I’m delighted and excited that my song “Paper Thin” is being featured on Lauren Laverne’s BBC 6Music show today!
It’s available for a limited time as a free download from this link – please grab your copy and share it with your friends.
“Paper Thin” was the last song I wrote for “Direction Of Travel”. Now and then songs really do just fall from the sky – I remember I was sitting around at my parents’ house after Christmas 2014 and had to quickly make my excuses and go upstairs with my ukulele to flesh out the melody that had popped into my head. The song came together really quickly then and there – I recorded it on my phone so I wouldn’t forget anything, and as soon as I got home to Bristol I spent a day in my home studio finishing it all off, tightening up the lyrics, adding vocal harmonies, omnichord and keyboard sounds. As I was finishing off the ukulele recording my beloved dog, Mister Benji, ran into the room with his collar jingling. Perfect timing, pooch! He features similarly on two other songs – “(Love) Like Liars” from my first record and “Delete” from my second. Listen carefully!
This song means a lot to me. “Direction Of Travel” is an album about a terrible year (2014) and “Paper Thin” is about recovering from all the awful things that happened to me and the people around me that year. I truly believe that whatever the world throws at you, the only direction of travel is ONWARDS – but it’s hard to remember that during the dark times. The lyrics in the middle section are there to remind me in future:
I see stars
And I smell roses (on good days)
All this is ours
Let’s do amazing things with good hearts
I feel lucky to have some very special guests joining me on the recording – Martin McCarrick (who usually plays for the likes of Marc Almond, Siouxsie Sioux and, previously, Therapy!) wrote and recorded a gorgeous cello line for me at his home studio in London and as I’d quite recently sung backing vocals for my musical hero Tanya Donelly (video evidence below!) I plucked up the courage to email “Paper Thin” over and ask if she fancied adding some vocals. She did! – I couldn’t believe it! – and so the song was complete.
Last month I went to America to shoot a video for “Paper Thin”, featuring Tanya of course – it’s coming together very nicely so watch this space for the finished article in the next few weeks! Here’s a still from the video:
And here’s “Slow Dog” by Belly, performed at Trinity, Bristol in September 2014. Thanks again for inviting me to sing, Tanya! Now, go and listen to her beautiful “Swan Song” series – you’re welcome xo
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xo