Carried in Sound

Carried in Sound, the 6th (maybe the 8th?) album by Smoke Fairies was released in 17th November 2023. The album making process was very much a DIY aesthetic, they would phone me up every so often and say they'd worked on some tracks and would like me to come over to record some viola... and drink some ale. It was a beautiful thing to be involved with and the album made it to number 16 in the actual real charts! 

TOUR(S)!

 As ever, I've been incredibly slack at updating this blog. 

I forgot to mention that Firestations were supporting legendary New York musician come comic book artist come all-round genius Jeffrey Lewis at Bedford Esquires who was brilliant as ever and Bedford is so lucky to have such a fabulous venue in the Bedford Esquires, thanks to all at Esquires for being friendly, professional and all-round excellent people.

I've probably forgotten some other things too but I wanted to come here and mention two upcoming tours I'm playing, one of which is a tour split into manageable portions, certainly one way of prolonging a tour and there are fewer things worse than the end of  a tour; the passing of a pet rabbit maybe? you should come to some shows 'cos god knows how long any of us will be able to keep doing this stuff! We would appreciate you being there. 

///  FIRESTATIONS TICKETS   ///  SMOKE FAIRIES TICKETS  /// 

If you're looking for some other stuff to listen to, I'd recommend Sweeping Promises' new(ish) album, which is bursting full of energy and more hooks than a fisherman's bag. In a similar vein, but even more bonkers is Snooper's album, it makes you feel alive and even 6Music have picked up on it! Pale Blue Eyes's new album This House has also just landed and is unbelievably great.

See you on tour!

Thick Terrain by Firestations OUT NOW

I am one of the apparently dwindling numbers of people who still really value the album as a format for expressing the thing(s) you want to express. 

Today is an exciting day because our album Thick Terrain is out via Lost Map records, it's an eclectic mix of dream-pop, indie-rock and electronica, it's an album that imho flows beautifully, and an album I'm proud to be a part of with the good people of Firestations. 

The album is out now via all the usual streaming places.

We're also playing a show at the Shacklewell on Saturday. 

Thanks for listening.

Tape Runs Out at the Old Library

Cambridge's Tape Runs Out have made one of my favourite albums of the year so far and the Old Library is fast becoming one of my favourite venues in London, so it's going to be a special one!

TICKETS

Tape Runs Out: a 6-piece band based in Cambridge. Their sound inventively weaves electronic and acoustic, with the unusual addition of violin and hammered dulcimer alongside the more familiar guitars, keys and drums. Their distinctive style has variously been described as psych, shoegaze, post-rock and alt-folk.

...support from Hypsoline and Barbican Estate.

Firestations at the Shacklewell Arms

 

Thick Terrain is released on Friday (more on that later) and we're doing this show to mark the occasion! we've done a ton of rehearsals in prep for this, involving me navigating pretty much the entire TFL network, so it would be great to see some faces. Tickets here.

Eyesore & the Jinx at the Old Library

Pleased to have just announced a new show at a new venue for us (The Old Library, in New Cross), which according to WeGotTickets venue profile, it's the twenty first venue in the books, and what a gig it's going to be; in the shape of 'Liverpool’s favourite fidgety trio' Eyesore & The Jinx, tickets are on sale now. They're a band we've put on before and a band I've gone to see many times over the years, there's just something about them, an odd precision, mesmeric like a snake charmer. 

Bad Friday all-dayer ft. Public Body, Hadda Be, The New Eves... at The Windmill Brixton

Bad Friday all-dayer ft. Public Body, Hadda Be, The New Eves... at The Windmill Brixton : BAD FRIDAY ALLDAYER Ft. Public Body, Hadda Be, The New Eves, Total Luck, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Dog Race, Pop Vulture, Red Ivory...

// Daniel McDonagh // Smoke Fairies

Daniel McDonagh's album is out today; the first recording session was at the tail end of my experience with long covid, a fun experience involving waking up every morning feeling like I'd been run over by a tank and feeling that way all day. I was a bit apprehensive about the session 'cos I thought I might just have to lie on the floor for the whole thing. It was fine though, and I think it actually helped. Give the album a listen.

Smoke Fairies release the latest track off their forthcoming EP, featuring some of my viola drones. Oh, and there's also a gig coming up at Omeara.

I also keep forgetting to share this playlist of stuff I'm currently listening to. Time happens, and time is feeling very unusual at the moment. #ToriesOut #ToriesOut #ToriesOut

In Pursuit of Spring

I played some reverb drenched guitar on the latest track by builder poet Daniel Mcdonagh, it's the last offering before the album comes out:

From Daniel's IG:

"There are certain writers who reconfigure you aesthetically. They help you see the world anew. Cormac McCarthy being my first literary love affair. The other formative writer is word-hoarder, outdoorsman and scholar Rob g Macfarlane

Not only is his own writing of the highest order and importance he introduced me to such luminaries as Nan Shepherd, J. A. Baker, John Muir, Roger Deakin, Eric Ravilious and Barry Lopez. But most relevant to this tune is poet Edward Thomas.

Thomas’s poetry so beautifully encapsulates what England means to him (and to me!) Thomas suffered from severe bouts of depression and recurrent psychological breakdowns, feeling creatively repressed by the endless reviews and ill-paid commissions he had to do to support himself and his family. The countryside around him became for him respite from his depression. His many walks content for his marvellous poetry.

This song explores that, borrows as it's name a title of Thomas' own work and, I sincerely hope, honours his legacy."

Part Of It All

I can't remember if it was before or after the Greenhouse gig but at some point around then Kaf and Jess Smoke Fairies said they'd written a bunch of songs and would like me to put some viola on them. Part of It All is the first fruit from those recording sessions, and they were interesting sessions with Kaf and Jess recording everthing themselves through an SM58 microphone, embracing the limitations and carefully considering every note I played.

Looks like this is the first Smoke Fairies release I've played on for eight whole years; time is an absurd thing. There's a good, albeit bleak Stuff You Should Know Podcast epidsode about time, how your perception of time changes as you get older.

Anyway, give the song a spin.