The last time we featured Serious Child, the creative identity for vocalist and musician Alan Young, he was spending Time in the Trees. For his latest project “talk about the weather“, he joins forces with Andy Ruddy as they explore a more playful pop-centric musical route. While the sound is new, the focus is still very much about creativity and escape from a tech-saturated world – one Alan knows all too well having escaped an IT career to pursue music two years ago. In the review of his last album, Danny Neill concludes it “…should get us all thinking about our relationship with the natural world amid the clutter of the electronic jungle that can monopolise our attention.” Just as he beckoned us all to step outside, on their second album single ‘Turn the Music Down‘ we are encouraged to pursue our creative endeavours, the song was written in response to creatives being told to give up their careers, inspired by the UK Government’s Cyber First campaign #rethinkreskillreboot. The accompanying video is not without some humour from the men in black.
Andy works for Give a Song charity, performing to vulnerable people in lockdown. The seemingly unfashionable couple unite in their shared sense of thoughtful storytelling, intriguing musicality and sharp sense of humour, as they investigate the things that bring generations together.
Serious Child said: “In writing this album we talked a lot about the different stages of our lives, and what was important to us both. It seemed that there was so much dividing people based on their age but we became more interested in kindness and what brings us and other people together. We believe there’s a hopeful message to be found in the bonds we’ve formed through this project and the common ground and dialogue it has opened up.”
The self-composed record was written remotely during months of weekly Zoom calls providing the songwriters with a creative lifeline in lockdown. It was recorded in their bedrooms before collaborating with Chris Pepper at Saltwell Studio to bring it all together in the studio.
Andy Ruddy said: “We challenged ourselves and each other to think and write freely: to create universal songs that could reach across our respective generations whilst keeping true to what we both believe. The end product is a joyful collaboration that ultimately has a fun and positive outlook.”
As well featuring Alan and Andy on vocals and many instruments, they are joined by producer Chris Pepper on bass, drums, percussion, keyboards, harmonium, dulcitone, ukulele and acoustic guitar, Kirsty McGee on flute and backing vocals, Jamie Francis on banjo and Pete Harvey on cello.
Serious Child & Andy Ruddy will embark on a 10-day album tour this September, taking in venues in London, Glasgow, Yorkshire, Newcastle, Edinburgh and their respective home towns.
talk about the weather will be out on CD and vinyl and available to download and stream on all major platforms on Friday, 3 September. Pre-orders available now at seriouschild.bandcamp.com.