Multi-Instrumentalist, performer and composer, Ted Barnes releases his fourth album, 17 Postcards on March 19th 2021. He is joined by a stellar cast of musicians and vocalists: Long time cohort Ali Friend (Red Snapper/ Clayhill) is on double bass, Daisy Palmer (Mesadorm) on drums, Gill Sandell (Emily Barker and the Red Clay Halo) on piano and accordion and the string section of Howard Gott and Sarah Willson (Beth Orton/ Tindersticks).
It’s been twelve years since the release of Ted’s last album, Portal Nou, but that doesn’t mean it’s been a fallow time for the UK artist. In fact, it has marked the musical shift from the shackles of “rock-n-roll” to a diverse, be-spoke world of theatre, film, contemporary circus and song-writing partnerships.
Featuring both songs and instrumentals, much of the material has been inspired by these collaborations alongside key events that have marked this period in time, notably the loss of his Clayhill band mate Gavin Clark. 17 Postcards is seventeen snapshots of these memories, often a touching and dark tribute to life’s passing.
17 Postcards’ feels like a story that threads together many moods, it is visual somehow. The beautiful yearning and melancholy of many of the songs are balanced adeptly by moments of humour and lightness.
Emily Barker
Today, we have the pleasure of sharing the accompanying video for Way Beyond This, also our Song of the Day. It’s impossible not to be moved by this song…made all the more beautiful by Jacqui Beckford’s signing, some things just go beyond words – this is one of them.
Ted gave us this personal insight into the song:
Ted Barnes on Way Beyond This
It was working on Way Beyond This that spurred me on to complete a new album. I had been dithering for quite some time about weather to or not but on recording Mike’s vocals I thought people should hear this!
I recorded the original version of the song for the circus company Extraordinary Bodies. After they had toured their show, “What am I worth?” I reworked it with new lyrics and Mikes vocals and it became the catalyst for finishing the other material on the album. The album is made up of a mixture of songs and instrumentals that came from that type of scenario. I felt like I was sitting on material that I had written for different projects that needed to have their own life.
This included a live score for Shane Meadows ‘Dead Mans Shoes’ as part of Warps anniversary celebrations, Stroma Cairns film ‘If You Knew’ and pieces for physical theatre group Mimbre.
I am so pleased that I have done it and made a new stamp of where my writing and passions lie and I hope it wont be another 12 years to the next one.
Michael Clark is the son of my long-term Clayhill band mate and friend, Gavin Clark. Gavin’s death six years ago was a huge shock to all that knew and loved him. I can’t explain what a strange and poignant joy it was to hear him sing on this song. Even though he is unnervingly similar to his Dad in depth and delivery he ploughs his own unique path. We have started working on some new material of his that I hope will see the light of day.
The video came about partly through accident. Extraordinary Bodies circus company were using the track for their film ‘What do you see in me?’ and had asked Jacqui Beckford to sign for it. When I saw the footage I felt it was beautiful enough to hold centre stage and so they very kindly gave me permission to use it for the video. For me, her unselfconscious interpretation of the words and music was the icing on the cake!
Ted Barnes is a craftsman. He is the architect of delicate yet durable works of beauty. He has an ear for fine details and hidden depths; defining that perfect place between melancholy and the sweetest hope you could imagine
Beth Orton
17 Postcards is out on March 19th 2021.
Pre-order from Rough Trade: https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/ted-barnes/17-postcards
Download the single via Bandcamp: https://tedbarnes.bandcamp.com/track/way-beyond-this-featuring-michael-clark-2