is ‘Til the Sun Goes Down’. However, there is no beating that fantastic Glen Campbell cover, it opens things up perfectly. I remember checking out his debut album back at the start of the year and not minding it, but honestly this was a step up in quality for me! I feel like the brief nature of this release (Act I is long) helped it a lot, it being all-killer, no-filler. I’ll definitely be listening to this again, probably a fair bit over the summer, and would urge anyone reading this to check this out! Another incredibly easy 8.5/10 from us!

Swim Deep: Hum

Album five from the indie collective is another chilled-out release for us this week. I can’t say I’d really heard of them before checking out this album, and while it’s not usually my sort of style, I definitely had fun with it! It’s simple and relaxed and gives off a real early-mid 2000s vibe that I can’t help but be a little nostalgic for. And, from ‘You, Me and Mary’ to ‘Such a Fool’ to ‘In Dreams Alive’, there is a lot to love. It’s maybe a little too similar for me in terms of pace and sound for an album as a whole, but I’ll definitely be coming back to the aforementioned tracks pretty regularly! For any indie fans reading this, this is certainly an album for you. I’m at least curious to go back and check out the rest of their back catalogue to see if it’s all this good. And, while I do so, this gets a solid 7/10

Shadowborne: Heaven’s Falling

Time for a debut album, us having surprisingly few this week. The power metal newcomers kill it with this release! From the excellent opener ‘High and Low’ to ‘Hold the Door’ to ‘The Wall’, there is so much to love throughout, though the whole album is pretty excellent! If you are even a passing fan of power or heavy metal, give this a spin ASAP! From the soaring vocals to the solid drumming to the excellent riffs and synth, it’s all so damn good. And the choruses, they are easily a high point of the release as a whole, they are all so infectiously catchy. The band are going to go very far in the scene if this release is anything to go by. I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here, but for now I’ll certainly be listening to this a lot moving forward. I can’t give it any less than 8/10!

Mork: Monolitt

The ninth album from Thomas Eriksen’s black metal project is another brutal addition to their growing discography. It’s a perfect encapsulation of the 2nd wave of the genre, though with some real top-notch production that honestly helps it a lot. There are some awesome riffs throughout, and some truly heavy drums and screams. It’s a little more straight forward than Inherits the Void above, so did struggle to hold my attention a little more. However, there was enough more death metal-like parts that I still found myself enjoying it! Single ‘Ødelagt’ is a big high point of the release, as is ‘Martyr’. And the rest all sounds fairly similar, so if you generally like your metal black, you’re bound to love this! Another solid 7/10

Tucker Zimmerman: Dream Me a Dream

The criminally underrated folk singer-songwriter put out his fifth album this decade so far this last Friday. It’s a stripped-back, relaxed affair and a 37 minutes I found myself enjoying far more than I expected to! The lyrics were amazing, and sometimes the swell of the strings and other instrumentation around Tucker bring out so much emotion. ‘Don’t Feel Like Doing Nothing Today’ is probably my favourite, but I also really like the Lou Reed-like ‘Rooftops of San Francisco’. He’s an old-school storyteller through and through, and it’s cool to still be getting this sort of music being released. It’s probably not something I’d revisit a huge amount, but I can appreciate the hell out of the musicianship that went into it, and certainly liked it. It was cool to just throw on and get lost in the lyricism and feel of it all. And, for that, it gets an easy 7.5/10

News

Smithfield Announce UK & Europe Tour!

Leave a comment

Texas-raised, Nashville-based Country duo Smithfield have today announced multiple headline UK shows, in addition to their appearance at the British Country Music Festival in Blackpool. Their anticipated return will see them playing in London, Newcastle, York, Birmingham and Selsey.

“We have been anxious to make it back to the UK since our performances at C2C London 2023,” shares Smithfield. “We’ll never forget the welcome and warmth we received from the UK crowd and how deeply we felt that our music was appreciated. We’re excited to bring our music to several different cities this time and hopefully make a lot of new fans.

“We are honored that the British Country Music Festival asked us to headline, and we are committed to building our fanbase in the UK for the long-term, and making our British fans feel like part of the Smithfield family. We can’t wait to see you all again, share these songs with you in person, and hopefully meet a lot of you for the first time.”

The duo shared their latest single ‘Let You’ on Friday, the follow up to ‘Giving Up On Us’, released in March. Both songs give fans a taste of their forthcoming project, due for release later in the year. The new single – a playful, up-tempo track about finally giving in to undeniable chemistry, co-written by the duo (Jenn Fielder and Trey Smith) with GRAMMY-nominee Karen Kosowski and Emma D Ashlee, and produced by Smith.

An established name in the US Country scene with 150M+ global streams, 40 Grand Ole Opry appearances and a regular fixture at CMA Fest with their sold-out annual fan parties, Smithfield have been a rising force in music since forming over fourteen years ago. With powerful vocal harmonies and emotionally resonant songwriting, the duo have enjoyed critical acclaim while building a loyal fanbase worldwide.

An established name in the US Country scene with 150M+ global streams, 40 Grand Ole Opry appearances and a regular fixture at CMA Fest with their sold-out annual fan parties, Smithfield have been a rising force in music since forming over fourteen years ago. With powerful vocal harmonies and emotionally resonant songwriting, the duo have enjoyed critical acclaim while building a loyal fanbase worldwide.

30 August 2026 – The Crown Inn & Pub – Selsey, United Kingdom
4 September 2026 – Forty-Five Vinyl Cafe – York, United Kingdom
5 September 2026 – Rodeo’s BBQ – Birmingham, United Kingdom
6 September 2026 – British Country Music Festival, Blackpool, United Kingdom
7 September 2026 – The Cluny – Newcastle, United Kingdom
9 September 2026 – St. Pancras Old Church – London, United Kingdom
11 September 2026 – Nashville Nights Songwriter’s Festival – Odense, Denmark

Tickets for Newcastle are on sale now, while Birmingham and London go on sale this Friday. You can purchase tickets here!

Interviews & Features

Yonah: ‘I think the scene now is defined as more “indie rock” but there’s still folks doing the thing! I think the scene now is defined as more “indie rock” but there’s still folks doing the thing!’ 

Leave a comment

The incredible indie rocker Yonah released his massive debut album today! Ahead of it, we sat and had a quick chat about it, the scene in New York and his touring plans! Check it all out below!

How would you describe your current sound?

I’d describe it as a reflection of my current taste, which is everchanging. My record Bird of Miraclesis rooted in my first major influences, which were mostly folk/indie rock music, but I like to think of my sound as something I can experiment with and mold from project to project.

How did someone from Manhattan get into writing this style? It’s not typically something I’d associate with the area as an outsider! 

I have to give credit to my mother for this one! I grew up listening to two records until I got my first digital device when I was 11. We had an old Subaru Outback that my great grandmother used, and we would listen to a perpetual rotation of Bob Dylan’s The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan and Billy Joel’s Songs in The Attic. When I started playing guitar, my only reference for chords/style was Dylan. I’d also have to disagree slightly that New York is not the typical scene for this music–my major influences come from Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Elliot Smith, who are all artists that spent a significant amount of time in New York. I think the scene now is defined as more “indie rock” but there’s still folks doing the thing! 

The album is out at the end of the month, it seems to have some quite heavy themes, right? 

Yes indeed! I think writing about the songs is heavier than the actual process. I didn’t really conceptualize the weight of what I was writing about until after looking at the songs in hindsight. It’s about death and god and identity. Arguably the top tier heavy topics of this lifetime!

What went into the decision to release an album over another EP or standalone singles? 

I had a concept and I really didn’t want to bend to “the norm.” I understand it’s a risk but catalogue depth and vision is important to me. I prefer to test something I am truly proud of than run a bunch of tests. At this point I’ve also been working on a bunch of new music and have a ton of stuff I’m super excited to release following this record. I think I also just needed to do something substantial to mark this time of my life. It’s really an ode to much of my past and it would feel wrong to wait longer to talk about it.

Do you have a favourite track on the album, and why?

My favorite track varies between 2-3 songs but if I had to choose one it would be “Bugs Blood.” It was the first song I wrote for the album and, in a sense, it laid the foundation for the entire project. It’s about feeling small as a bug in the eyes of god, and it is my most religious song I’ve written. It also ended up being a pretty hard song to produce as we had to experiment with how “intimate” the record version should be. I had played this song mostly myself and a guitar until bringing it to Harper James (producer), and it became a holy puzzle to solve. In the end I’m pretty stoked about how it turned out.

Is more writing still going on in the background?

Always, it never stops, haha! I am addicted to working on new material and it’s a problem. I have the entire follow up record demos ready and I am compiling a bunch of single options/collaborations with new producers. 

Do you have a busy live year planned to promote the album?

To be honest I couldn’t tell you what is in store other than for April. I’m hosting a house show for an early listen to the record and playing a show the night it releases. What comes next will be planned after. It is difficult for my brain to plan more than a couple shows at a time independently as I like to make my shows as intentional as possible. I’d like to start touring as soon as possible but for now the focus is local.

Any plans/hopes to come to the UK for a show or two?

Huge hopes, unfortunately nay plans. If someone can get me a gig I’d be there in a jiffy (DM’s wide open)!

What is the current scene like in NYC for this style of music? 

I think the major breakout act in the city is from Hudson Freeman’s project. When his album came out it helped me feel like this style of music doesn’t exist in a total vacuum. There are artists and bands that I really dig in the city that I think are somewhat close to my vibe, such as Babe City, Robert Leslie, Ken Park, and Mer Marcum. It’s not the most straightforward sonic reference but I think my music lives somewhere in the in-between.

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Any artists you’d want to support or friends you’ll bring with you?

YES. I am deeply in love with the band Babe City in New York. Recently a buddy of mine showed me their music and I fell in love. I really hope to play with them. I also recently made a friend by the name of Arin Reedy who makes the most beautiful music and I think it would be so fun to collaborate or tour together. Big dream tour would be to open for Big Thief or Adrianne Lenker, Cameron Winter, or MJ Lenderman.

If you could have written one song from history, what would it have been and why?

Wowow, I love this question. Probably “I’m On Fire” by Bruce Springsteen. Every time I listen to this song I think to myself “wait, I am on fire. I’ve been on fire. And I would’ve been even more on fire in the 80’s.” I like the idea of making a revolutionary song.

Reviews

Patience to Play: Two Ways Home Knock it Out of the Park with Album Two!

Leave a comment

The incredible Anglo-Austrian duo are set to release their highly anticipated sophomore album tomorrow! Featuring a lot of the singles they’ve put out over the last few years, it’s a real celebration of where they pair are in 2026, as well as a hint of where they are headed with some new songs smattered in for good measure. We’re big fans of the pair here at Overtone, even chatting to them last year and getting some hints of this. So, to say we’re hyped that it’s finally here is an understatement. Let’s dive right in!

The title track opens things up perfectly; a hauntingly beautiful acoustic guitar riff that soon has Lewis’ vocals fitting incredibly over the top. Isabella soon harmonises perfectly too, it all building up fantastically to an almost Southern rock sound. The drums and other instrumentation coming in for the chorus was a fantastic choice, adding some great dynamics to it, and makes it feel effortlessly massive. The particular blend of folk, country and rock is awesome and is pretty uniquely their own. Heck, the bridge is phenomenal, giving off elements of the Who in the drums, Slash in the subtle lead guitars, and yet the vocals still firmly ground in Two Ways Home. It’s an absolutely amazing choice for an album opener, and is a definite early highlight!

‘Waiting on Luck’ is a song I’ve loved since first got into them a couple of years ago. It was a fantastic single back in 2022, once again showcasing the bands mesmerising harmonies, and a bit softer a side to them. Isabella kinda takes the lead vocally this time, but the pair do a fantastic job of always showcasing each other’s talents and working together flawlessly. That chorus is also incredible, and has been stuck in my head periodically since I very first heard it! Even though it’s been out a while, it’s a track that I can’t seem to ever get enough of; simple and soft-rock-infused-country, but is so damn good. So far, two for two on excellent songs! And, acoustically (track 13), it was certainly a standout to me when we saw them at The Long Road last year!

The first new track on the album, ‘Room for Love’, is just as good as the previous two tracks! It definitely keeps the soft rock-like vibe to it, the blues edge to it almost giving it a Lenny Kravitz feel to it. However, by the time the chorus hits, the massive harmonies and big-band-instrumentation, it definitely brings in their country-adjacent sound too. It’s all so good, the instrumentation being as much of a high point as the vocals in this track. That riff through the bridge is awesome, and I love the touch of the chatter and keys behind it, making it a real feel-good moment. I’m coming across as a fangirl already, but this is another great track! It’s all fantastic so far!

We get both the full band and the acoustic version of ‘Polaroid Kids’ on this release. While both are similar, they still channel different energies, and it’s well worth checking both out. Heck, after multiple spins of both, I’m still not sure which I like more! The stripped-back nature of the acoustic one focuses more on the lyrics and the harmonies, but the emotion in the full band is palpable. I do have to say I think the spoken word bit fits better with the electric, in this writers humble opinion. However, as I said, both are excellent. They’re anthemic, ballad-like songs and the electric one breaks up the flow of the album perfectly to that point. And, lyrically, it’s maybe my favourite track on the album.

The most radio-country track here, ‘Feet on the Asphalt’, is a great, upbeat, track not too far removed from something like Russel Dickerson or Thomas Rhett. It’s catchy as anything and infused with enough rock to keep it high-energy. And, once again, the vocal harmonies are like only TWH can do, grounding the track to them despite it being a different feel again. I love the playfulness between the pairs vocal delivery in this track keeping it light and catchy throughout. You guessed it, it’s another amazing track, and one that easily makes our playlist!

‘Medicine Man’ is a more blues/rock based country bangers. It feels a touch darker than most on the release, and almost gives off ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ vibes. And, it has one of the best choruses on the album! We also get a previously-unheard acoustic version of it to close out the album, pushing it much father into the country category in the best way. It takes on more of a Hank Jr vibe to it, the two tracks being so different in sound but both being excellent in their own right.

The following few tracks, ‘She Keeps Time Like a Casino’, ‘Hot Rain’ and ‘Signals in the Smoke’ are all slower songs, much more country-ballad territory. All are excellent songs in their own right, and even though they are one-after-another, it doesn’t feel like the momentum of the release drops at all, most likely due to the high quality. I like ‘Hot Rain’ building to more of a rock ballad by the end, the distorted guitars and soloing adding so much depth to the sound. It’s probably my favourite track of the few, but none of them are bad by any stretch!

‘Hear a Heartbreak’ has more of a soul feel to it, the steady plod and vocal delivery being more akin to Rag’n’Bone or Hozier. It has a fun bounce, energy and swagger to it, and once again when both of their voices entwine together, it’s phenomenal! And it still has enough of their unique brand of rock edge to it to keep it succinct to the album too, a true testament to their writing talents. It’s yet another major album highlight on a release packed full of them!

Meanwhile, ‘Colder Water’ is a straight up Western track, and I am all for it! It’s like I was trapped somewhere between an Eastwood and a Tarantino movie, it was awesome! It’s catchy, and packed full of some fun melodies from both the vocals and the instrumentation. Then you have the last non-acoustic track on the album, ‘Slower Kind of Love’. Honestly, it kinda bridges the gap rather perfectly, having plenty of acoustic elements to it while also having some great drumming for the choruses. It all builds perfectly to the massive bridge and crescendo too, the track being put together excellently. It’s another track I’m a little obsessed with, honestly, and yet another high point of the album!

Overall: This is an amazing album! It explores just about every avenue of country, folk and blues music across its runtime, being long but not feeling like it at all. It’s such an easy listen that goes by in a flash, somehow still leaving me wanting more! Every song is as good as the last, and it’s the perfect showcase of their recent output. If you are in any way into any of the genres named, do yourself a favour and check this out, you won’t be disappointed!

The Score: 9/10

Interviews & Features

Matthew C Whitaker: ‘It is sentimental, yet understated!’

Leave a comment

We chatted to the incredible Matthew C Whitaker the it her day about his latest solo album, current UK tour and future plans with HENGE. Check it all out below!

Is there a certain story or theme around Songs for the Weary, or is it more each track is its own, individual thing?

The lyrics are not necessarily linked by a theme. Rather, the eight gentle songs that make up Songs for the Weary are threaded together sonically and through a shared mood, a lightness of touch, a soothing whistfulness…

It’s been ten years since your last solo album — what prompted a return to this project now?

I am always making lists of the songs that I haven’t yet recorded and dreaming up albums out of the material. This never stopped during the decade between solo albums. My first album, The Man with the Anvil Hat, came out in 2016 just as HENGE were on the cusp of going full time. Four albums of cosmic, rave-infused prog rock and a tour schedule of 100+ shows per year soon followed.

Then 2020/2021 came with all of its cancelled plans, so I approached my dear friend and neighbour Alan Keary (who makes his own music under the name Shunya). He is a brilliant producer and string arranger/player. When I showed him the list of songs on the latest album I had dreamed up, he got really excited about putting string arrangements on them. And so we cracked on…

How does writing your solo work differ from working on stuff like HENGE?

It’s not actually as different as it might seem. Nearly all of my songs start with chords or groove and end with lyrics as the last element to be added. The pmusic is often highly developed in the middle of this process. This is partly because I find writing lyrics to be the hardest part, so I need to be sure the music is good enough before I go to the trouble… combined with a little procrastination around the most toilsome part of the job.

The main difference in the process is that there is usually a longer period of research for HENGE lyrics, as the songs often have scientific subject matter.

Do you have a favourite track on Songs for the Weary?

Yes, I think “Mind How You Go” is my favourite song on the album. It is written from the perspective of a worried mother as her loved ones embark on a car journey in icy, foggy weather. The simple elegance of the melody and loving concern in the lyrics are set against an extremely sparse arrangement. It is sentimental, yet understated. I am particularly happy with how it sounds on the record.

Is solo writing still going on after the release? Or is it back to focusing on HENGE or other projects for a bit?

Yes, I am always knocking around musical ideas. I have a couple of guitars hanging on the wall of my living room (one of them — a ¾-size antique Italian classical guitar — makes a cameo on the front of the album cover). So I only have to pluck one off its stand and see if anything comes out.

That said, there is always some HENGE going on. I also manage the band, so there is a constant slew of emails to answer. Between starting Songs for the Weary and releasing it, we released the HENGE album Alpha Test 4 and wrote/recorded/released and toured Journey to Voltus B.

My solo stuff has to fit around HENGE, not the other way around. So these solo albums might take a bit longer to make it from conception to release. However, I think it’s healthy to have contrasting musical projects running in parallel. I can always find a few hours to work on solo ideas.

You’re right in the middle of your UK tour to support the album — how’s it gone so far?

It has been wonderful!

As Alan was so deeply involved in the album, we decided to tour the record as a duo, with Alan playing an opening set of his Shunya material.

I wasn’t sure how many people would turn up to the shows, but so far each one has either been sold out or packed out. The audiences have struck the perfect balance between being attentive and up for the craic.

Do you have a Busy year planned for after the tour?

Yes, HENGE are touring Europe in the spring and then we have a very busy festival season. Plans are shaping up for the autumn but that is all top secret!

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support or friends you’d want to bring along?

It would be great to tour my solo show with a full band including a string quartet. With HENGE I’d love to open for The Prodigy.

If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why?

Sorry to be boring but I don’t really think about this kind of question. I wouldn’t want to write someone else’s song. They have their songs and I have mine. I’m happy with that.

Reviews

Of Ghosts and Gods: How Does Sons of Town Hall’s Second Offering Match up to Their Debut?

Leave a comment

The Transatlantic folk duo of David Berkeley and Ben Parker are set to release their highly anticipated sophomore album tomorrow. I honestly hadn’t known them before a couple of weeks ago when I got emailed about this release, but since then have become a big fan. Their sound and writing style is so unique, hooking me in from my very first listen. I got the chance to interview the pair about the release, and it has only gotten me more hyped for it. Almost all of it has been dropped as singles over the last couple of years, but I am incredibly interested to hear how it all fits together as a release. Without further ado, let’s dive right into this, shall we?

‘Gods’ starts the release off incredibly, with a beautiful piano melody. The strings building in behind it gradually add another fantastic layer, immediately taking the listener on a journey. And then, after a bit, some incredible choir vocals add to it, the layering being utterly phenomenal. It’s feels like it crescendos around the two minute mark, dropping back to the piano and this time a guitar, the layers building back up masterfully for the tracks conclusion. Honestly, it gave me goosebumps and immediately drew emotion out of me. I’m not sure if that’s because we typically don’t cover this sort of style, but I was wrapped up and washed away in the album immediately from this track alone. It’s the perfect way to set up an album like this. Beautiful, well put together, and full of emotion.

The beautiful vibes continue excellent with ‘How to Build a Boat’. The acoustic guitar chord progression setting things up perfectly, and the harmonised vocals coming in over the top of it sounded amazing. The layering of the vocals is incredible too, with the main hook continuing on while a verse line comes in over the top. It keeps its catchy edge and fits together like two jigsaw pieces. The vocals join together again for the massive chorus, it being just as catchy as the other part, a melody sure to be stuck in my head for days to come! The strings once again coming in for the chorus is amazing too, adding just another layer of greatness on top of the rest. It all combines together perfectly to make something truly epic and grandiose, and I loved every second of it. This is a massive early highlight, and a track that very easily makes our playlist!

The simple acoustic-and-vocal combo continues perfectly through the opening of ‘Wild Winds’. It sounds gorgeous, and the lyrics here are phenomenal, packed full of feeling and emotion and being such good storytelling. And just adding that second vocal on for the chorus was a great call, making it feel bigger while still keeping that simplicity and feel. The rest of the instrumentation doesn’t come in until the bridge, feeling more than earned as the percussion and horns come in, adding to everything fantastically. When the multi-layers vocals came in over it all it once again gave me goosebumps. And, just as quickly as they came in, they were gone again, dropping back to the simple guitar and vocals. This is yet another phenomenal track, and one that I’ll definitely be revisiting plenty! What a first quarter of the album!

‘The Lion’s Paw’ and ‘Whalebone’ both start in a similar way to ‘…Winds’, stripped back to just one instrument and vocals. Both build up similarly to the previous track too, reaching grand levels of instrumentation by the mid-point. However, the latter does feel a little different, the almost haunting vocals in the opening and bridge giving it a vaguely ritualistic feel. It also has one of the biggest, gradualist builds of the album, it reaching huge heights by the end. It’s a true testament to the duo’s songwriting and producing skill, and sounds absolutely brilliant. The heightening pace of the guitar is also amazing, giving it a real sense of urgency building more and more. It’s yet another high point of the album for me, on an album so far jam packed with them. DAMN.

We then reach a run of the album’s recent singles, ‘The Rocky Shores of England’, ‘Antarctica’ and ‘Sirens’. The former was my introduction to the band and has remained a mainstay of my music listening for the last few weeks now. It’s yet another perfectly encapsulates what the band is about and their style, and was a fantastic choice for a lead single. It also has some of the best lyrics on the album, truly touching. Meanwhile, the latter is a quirky, female-vocal-featuring track that I’ve already gushed about plenty. However, it’s a track I have listened to a few times, and is entrancingly beautiful. Then you have ‘Antarctica’, and what another incredible highlight! Starting low, it builds steadily into something truly special by the end. It’s an uplifting track from a lyrical standpoint, and the instrumentation reflects that perfectly. It was another goosebump-inducing track, and is honestly incredible. The multiple-vocals were so powerful. I’d arguably have closed the album with it, it’s that grandiose. But yeah, check this out ASAP, it’s maybe my favourite track on the album!

The final few tracks, from ‘New Orleans’ to ‘Ghosts’, are all amazing tracks in their own right. They follow a similar structure and vibe as the others on the album, so didn’t want to repeat myself over and over, but know that they are all great and worth spinning. I especially love the simple instrumental closer, it bringing the album full circle perfectly: I love that the album is bookended by its two title tracks. The duo take the listener on such a journey, and really don’t let you go until the end. It is well worth listening through the album in full at least once, as you really get to appreciate each track in its entirety and how they fit into one another!

Overall: This is an absolutely fantastic release! I’d expected to like it heading in, but wasn’t expecting to be blown away quite this much! Every track is great, while some I am legitimately obsessed with! And it all flows together so perfectly, too. The pair are amazing songwriters, and have crafted something so beautiful and special with this release. From the vocals to the lyrics to the arrangements, it’s all incredible. It won’t be for everyone, but if you have made it this far you must be at least a little interested, and I can’t recommend checking this out enough!

The Score: 9/10

P.S. shoutout to the cover art, which is truly stunning!

Features, Reviews

Cam and Amélie Farren Rock the O2 Institute!

Leave a comment

This is one we’ve been waiting for for a while! We booked tickets all the way back in August when it was announced, we have been excited ever since. We hadn’t seen the country megastar since The Long Road a few years back, but then she honestly put on one of the best sets I’d ever seen, so we snapped up tickets as soon as we could; there was no way we were missing her. Plus, the downstairs of the Institute is such a quirky little room that always has some really great sound, especially when it’s full like it was the other night, so we were surely in for a good time!

I wasn’t actually really familiar with Amélie at all heading into this, bar a track or two I’d checked out in the days prior. Honestly though, she blew me away here, and certainly has a new fan in me! She was the perfect mix of folk-country, rock and 90s/early 2000s pop. There was everything from Alanis Morissette to The Cranberries to Paula Cole to Ingrid Andress. All the sounds blended together perfectly, and her great vocals and amazing lyric writing also added so much to that. Her songwriting skills are fantastic, and it’s easy to see why she was paired up with Cam for this tour. And, kudos to her for going up on stage on her own in front of a packed out crowd, playing all her own music and using a track for the other instruments; when supporting a full band that is no easy feat! However, that is my only one vague negative(ish): I’d have loved to have seen this with a full band. I completely get the logistical and sadly now financial nightmare of having a band on tour with you, but I can only imagine her songs somehow being even better with instruments performed live, and I feel like she could have been able to do more without having to focus on the backing as much. Still, it’s a minor gripe as it was still a great set, and she won a lot of the crowd over pretty quick into it! Definitely one to keep an eye on!

After a short break, the headliner soon took the stage! I have to say right off the bat that ‘Slow Down’ was one of the most unexpectedly perfect set openers I’ve ever heard. It was simple yet so damn effective, setting the tone of the evening fantastically with the chilled-yet-poignant vibe and the killer harmonies. From there, we got a full whistle-stop tour of her fantastic new album; all the highs and painfully lows. Whether it’s slower, melancholic numbers like ‘Everblue’ or ‘Hallelujah’ or the lighter later numbers like ‘Kill the Guru!’ and ‘Look at the Pretty Girls!’, Cam and her band really took the crowd on a journey. Heck, we even got the beautiful lullaby she wrote for her sister/daughter, ‘Meet you By the River’, a touching, memorable moment of the set that I may have shed a tear over. Leaving out only two from the release (damn I would have loved ‘Wherever You Are’), it was awesome to hear so much love given to her new release. ‘Alchemy’ was another big highlight, as was ‘Kill the Guru!’.

Then we reached the back third of the set and she busted out the very best of her greatest hits. From bangers off her debut like ‘Mayday’ and ‘Hungover on Heartache’ to massive single ‘Til There’s Nothing Left’ and even a version of ‘AMERICAN REQUIEM’, the song she wrote for Beyoncé, it was all awesome. The two late-stage highlights had to be her big hits, though. ‘Diane’ is the perfect live track, whipping the crowd up into a frenzy as they sung along to every word. Then you have the emotion-filled ‘Burning House’, her breakout song and a track that the audience hung on every note of. Having seen both live before, I find it hard to believe either will get old, as I loved them both here, too! And that’s not even mentioning the tear-jerking, beautiful encore of ‘Village’ a song that will never not reduce me to tears, and when done so beautifully live I don’t even mind!

And hell, we haven’t even talked about her band, yet! On top of Cam’s incredible performance, all three of her band-mates also played their asses off throughout. Be it drums or multiple guitars or keys, as well as the absolutely stunning, powerful harmonies, they were all so good. Also, playing a cheeky bit of ‘Crazy Train’ during a big song-ending solo while in Birmingham was a master stroke, I hear you Simon! They all complimented Cam perfectly, who really put her all into the performance. A true storyteller, she’s perfectly introduce each song as it was coming up, giving it some backstory as well as being so endearing and comical, holding the crowd in the palm of her hand throughout. And, on top of that, she is a criminally underrated vocalist, singing hear heart out through her entire set, it sometimes sounding somehow even better than on track. As much as I enjoyed her the other year, knowing more of her stuff this time made it even more special!

So, there you have it, folks. An amazing night of live Americana and country music, performed by two incredible artists! Amélie warmed the crowd up perfectly, while Cam put on every bit as incredible a show as I was expecting heading in. I can’t recommend either artist enough, either on track or live, so check them out as soon as you possibly can. As much as we’ve literally just seen her and just had a new album from her, I am already ready for more Cam, that’s how good she truly is! It’ll surely be a night we won’t soon forget!

Interviews & Features

Sons of Town Hall: ‘It is an uncanny, almost magical collaboration!’

Leave a comment

We chatted to the awesome Americana/folk duo about their sound, upcoming album and touring plans! Check it all out below!

How would you describe your sound?

It’s a mix of British and American folk influences–put Nick Drake and John Martyn in a crock pot with Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel and you get close. 

Quite an interesting name for a band, given that both parties are from seemingly different worlds. How did it come about?

We wanted to name ourselves after a boat that had crossed the Atlantic, given that we’re from England and America. We stumbled upon the story of a man named Poppa Neutrino who built a raft of junk called The Son of Town Hall (because those words were carved into a piece of wood toward the bow).  We studied the man and became increasingly fascinated by his story, which we incorporated into the mythic world we created for ourselves.

The single drops next week, what can you tell me about it? Is there a certain story around the track? 

There are stories behind all our tracks, many of them are found in the podcast Madmen Cross the Water. Sirens recasts the Greek myth onto the American frontier and plays upon the idea of mirages and false hopes, which all too often lead the weary, desperate traveler astray.  More generally, though, it’s a song about looking for some kind of comfort and kindness in the world, wherever that can be found.

It is part of a wider release, Of Ghosts and Gods, releasing at the start of next month. How does the track fit into that? Is it all of a similar vein in terms of sound and story, or is it more focused per individual track? 

Sirens is unique in that it features the Canadian trio The Pairs singing the part of the sirens in the choruses. So sonically, this song stands out a bit as no other track features any other vocalists. But the production is similar. There is a gorgeous string quartet on this track who play on much of the album. And conceptually, this song is very much part of the album’s story cycle, which follows the two protagonists around the world in adventure after adventure, managing to maintain their optimism and friendship no matter the trial or the setback. 

What is the writing process like for the band?

We have a great deal of respect for each other’s gifts as a writer and trust in the other’s artistry. Often one of us has the start, but as we sit together and begin play and sing, the song very quickly transforms into something that sounds like us. It is an uncanny, almost magical collaboration, which I think can be sensed simply in the blend of our voices, which makes the writing process move very quickly once an idea is there.

Do you have a favourite track on the upcoming album?

That’s like choosing between children! It’s a tough one. ‘Antarctica’ is one of the more epic numbers on the album. At the start of it, you’d have no idea how soaring the song was going to end up. The production is a metaphor for the message of the song, which is about believing in a dream despite the odds and obstacles. Every great journey begins with a single step, as they say, and so too with this song, as it starts plaintively in unison and ends with strings and brass and percussion and lots of voices. I think the song is particularly relevant at this moment where so many feel unhappy with how the world is and want to be able to believe in something bigger and better. Our project creates a space for that.

Had quite the busy year of touring already in the leadup to the release, right? Does the business continue throughout the year? 

Pretty much, yes. We’ve been getting more and more offers to play. The issue now is how to honour them all!

Any plans to play the UK again any time in the future?

Yes, we have a string of dates in June that we’re very much looking forward to.

What brought the idea for doing a podcast around?

Our show has always merged storytelling and song. And the stories we’ve created aren’t the typical singer-songwriter earnestly telling you how they wrote this or that song. We take audiences to New Orleans and talk about working in the circus or describe the storms at sea that nearly killed us. We’ve always been interested in how far we could take a tale. During Covid, we were unable to tour and so we began writing more elaborate versions of the stories, which ultimately became the podcast. If you see us in concert, I think you’ll find the pod to be a really beautiful way of going deeper into the fiction and turning us, ironically, into more real characters.

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support or friends you want to bring along with you? 

If Tom Waits asked us to jump on his bus, we wouldn’t hesitate!

If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why? 

We love so many songs. But we’re pretty happy with how all of them turned out. We’re more interested in continuing to craft our music together and push the performing genre in as interesting and moving a way as we can.