The Beautiful South’s co-founder Dave Hemingway’s new band SUNBIRDS play HERTFORD – Corn Exchange on Friday 31st March / MILTON KEYNES – MK11 on Saturday 6th May & ST ALBANS – The Horn on Sunday 7th May!
The man who once told us he loved us from the bottom of his pencil case, founder Beautiful South member Dave Hemingway returns with his new band SUNBIRDS announcing their dates for 2023. Having retired from the live scene at the back end of 2016, Dave has been keeping busy together with erstwhile South colleague, guitarist/songwriter Phil Barton, new discovery singer/violinist Laura Wilcockson and drummer Marc Parnell.
‘Cool To Be Kind’ was released in November 2020, on the independent label Nectar Records signalling the arrival of Sunbirds with new songs and a new sound.
Although born and bred in England, the band’s sound predominantly features the instrumentation of traditional American roots music combined with the occasional outburst of guitar heavy melody more associated with Seattle in the late 80’s/early 90’s.
However, you can only sing about what you know.
“Although a lot of the songs have an Americana feel” says Dave “they’re still about life in England. You’re going to feel a bit daft singing about pick-up trucks and low down honky-tonks when you live in Yorkshire.”
Their debut album produced by cult producer Teo Miller, captures truthful, open-hearted, funny and sometimes painfully honest songs, turning the page to a new chapter for Dave Hemingway and The Beautiful South story.
‘Cool To Be Kind’ is the result of a few transitional years in Dave and Phil’s individual personal worlds. It tells tales that cover contemporary themes as well as age-old matters of the heart and soul – all viewed through the bottom of a recently drained pint glass.
“Now we’re Sunbirds we’re free to dig a little deeper into ourselves”, says Phil “having said that, there’s no exact science here, we’re just enjoying ourselves and expressing whatever we want whether it’s about love, longing, depression or Gary Lineker’s crisp adverts”.
Fast forward to 2022 and Sunbirds’ new line-up released a brand-new single ‘Every Road’, a vintage sounding feel-good West Coast inspired gem. It features Eagles and Fleetwood Mac inspired guitar licks from Chris alongside the polished production of studio legend Steve Levine. However, it’s not quite all straight-forward Country Rock as you’d expect, as in places songwriter Phil’s love of Nirvana leads him away from the chord progressions of well-worn Country roads onto the trickier, darker more twisting roads of Alternative Rock.
‘Every Road’ is out now available on all digital platforms and also available via the band’s website – www.sunbirds.co.uk
“Cool To Be Kind is a must-have album which helps us forget the pandemic and lust after the days where this amazing new band can deliver their songs live” – UK Music Reviews
“A highpoint of it’s rootier ilk” – We Are Cult
“Appealingly understated song writing” – Classic Pop Magazine
“An album with warmth to spare” – MOJO Magazine
Sunbirds ‘Cool To Be Kind’ debut album is out now available on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Amazon UK & Music, all HMV stores and via the website – www.sunbirds.co.uk
