How is it August already?
We started this year with an idea that we’d be doing a monthly round-up of news and bits, but my how time flies when you’re experiencing social anxiety about lockdown lifting!
We jest (mostly), but it’s fair to say it’s not exactly been relaxing these last *checks calendar* eight months. And not in a bad way!
I’m going to have to go into listicle format to review what’s happened since our last blog post because IT DENSE! So buckle in!
1. Released Autumn Leaves
On 29 January 2021, post a most miserable Christmas and New Year, we released the entirely mood-appropriate song Autumn Leaves, and we’ve got to admit we were delighted with how it was received!
Called "Bristol's leading folk-pop force" by Tap the Feed, the song "a complete beautiful and moving track" [Right Chord Music] and "the perfect track to listen to on these wintry, rainy afternoons" [Music for the Misfits] – plus tons of national and international radio play – we were blown away by the reception.
We were also able to release it with a video using the same set of footage as The Only One, but with totally different shots. It's a more melancholy song than our first single, and the footage of Sophie's grandparents blissfully wandering the streets of France and Italy in the 1970s just give it that haunting but beautiful air of a time long past.
2. Released 'Under the Sea'
Then in April 2021, we very shortly followed up with our second single of 2021, alongside an absolutely MIND-BLOWINGLY BRILLIANT stop motion animated video from the incredibly talented Harriet Bradbury.
I remember talking to Harriet after one of our gigs in 20…19 (?) and she said 'Under the Sea' would be the ideal song to animate. Just over a year later and we took her up on that in a big way when we got Arts Council Funding to record and create a sea-creature-themed music video for the track.
When I say it came out exactly as I’d imagined it, I mean that in the best way possible. Check it out!
'Under the Sea' is always a song that goes down well at gigs (usually after some initial confusion/shock at the sudden change of pace). It was a funny one to record because so much of the joy comes from the audience spontaneously participating that I was worried we would miss it. But the video just conveys that joy so beautifully I shouldn’t have been concerned.
And so far it’s been nominated for tons of awards globally, and is going to be screened at the Conservation Optimism Good Natured Film Festival in October, at the Oxford Natural History Museum!
Until we can play it again live, here's our socially-distanced version of the song (spot the interesting instrument substitute!)
3. Had our first rehearsal
Maybe less huge but I’ve got to say this was pretty emotional. We’re British so obviously, we just stood around making unnecessarily harsh jokes, but being back together in a rehearsal room after more than a year was simultaneously exciting and felt like a huge transgression.
Needless to say, after a bit of ‘what key is this in’ and ‘oh am I meant to be playing now?’ we slotted back in pretty comfortably and have returned to playing with such vigour, it would give Zorro a run for his money.
4. Featured in Pseudonym magazine
Look at our lovely mugs in print!
Thanks so much to Pseudonym Magazine for featuring us in their Spring issue!
Sophie would like to take this opportunity officially apologise for mixing up Isle of Wight and Isle of Man. For the record, drummer Ollie Grant is from the former, and has never and will never visit nor acknowledge the latter.
4. Performed at BBC Airwaves Festival
Yes it was indoors, yes it was on the radio but damn what a festival! Lined up alongside Texas, Manic Street Preachers and Mr Motivator (!), we felt for a weekend like festivals had never left.
We had a blast, despite being without our bassist, Dave Martin. Massive thanks to BBC Bristol, Chris Arnold and Adam Crowther!
Listen to our set here!
5. Jingle all the way
No we’re not writing a hit musical based on the 1996 Christmas blockbuster staring Arnold Schwartzenegger (note to self: this would make a great musical), but in between all the recordings, releases and online festivals, Ryan also wrote a jingle for Bath Radio, which we all recorded!
Tune into the Ollie Lewis show on Saturday mornings and keep an ear out for it. We’ve all still got it stuck in our heads, so good luck with that!
Still to come in 2021
GIGS!
We can finally talk about some gigs we have planned. Fingers very tightly crossed that the ping Gods overlook us for these dates:
14 August
4 September
1 October
with House Above the Sun
and The Callous Lips
24 October
Releasing 'Try A Little': October 2021
We’re excited to announce that we’ll be releasing our next single in October. Called 'Try A Little', it’s something a bit different again. Can’t wait to tell you more about it!
Hopefully won’t be as long until we update again, but until then…
Love 'n' (double vaccinated) hugs
Sugarmoon xxxx
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