RELEASED ON 27.9.2024 ON TWEED JACKET MUSIC VIA LASGO
CATALOGUE NUMBER TJMCD03
TRACK LISTING
01. YOU DESERVE
02. LAY YOUR TROUBLES DOWN
03. OH, MY LOVE
04. YOU DESERVE (INSTRUMENTAL)
05. LAY YOUR TROUBLES DOWN (INSTRUMENTAL)
06. OH, MY LOVE (INSTRUMENTAL)
07. LAY YOUR TROUBLES DOWN (AMBIENT VERSION)
Held By Trees will release their first collaboration with a
vocalist, Martin Smith, as the seven-track ‘Held By Trees
& Martin Smith’ EP, on 27 September 2024. The seven
tracks comprise of two 12-minute songs and a third shorter
one, plus instrumental mixes of all three and an ambient
version of one. Having established themselves with the
highly acclaimed instrumental releases, Solace (2022) and
Eventide/Solace – Live at Real World (2023), an obvious
question for the project has been ‘what would it be like
with vocals?’
The answer to this question came when HBT’s frontman, David Joseph,
asked his friend Martin Smith to come and play a short opening set for
their gig in Martin’s hometown of Brighton. Martin, a world-renowned
singer-songwriter, on hearing HBT’s set, found his imagination set on fire
by the possibility of a collaboration. Over a phone call a few days later,
Martin and David began to hatch a plan to get together at Real World
Studios and record new music. Lay Your Troubles Down was the first
release from the resulting session, which also features Martin’s longtime
friend and former Delirious bandmate, Stuart Garrard on guitar. It
immediately garnered a Spotify editorial playlist, despite running to
nearly 13 minutes.
Says Martin; “I’ve been a friend of Dave’s for many years. He is always
searching after something new in music. I’ve loved the sound of Held
by Trees and leaped at the chance to collab with them. Being at Real
world in the big ‘Peter Gabriel’ room was a treat. Being amongst such
talent was inspiring and I hope everyone loves what we have created.”
“There were seven of us playing live on these songs,” says David.
“Within that seven are three sets of very old friends: Martin and Stu,
Robbie McIntosh (guitar) and Paul Beavis (drums), and myself and
James (double bass). Also, James and I had been huge admirers and
influenced by watching Martin and Stu in Delirious when we were
younger. We could never have guessed we’d record together one day
at Peter Gabriel’s studio! There was a moment when I looked around at
the calibre of people playing together and just thought ‘how on earth
did this happen to me?’ So, within this sound, and in the heart of this
song is a deep well of shared love, years of faithful friendship, respect,
and the joy of making music. It’s an absolute delight to branch out into a
new part of the Held By Trees adventure with Martin and Stu.”
Opener You Deserve sets the scene with a Floydian grandeur in the
soaring melodic guitar work between Robbie McIntosh and Stuart
Garrard. Martin pours out a heartfelt song of deep appreciation to
the loves of his life, while Daniel Newberry builds towering sax solos
around the yearning vocals. Lay Your Troubles Down ebbs and flows
with instrumental passages that rise and fall with the simple, heartfelt
plea to come and let go of our hardships and hurts, and find love that
can carry us through life’s sorrows. “There’s empathy in the song, and
empathy in the musicianship,” states David, “we hope people can
connect with that empathy and compassion as they listen.” Finally, Oh,
My Love presents the ensemble in a joyful state-of-mind, with musicians
taking it in turns to take the lead over a 70s feel, almost disco groove,
with Martin’s improvised cries of delight dancing over the top. It has
the feeling of a party, with laughter heard at the track’s conclusion.
After instrumental mixes of all three pieces, Hong Kong-based ambient
duo, Salt of the Sound contribute a peaceful ambient version of Lay
Your Troubles Down. Anita Tatlow’s ethereal vocals bringing a new
dimension to the song.