Joyce The Librarian frontman announces solo album

Martin CallinghamMartin Callingham will release his debut solo album Tonight, We All Swim Free on 16th February via Folkwit Records. Recorded at Bristol’s legendary Toybox Studios, the album was co-produced by Ali Chant whose credits include Gruff Rhys, PJ Harvey, Perfume Genius, Seasick Steve and Yann Tiersen. The Joyce the Librarian singer/songwriter whose 2012 album They May Put Land Between Us won critical acclaim and airplay from the likes of BBC6’s Lauren Laverne, Gideon Coe and Tom Robinson as well as BBC Radio 1’s Phil & Alice Show along with some rather high praise from the world’s music press.

Martin Callingham now presents his first solo release after a short hiatus, “It feels odd to put this out under my own name. Partly because it’s comfortable to separate your musical self from other aspects of life; it feels sort of like coming out in some way. But also because there have been more people involved in the making of this album than last time around. Some who I’ve played with for a few years now, but also great talents like Gareth Bonello (The Gentle Good) and Anne Kissell who I’ve met since the release of the Joyce the Librarian record.”

After a somewhat nomadic childhood and spells in Herefordshire, Birmingham and London, Martin now calls Bristol home. The album, written between a short solo tour of Italy last December and the first studio sessions in April is a collection of acutely melodic and affectingly personal songs, interspersed with the occasional instrumental interlude, field recording and heartening slice of lo-fi pop. The arrangements are sparse in places, lush and expansive elsewhere, with Martin’s delicate guitar and soothing vocal at their core.

Tonight, We All Swim Free is a record of refreshingly consistent superlative songs guaranteed to vie for space in your best albums of 2015 and quite possibly your best of all time!

Artist’s website: http://martincallingham.com

Preview ‘Portland Square’: