Hailing from London, United Kingdom, contemporary folk and chamber pop outfit, consisting of Matthew Herd (Saxophone), Lauren Kinsella (Vocals), Arun Thavasothy (Guitar, Vocals), Tom Taylor (Pianist), Tom McCredie (Bass) and Dave Hamblett (Drums), Seafarers has come together as a close knit group of contemporary folk and improvised music artists.
Originally formed in 2013 by saxophonist, Matthew Herd, to create their debut album, ‘Orlando’, the group have become well known for their signature style that seamlessly blends their indie folk and chamber pop music into a singular sound.
Produced by Euan Burton, mixed by Patrick Phillips at Real World Studios and mastered by Patricia Sullivan at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Seafarer’s latest album release, ‘II’ takes listeners back to their teenage years and transports them to life beneath the surface within a Glasgow, United Kingdom middle class family. The album asks the question of listeners, ‘what does it look like when you scratch away the gloss?’
Opening with single, ‘A Disappearing Act’, the first half of the album explores the mask that each of us covers our vulnerabilities with.. the way we present ourselves as we attend parties and the obsessions that we hold with the ‘cool’ ones within our schools. The tracks cover themes of petulance, sexuality, high school discos, gaslighting, arson and lies.
“And the shadows swim/Across our abdomens/As our bodies twist/Behind the multiplex/And the stars turn black/A disappearing act,”
From ‘A Disappearing Act’
As you reach the second half of the album, the curtains are pulled wide open, as Seafarers explore what lies behind the façade, beginning with ‘The Curators’, a deeply personal song written by Matthew Herd that dives into the shame he had felt surrounding his sexuality in his 20s.
“I was curious to write about guilt, shame and some of the uglier emotions that are sometimes best kept internal,” explains Herd. “We often first become aware of these insecure feelings in our adolescence, and perhaps spend our lives grappling with them.” Matthew Herd
“Wide awake/Scrolling through the private page/Where the kids you said were gay/Would often go to masturbate/And how long can you tell yourself/That this is just a phase?”
From ‘The Curators’
Ultimately the two parts of the album come together to form a beautifully familiar story for many listeners of a teenage life that appears one way on the surface, but when you pull away the curtains, a whole new world is exposed, filled with challenges and vulnerabilities.
This is an absolute must listen album that will take you through a journey, filled with twists and turns.
You can find more of Seafarers at:
Website – https://www.seafarersmusic.com
Facebook – https://facebook.com/seafarersmusic
Instagram – https://instagram.com/seafarersmusic
YouTube – https://youtube.com/channel/UC_SmXD-3BnN4w1vU8XHrRIw
You can listen to ‘II’ below:
Karen Harding is a Melbourne, Australia based singer/songwriter, founder of Sounds On The Couch, and founder and operator of boutique music PR service for emerging and independent artists, Rise Indie.