People like us

This one picks up where the last album of songs left off (Lucky for so long) - and completes the alphabet of song titles!
As part of a US road trip, I travelled to Nashville to record vocals and piano for 13 new tracks with Derek Garten at Prime Recording, then added guitars, bass, drums and more at 2nd hand studio in Dundee.

Pre-order album now - ahead of full release on 07.07.26.



A few of these songs have been sitting in the back of my mind for a while, such as Time to change (1995/96) - which has never been performed or recorded, because it never felt quite right... on reviving, it turned out OK this time. Or Riots, riots (2011) - which I wrote in direct response to the unrest around England that summer, but didn't know quite what to do with... Most of the others are pretty new, and it's been great fun to explore feelings and thoughts, peeking into different perspectives along the way.

The album artwork photo was taken beside Highway 51 in Memphis, with a cap from Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven in Chicago . . . homage to two other places I visited on my trip, plus I spent time in iconic studios in these cities, soaking up the music vibes. There's a nod to the cover of Simple Life (2013), reusing some of the writing from the French chapel wall.






    Track listing
  1. Nashville knows - in honour of "music city" - and quoting a few iconic songs that were recorded there.
  2. Open your mind - a powerful plea to keep striving, keep listening, keep looking.
  3. People like you - a look at how we sometimes may miss those right in front of us.
  4. Quietly comes the night - a reminder that things can slip gradually without warning, keep alert!
  5. Riots, riots - written in 2011, after the riots around England that summer.
  6. See what you can do - blues that encourages exploration of new horizons.
  7. Time to change - written in 1995/6, and never before recorded or released!
  8. Unsung hero - a pop tune about someone who stays out of the limelight.
  9. Very close to the bone - a passionate piece examining chaotic living.
  10. We look good together - sometimes photos with filters don't tell the whole story.
  11. X marks the spot - a mysterious one, to go with the tricky job of finding an X title!
  12. You'll get there - an optimistic song, encouraging you to keep going.
  13. Zero - a fitting end to the alphabetical series - rounding things up, and looking ahead.

Liner notes

Explore the lyrics and more below . . .