Listen to ‘Bathed In Light’, our Song of the Day taken from Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker’s forthcoming album ‘Seedlings All’ (out March 23rd on Rough Trade Records) now:
Josienne explains the background to the song, “As a performer I’ve always been torn between my need for attention and my fear of how exposing it is, especially as a songwriter. In that 30 seconds before the first note when the audience is silent and the lights are on you, I’m gripped with nerves and I ask myself ‘why do you put yourself through this?’ This song is basically the narrative that runs through my head as I sweat and panic. I want it to go well, and my stage fright has always come from a fear that I’m not really made of strong enough stuff for a performing career but I’ve gone and wasted my life trying to do it and what else would I do and by the second or third note I love it…..”
’Seedlings All’ is Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker’s first album to be made up of all original songs and is songwriter Clarke’s most autobiographical work to date. “For the first time I’m out there alone with a bunch of songs that expose my insecurities, fears of failure and inflated pride. They deal with my own specific thoughts and feelings about the reality of pursuing this kind of career, the cost to personal relationships, circumstance and lifestyle, and asking the question – “Is this still worth it?” They’re about trying to find an inner balance in an environment that doesn’t provide any balance or certainty. Where one day everything is brilliant and the next day it could all be over. Where one night ends in a standing ovation and the next starts by playing to an empty room.”
Josienne & Ben have been nominated several times at the BBC Folk Awards, they were personally invited to support Richard Thompson on tour around the UK last autumn and ‘Something Familiar’ from the duo’s previous album, the critically lauded ‘Overnight’, has now been streamed over 5 million times.
The album will be available on both Vinyl and CD as well as Digitally. Limited quantities of the album on Vinyl and CD will also include a signed Bonus CD featuring three previously unreleased tracks, an original composition; ‘When To Then’, alongside two cover versions, Jackson C. Frank’s ‘Milk And Honey’ and Nina Simone’s ‘For All We Know’. Available from Independent record shops and to pre-order from the Rough Trade webstore.
Forthcoming Tour Dates:
Mar 9th – 11th – Port Fairy Folk Festival, Australia
Mar 14th – The Thornbury Theatre, Melbourne, Australia
Mar 16th – Mar 18th – Blue Mountains Music Festival, Katoomba, Australia
Mar 30th – Sage 2, Gateshead, UK
Mar 31st – Gullivers, Manchester, UK
Apr 4th – Cookie, Leicester, UK
Apr 5th – Portland Arms, Cambridge, UK
Apr 6th – Colston 2, Bristol, UK
Apr 7th – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, UK
Apr 8th – Boilerroom, Guildford, UK
Apr 10th – Arts Centre, Norwich, UK
Apr 11th – Komedia, Brighton, UK
May 2nd – Paper Dress Vintage, London, UK
UK Album Pre-Order: http://rtrecs.co/SeedlingsAll
photo credit: Jenna Foxton