Sarah Gillespie has shared a stop-motion film created by Fini Bearman for her new single “Molly of the Salt Sea“. Taken from her forthcoming fifth album, Half Cut (9 Feb 2024 on Pastiche Records), the song, co-written with bandmate and guitarist Chris Montague, is a tale of passion curdling into violent possession drawing on Scottish murder ballads and Othello.
The arrangements, from the interplay of guitar and bass to the gorgeous piano section, are playful and exploratory, over which Gillespie’s vocals unravel an equally engaging storytelling narrative.
Half Cut finds the Gillespie delving into her American roots where, growing up, she spent long summers in Minnesota, soaking up jazz, blues, beat poetry and the wordsmithery of fellow Minnesotan Bob Dylan. The album was recorded in Berlin’s legendary Hansa Studio (David Bowie) and Gillespie is accompanied by her long term, power-house band of Chris Montague (mandolin + guitar), Kit Downes (piano + organ), James Maddren (drums) Tom Cawley (harpsichord + piano) and Conor Chaplin (bass).
Live Dates
2023
18 November – Exchange Theatre, 75 London Road, Twickenham
2024
1 Feb – Official launch: Pizza Express Jazz Club, Dean Street, London
23 Feb – The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield
16 Mar – Music Studio, Monterey, California (USA launch)
12 Apr – Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham-by-sea
3 May – Lighthouse, Poole
https://www.sarahgillespie.com