Lloyd James Fay releases debut solo album on Platform Records

Having already caught the critics’ ear (Radio 1, Channel 4) as frontman of acclaimed Scottish alternative rock quartet Thula Borah, Lloyd James Fay embarks on his first foray into solo territory with the highly anticipated release of his beguiling debut LP, The Black River Chronicles.

An introspective reflection of his formative years, childhood stories and forlorn first loves in suburban Lanarkshire’s creaking post-steel-industry suburbs, the album sees the Glaswegian suburbanite rocker turn pastoral singer-songwriter and embrace the subtler ambient and acoustic textures that pepper his band’s catalogue.

Recorded in 2012 at the famous Gargleblast Studios in Hamilton with renowned engineer and producer Andy Miller, who’s production credits include albums by such Scottish luminaries as Mogwai, Arab Strap, De Rosa and Martin John Henry, 'The Black River Chronicles' is truly a testament to Fay’s prowess as one of the UK’s most gifted troubadours.

A reference to the American Midwestern location of Michael Lesley’s non-fiction book Wisconsin Death Trip, which uses photographs and newspaper cuttings to highlight the harshness of life in Black River Falls during the late nineteenth century and the effects it had on the psychology of the inhabitants, the album combines the autobiographical, heart-on-his-sleeve lyrical style of Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters) with James Taylor’s calm and understated croon and minor key melodies.

As you’d imagine, with such pedigree to draw inspiration from it’s difficult not to fall instantly for 'The Black River Chronicles', especially when the compositions are as pretty as lead single From The Eyewall. A classic love song that reflects on Fay’s first love and all the drama that went with it, a cascade of delicately plucked and arpeggiated chords combine with ambient brushes of distortion to provide a lulling backdrop to Fay’s atmospheric vocals and Miller’s sweet backing harmonies, making for a tender and evocative ballad.

Elsewhere, standout tracks like the wistful 'Such Are Memories' demonstrate Fay’s dexterity and musicianship as a fuller sound – replete with bass, drums, added percussion (all played by Fay) and unexpected blasts of distortion – imbues this melancholic yet uplifting and hopeful tune. According to Fay, the song “is really about how memories, even happy ones, stick with you and can wear away at you, haunting you over the years.”

Just as poignant, the beautiful 'Joy Thief' is a sinister ode to obsessive love with intensely personal lyrics like “Break my heart/I know you want to/In the dark/My ghost will haunt you” granting the listener with an alarmingly intimate portrait of an author who’s bravely chosen to render his soul bare.

Album 'The Black River Chronicles' and lead single 'From The Eyewall' are released on Platform Records. Impact date is June 10th .

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DEAD SEA SOULS release AA single 'Brave' / 'The Comet' on Platform Records

Not a band to rest on their laurels, the relentless Dead Sea Souls follow up the well-deserved success of last year’s debut LP, We Were Always Electric, with blistering standalone double A-Side single Brave / The Comet.

Released via Platform Records, Brave / The Comet sees Gary Burns (bass & vocals), James Sweeney (guitar), David Clark (drums) and Colin Sneddon (guitar & vocals) build on their upbeat, bouncy and disco-funk indebted power pop sound, resulting in undoubtedly their strongest work yet.

“I know bands do this a lot and it sometimes gets met with sighs, but to be totally honest we couldn’t agree on the lead track!” says Gary of the West Lothian quartet’s inspired decision to release a double A-Side. “Originally The Comet was the undisputed single, however, during production, Brave became such a strong track for completely different reasons.

“We now have two tracks that are completely different,” adds Gary, “which is awesome as we wanted to see where we could take this new batch of songs and do something you maybe wouldn’t expect from Dead Sea Souls.”

Indeed, such is the undeniable star quality of both songs that choosing between the two would only do an injustice to the listening public. A melodic, feel-good summer tune designed to get festival crowds dancing, The Comet kicks into force with a lilting guitar hook and irresistibly breezy vibe that nods toward both Vampire Weekend and Paul Simon’s Graceland. Meanwhile, Brave provides further depth and substance with its spine-tingling atmospherics, anthemic chord progression, slick guitar solo and Futureheads-esque call-and-response mass chanting.

Gary Burns’ unmistakeable and idiosyncratic Scottish-inflected vocals soar majestically across both tracks while his song writing reaches new levels of astuteness with Brave’s uplifting lyrics (Be as bold as you can/There’s no room for a worried man/In this life that you lead) and The Comet’s cautionary tale of a loved one’s unbridled hedonism (You live your life like a comet/Just waiting to crash/Punching holes through my head/Like the crust of the earth).

A play on the Dead Sea Scrolls - a collection of ancient Middle Eastern religious texts – Dead Sea Souls are rightfully garnering a lot of attention. With ringing endorsements from the likes of The Sunshine Underground’s Craig Wellington (“Well crafted tunes”) and Scottish new music guru Jim Gellatly (“An amazing live act, they totally blew me away”), not to mention high-profile support slots with Ocean Colour Scene and The View, and an ever-growing US fan base, Dead Sea Souls are very much a band in the ascendancy.

AA Single:Brave / The Comet is released on Platform Records - impact date May 20th

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