The new album from Liz Lawrence, her fifth and the second release with Chrysalis Records. Vespers is an album about tragedy. It is the record of a life and death, an act of devotion and reflection. Liz Lawrence wrote these songs in the ashes of disaster. “It is dedicated to my beautiful sister Jessie and her too-short life.”
“I wanted someone to be able to say to a friend who is grieving that they should listen to Vespers. I want people to come to this record. I want people to use this record. I want it to have purpose, to give comfort and catharsis,” Liz says.
Vespers is unvarnished, spare and elegiac, a testament of life and death. “The album is very specifically about my sister and my family’s situation, but equally, that is universal.” In wrapping up the harsh demands of life in the plain warmth of love, it is a romantic and frank finale with ‘Thank God For You’ offering some of the comfort and catharsis that she hopes Vespers will offer to others, too.
“A terrible day ends with a tremendous record. The Coral’s new record is the aural equivalent of sinking into a sun dappled deckchair and drifting away.” Andy Mackenzie
“James does his best Janet Kay impression on the opener Let The Music Play on the new album ‘388’. An incredible lovers rock/reggae vibe. Damn these boys are good.” Dave Ross
James Skelly writes on Bluesky: “We made a playlist of what The Coral were listening to when we made 388, if anyone fancies something to listen to.”
“Sounds like a group plugged directly into its soul … by reconnecting with their past, The Coral have found the essence of who they are now, and it’s pretty magical” Mojo magazine
“Blown away by Madra Salach live at this year’s Momentum Festival in Galway which included an unbelievable rendition of their fabulous song The Man Who Seeks Pleasure from their debut EP It’s A Hell Of An Age. What a band and a great bunch of lads.” Damien Joyce
Madra Salach are a six piece contemporary folk band who met whilst playing in different outfits in Dublin’s indie scene and bonded over a shared love of the Irish traditional canon which led to them playing impromptu pub sessions.
Paul Banks, Adam Cullen and Dara Duffy founded the group as they played gigs across the Northside of Dublin. Three soon became six, with the additions of Jack Martin, Maxime Arnold and Jack Lawlor. They have built a reputation for their constant gigging and stirring live sets.
Taking inspiration from the growing experimental folk scene in Ireland, the group added instruments and electronic elements to emerge with their own compositions, which are at the same time strikingly modern and written with a voice that could have emerged at any point throughout the last century.
More info here.
2 brand new books from
2 of our long-time contributors
The Gretsch Hollow-Body Field Guide: Setup, Tone and Stability by David Lewis
You’ve bought one of the most iconic guitars ever made. Now learn how to actually make it work. Most players approach a Gretsch hollow-body like a Fender or Gibson – and quickly become frustrated. This book explains why that doesn’t work, and what to do instead.
What makes this book different? This is not a generic guitar manual. It’s a player’s field guide – built from real-world experience – designed to help you understand how a Gretsch actually behaves in your hands. As the book explains, a Gretsch is “a guitar that plays honesty” – it reveals your touch, your timing, and your choices…
Persisting in the Truth: Peter Finnerty and the Birth of Activist Journalism by Andrew Shields
Peter Finnerty (c.1774-1822) was one of the most combative and consequential journalists of the Age of Revolutions. Despite this, historians have long overlooked his key role in helping to shape radical politics in England and Ireland in this period. The book delineates Finnerty’s role as a crucial link between the Irish radical movement of the late eighteenth century and its counterpart in Britain in the first quarter of the nineteenth century. It evaluates his ideas, his public life in both England and Ireland, and the legacy he left behind for those radical journalists who followed in his footsteps.
Finnerty’s turbulent career involved him in two notorious libel trials in 1797 and 1810. The first of which left him with little choice but to leave Ireland and essentially forced him to pursue a new career in England. During his years as a courageous and crusading journalist there, he frequently exposed corruption in high places…
Annie Dressner is a singer-songwriter, originally from New York City but now living in Cambridge in the UK. Brimming with razor sharp wit, emotional poignancy and glorious melodies, Annie’s straightforward lyrical style, smart wordplay and lilting vocals offer listeners a front row seat to her captivating stories. She has released four studio albums and her music has been played extensively across UK national radio, including a live session for Gideon Coe on BBC 6 Music.
The new single, Dumb Boy, is an anthem for all who have ever had to deal with someone who’s messed them around without any regard for their feelings. Its lyrics tell the story of the reality of the chase and pull of the potential someone shows you, only to realize that even though they were not worth your time, you still like something about them – holding on to that little glimmer that made your heart flutter. When it ends, you’re left with the bittersweet taste of what once was or what could have been. It’s a song that makes you think about your own self-worth and how much you should put up with – learn to love yourself before some ‘dumb boy in a band’. It’s very relatable if you’ve ever been stung. Dumb Boy is the first release off Dressner’s upcoming 5th album produced by Peter Bruntnell (title & release details to follow).
“Annie is a breath of fresh air. LOVE HER WORK!” – Marc Riley