Tag Archives: Little Lore

River Stories – the new six-track EP from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter Little Lore

Album reviews, americana, Music news, , , , ,

Released: 4 April 2025

“We were spellbound by her ability to highlight unique perspectives with her songwriting” – Maverick magazine

Following her extremely well-received self-titled, debut solo EP in 2021 and its much-anticipated follow-up Seven Stories parts one and two in 2024, River Stories is the latest release from London-based singer-songwriter, Little Lore. A burgeoning presence on the UK Americana scene, Little Lore has received many plaudits, both for her astute, observational songwriting and for her warm, heartfelt vocals.

From rivers, to boats, to canals, to swimming, all six songs on River Stories are inspired in some way by the theme of water. The concept for the EP came about following an invitation for Little Lore to become songwriter in residency on Johnson’s Island, an artists’ community set on a tiny island on the Grand Union Canal and the River Brent in West London.

Little Lore: “In November 2023, I was invited to become songwriter in residency on Johnson’s Island – a tiny land mass in the mouth of the Grand Union Canal and the River Brent in Brentford, and home to fifteen or so artists’ studio. My idea was born when I called my friend, the artist Angela Chan, who has a studio on the island. I asked her whether she thought that the artists who work there would be willing to let me come and visit them or interview them to see if that would stimulate some songs.  She is an incredible human being and instantly suggested that she lend me the studio for a few days later that year and that I become Songwriter in Residence on the island. I had four days in the studio and I imagined I would write about the artists and the huge changes that Brentford in West London is undergoing. But a week before the residency I got a call letting me know that the island had been flooded and that the residency was in jeopardy. I sat down and wrote ‘The River’ – reflecting on the incredible power the river has to calm us with her beauty but also destroy.”

“Against all the odds, the studios dried out and the residency went ahead, as planned. I arrived full of enthusiasm with my computer, my guitar and some basic recording equipment. I was excited to meet all the artists and although I had written one song about the river already, I was sure that the project was about the artists and the community in Brentford. I dropped my gear into the studio and went to see who else was working on the island – only to find that I was the only person there! None of the other artists were in their studios that morning – I mean it was pretty early. The project was not going at all as I had planned. I sat in the studio looking at the river and my mind started to wander to my relationship with water. I sketched a time line of my entire life noting any river or water related incidents or interactions from my birth to present. And I noticed some themes … such as, I have lived close to bodies of working water my entire life, I was born in Oxford near the Thames, moved to Cambridge, by the River Cam, and back to Oxford as a small child. When I was 7, we moved to Portchester just outside Portsmouth and later Fareham – both situated on an ever changing tidal creek. Now I live in West London close to the Thames again and I can’t imagine living anywhere that wasn’t within a few minutes’ walk of a river or estuary of some kind.”

Renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin,(who records under the name of Lowpines) is Little Lore’s principal musical collaborator and is, once again, the EP’s producer and provides much of the instrumentation. Vocals were recorded with Paul Stanborough at Chapel View Studio in Kent.

Little Lore: “Working with my long-time collaborator Oli on the arrangements for this collection of songs was an absolute delight. He suggested that we ask Francesca and Sasha to provide real violin and cello and I think they add so much. Morgan jumped in for drums again as usual.”

“The artwork was created by Afiya Paice. I love how engaged she was about the back story behind this EP and how it related to my life and all the places I have lived. She used photographs of me to create the front cover and pictures we found on google of the houses I lived in the past. Such a personal and beautiful way to create art that adds to the story of the record.”

River Stories will be released digitally on 4 April 2025 via: https://litlelore.bandcamp.com or can be pre-saved at Spotify via: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/littlelore/river-stories

River Stories EP – track by track:

1. The River: “This song was inspired by two enormous storms that battered the UK in November 2023 causing great damage and floods. When I got the call letting me know that it was looking like only a 50/50 chance for my songwriter in residency to go ahead, I sat on the sofa with my guitar and I thought – damn that river has two sides. And the song came from there, with that phrase and the little guitar riff coming first, unusually for me as I am almost always a lyrics-first kinda gal. The song reflects on the incredible beauty of the river and the destruction it can reap when the right combination of high tides, gravitational pull from the moon and the storms collide. I love how Oli interpreted the song – and the addition of violins and cello really evoke the feelings of the water.”

2. Johnson’s Island: “I always intended this project to be about the artists on Johnson’s Island but when I had finished the residency, I hadn’t written anything about them. They would never say it, but I got the sense that they hoped I would write a song about the island and the people that create there. It was about a fortnight after the residency that this song came to me, with all the technicolour details of the artists I had encountered.  I have performed it live for them a few times and I am so excited that it is finally going to be released so they can share it with their family and friends and say ’that’s me’! It’s the true story of just some of the incredible creative people that welcomed me onto the island. I am beyond grateful for the warmth they showed me and I hope this song is a fitting tribute.”

3. Waterlog: “I talked to a few of folk who lived on canal boats while I was working on this project and a story kept on coming up which was about the mass destruction that can be reaped by a water-logged log. After one such conversation, I found myself thinking ‘poor log – it was a tree once’. I wondered how it might be to write a song from the perspective of the misunderstood log. When I had finished the song, I sent the demos of all the songs to Angela as she had been so instrumental in making the project happen. This was the song that really caught her ear. She wrote me a long email with beautiful feedback about all the songs but this song she particularly related to. She described it as a feminist anthem and made me realise that the song was more personal than I had originally intended. The water-logged log is not seen for all it was: as a young vibrant sapling, for the strength it once had or the stories it could tell. As a post-menopausal woman, I know how the log feels. It is a relatively simple song harmonically but the melody and lyrics of the bridge soar with a plea for understanding.”

4. I Can Breathe Underwater: “The inspiration behind this song came from a family tale that when I was two years old, I fell over in a swimming pool. I wasn’t in the water for long, I was scooped up quickly with no lasting physical impact. I was so young, that I have no recollection of the incident, it was shared with me when I was older by my parents. But although I didn’t remember it something in my psyche held on to this experience because as a child I refused to learn to swim. I can’t emphasise enough what a good girl I was as a kid, I did as I was told most of the time and was pretty compliant but when it came to swimming, I was adamant.  There was absolutely no way I was getting into water. I certainly wasn’t going to put my face in and blow bubbles like the other children at swimming lessons. It didn’t matter what anyone said or did – I was immovable. In my teens I got over it enough that I learned to swim, but I still don’t put my face in the water. Some incidents last but they give you strength and a way to prove that you can overcome difficult times. This song is a testimony to overcoming pain, suffering and not allowing it to destroy you but rather to give you a glossy mermaids tail and resilience in all aspects of your life. Sometimes I feel as though nothing can hurt me because I can (metaphorically) breathe underwater.”

5. Run with the Tide: “I had the pleasure of meeting Ryan, the operations manager at John’s Boatyard in Brentford, while I was working on Johnson’s Island. He took me on a tour of the boatyard which still has some ancient equipment and an active boat-building and repair business. He told me how he changed his life driven by financial considerations. Buying a boat and becoming a continuous cruiser was a way to get out of the renting game and save some money so he could get on the property ladder. After a few months of living on his boat and changing location every two weeks he was hooked and he says he can’t imagine going back to living on land now. He talked about how the tide is so important to anyone living on a boat or working with boats. There are few things you can only do when there is slack water. And this idea of being run by the tide and its schedule stimulated the song. Using a 6/8 time signature really gives it a watery rhythm.”

6. Haul Me in the River*: “This song was written by Little Lore producer, Oli Deakin AKA Lowpines. I mentioned in passing to him that I should consider covering one of his songs in this collection and he immediately suggested that I listen to this song. I fell in love with it instantly and could imagine it with an a cappella treatment. I immediately recorded a simple demo version at my home studio and anxiously sent it to Oli for his thoughts – happily he loved the idea – I always feel responsible to treat other people’s songs with respect and this is the first time I have released something I haven’t written or co-written myself. The arrangement Oli created is stunning and I am really proud of how the collaboration worked out.”

Release information – River Stories:

Written and performed by: Little Lore AKA Tricia Duffy (except * written by Oli Deakin)

Produced by: Oli Deakin

Vocal Engineer: Paul Stanborough at Chapel Studio

Violin: Francesca Dardani

Cello: Sasha Ono

Drums: Morgan Karabel

All other instruments: Oli Deakin

Artwork: Afiya Paice

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, West London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States.  She began writing and performing her own material with Americana duo Duffy & Bird and they released a well-received album 5 Lines in 2017 and a follow-up EP Spirit Level in 2019.

Tricia’s solo project Little Lore was created in 2020 during the pandemic. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. The singles, ‘Shallow’, ‘Brown Liquor John’ and ‘Birds’ were released in 2022 to similar acclaim, followed by another equally well-received single ‘Normal’ in January 2023. Two follow-up EPs Seven Stories Part One and Seven Stories Part Two were then released in late 2023 and early 2024 to enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay. Little Lore has become a force to be reckoned with on the UK Americana scene, picking up a slew of enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay – including BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Ulster, Nashville Worldwide Country Radio and the International Americana Music Show. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

An enthusiastic advocate for songwriters, she is the London Chapter Coordinator for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International), and a member of Ivors Academy  and the Americana Music Association UK. She is especially passionate about creating opportunities for female, transgender and non-binary songwriters.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

X: https://twitter.com/littleloremusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleloremusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleloremusic

Related posts:

Seven Stories (parts one and two): the new project from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘The River’ – second single from the forthcoming EP ‘River Stories’ by singer-songwriter Little Lore

americana, Music news, , , , , ,

Released: 7 March 2025

“We were spellbound by her ability to highlight unique perspectives with her songwriting” – Maverick magazine

Released on 7 March, ‘The River’ is the second single from the forthcoming EP by London-based Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore. A burgeoning presence on the UK Americana scene, Little Lore has received many plaudits, both for her astute, observational songwriting and for her warm, heartfelt vocals.

‘The River’ is one of six songs that will appear on the brand-new Little Lore EP, River Stories, which comes out in April. From rivers, to boats, to canals, to swimming, all six songs on the EP are inspired in some way by the theme of water. The concept for the EP came about following an invitation for Little Lore to become songwriter in residency on Johnson’s Island, an artists’ community set on a tiny island on the Grand Union Canal and the River Brent in West London.

A gentle, reflective song with gorgeous instrumentation, sumptuous vocals and beautiful harmonies ‘The River’ reminds us that rivers can be beautiful, tranquil places but can also be very powerful forces that can wreak great devastation.

Little Lore: “This song was inspired by two enormous storms that battered the UK in November 2023 causing great damage and floods.  I had been invited to become songwriter in residence on Johnson’s island- an artists’ studio located in the mouth of the Grand Union Canal and the River Brent. A week before the residency the whole island was flooded including the artist’s room I was due to use. When I got the call letting me know that it was looking 50/50 for the residency to go ahead, I sat on the sofa with my guitar and I thought – damn that river has two sides. And the song came from there, with that phrase and the little guitar riff coming first, unusually for me as I am almost always a lyrics-first kinda gal.”

“The song reflects on the incredible beauty of the river and the destruction it can reap when the right combination of high tides, gravitational pull from the moon and storms collide. I love how Oli interpreted the song – and the addition of violins and cello really evoke the feelings of the water.”

Renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin, (who records under the name of Lowpines) is Little Lore’s principal musical collaborator and again produced the single and the forthcoming EP and provides much of the instrumentation.

‘The River’ is released digitally on 7 March 2025 via: https://littlelore.bandcamp.com or via Spotify: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/littlelore/the-river

Release information ‘The River’:

Written and performed by: Little Lore AKA Tricia Duffy
Produced by: Oli Deakin
Violin: Francesca Dardani
Cello: Sasha Ono
Drums: Morgan Karabel
All other instruments: Oli Deakin
Artwork: Afiya Paice

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, West London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States.  She began writing and performing her own material with Americana duo Duffy & Bird and they released a well-received album 5 Lines in 2017 and a follow-up EP Spirit Level in 2019.

Tricia’s solo project Little Lore was created in 2020 during the pandemic. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. The singles, ‘Shallow’, ‘Brown Liquor John’ and ‘Birds’ were released in 2022 to similar acclaim, followed by another equally well-received single ‘Normal’ in January 2023. Two follow-up EPs Seven Stories Part One and Seven Stories Part Two were then released in late 2023 and early 2024 to enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay. Little Lore has become a force to be reckoned with on the UK Americana scene, picking up a slew of enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay – including BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Ulster, Nashville Worldwide Country Radio and the International Americana Music Show. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

An enthusiastic advocate for songwriters, she is the London Chapter Coordinator for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International), and a member of Ivors Academy  and the Americana Music Association UK. She is especially passionate about creating opportunities for female, transgender and non-binary songwriters.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

X: https://twitter.com/littleloremusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleloremusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleloremusic

Related posts:

Americana: ‘I Can Breathe Underwater’ – new single from the forthcoming EP ‘River Stories’ by Little Lore

Seven Stories (parts one and two): the new project from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘Normal’: a gorgeous slice of lush Americana – the new single from Little Lore

Americana: ‘I Can Breathe Underwater’ – new single from the forthcoming EP ‘River Stories’ by Little Lore

americana, Music news, , , , , ,

Released: 7 February 2025

“We were spellbound by her ability to highlight unique perspectives with her songwriting” – Maverick magazine

‘I Can Breathe Underwater’ is the new single from Little Lore, the  highly sought-after singer-songwriter on the UK Americana scene. Released on 7 February, it is one of six songs that will appear on a brand-new Little Lore EP called River Stories, which comes out in April.

From rivers, to boats, to canals, to swimming, all six songs on the EP are inspired in some way by the theme of water. This followed an invitation for Little Lore to become songwriter in residency on Johnson’s Island, an artists’ community set on a tiny island on the Grand Union Canal and the River Brent in West London.

With its gorgeous vocals, thoughtful lyrics, irresistible choruses and sumptuous production, ‘I Can Breathe Underwater’ is a tale of resilience that will bring a touch of joy to the seasonal gloom and act as the perfect antidote to those winter blues.

Little Lore: “The inspiration behind this song came from a family tale that when I was two years-old, I fell over in a swimming pool. I wasn’t in the water for long, I was scooped up quickly with no lasting physical impact. I was so young, that I have no recollection of the incident, it was shared with me when I was older by my parents. But although I didn’t remember it something in my psyche held on to this experience because as a child I refused to learn to swim. I can’t emphasise enough what a good girl I was as a kid, I did as I was told most of the time and was pretty compliant but when it came to swimming, I was adamant.  There was absolutely no way I was getting into water. I certainly wasn’t going to put my face in and blow bubbles like the other children at swimming lessons. It didn’t matter what anyone said or did – I was immovable.”

“In my teens I got over it enough that I learned to swim, but I still don’t put my face in the water. Some incidents last but they give you strength and a way to prove that you can overcome difficult times. This song is a testimony to overcoming pain, suffering and not allowing it to destroy you but rather to give you a glossy mermaids tail and resilience in all aspects of your life. Sometimes I feel as though nothing can hurt me because I can (metaphorically) breathe underwater.“

The single is again produced by renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin, who records under the name of Lowpines.

‘I Can Breathe Underwater’ is released digitally on 7 February 2025 via:

https://littlelore.bandcamp.com

Release information ‘I Can Breathe Underwater’:

Written and performed by: Little Lore AKA Tricia Duffy

Produced by: Oli Deakin

Violin: Francesca Dardani

Cello: Sasha Ono

Drums: Morgan Karabel

All other instruments: Oli Deakin

Artwork: Afiya Paice

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, West London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States.  She began writing and performing her own material with Americana duo Duffy & Bird and they released a well-received album 5 Lines in 2017 and a follow-up EP Spirit Level in 2019.

Tricia’s solo project Little Lore was created in 2020 during the pandemic. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. The singles, ‘Shallow’, ‘Brown Liquor John’ and ‘Birds’ were released in 2022 to similar acclaim, followed by another equally well-received single ‘Normal’ in January 2023. Two follow-up EPs Seven Stories Part One and Seven Stories Part Two were then released in late 2023 and early 2024 to enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay. Little Lore has become a force to be reckoned with on the UK Americana scene, picking up a slew of enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay – including BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Ulster, Nashville Worldwide Country Radio and the International Americana Music Show. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

An enthusiastic advocate for songwriters, she is the London Chapter Coordinator for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International), and a member of Ivors Academy  and the Americana Music Association UK. She is especially passionate about creating opportunities for female, transgender and non-binary songwriters.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

X: https://twitter.com/littleloremusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleloremusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleloremusic

Related posts:

Seven Stories (parts one and two): the new project from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘Normal’: a gorgeous slice of lush Americana – the new single from Little Lore

‘This Building is condemned’ – the new single from Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

americana, Music news, , , ,

Released: 11 October 2024

“Her songwriting hasn’t gone astray, with catchy lines coming thick and fast, alongside the wistful observational writing. The musicality sways in with reverberating, almost shoegaze guitar embellishments and constantly strumming acoustic guitar to ground each song with the brushed drums and light piano accompaniment. – Maverick magazine on Little Lore’s 2023 EP, Seven Stories Part One

With three acclaimed EPs of lush Americana, superb songwriting and heart-felt vocals under her belt, Little Lore has become a force to be reckoned with on the UK Americana scene, picking up a slew of enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay – including BBC Radio Scotland, Nashville Worldwide Country Radio and the International Americana Music Show. Now Little Lore is back with a brand-new single, ‘This Building Is Condemned’, featuring that trademark blend of sharp, observational songwriting, top-notch musicianship and gorgeous vocals.

Little Lore: “This song was inspired at a cross section between a play by Tennessee Williams called This Property is Condemned, and the idea of a condemned building as a metaphor for how it feels to be a post-menopausal women. Yes really! When I was a teenager I did a lot of acting and I often used a monologue from the play for auditions and exams. A 1966 American film inspired by this one act play stared Natalie Wood in the part of Alva and it was her character, oppressed, misunderstood and frustrated that formed the starting point for my writing. I was finding the word ‘property’ wasn’t very singable, so I evolved to building and that inspired me to lean into my own story using the building figuratively. “

“Musically I wanted to capture some of that 1930s Americana feel I got from the film and so I worked with long-time Little Lore collaborator Oli Deakin to create a rich sonic-sound scape using the brilliant talents of Francesca and Sasha for the violin and cello, Morgan on drums with all other instruments played by Oli. I couldn’t be prouder of this song, both lyrically and harmonically, and I am delighted with how it has turned out.”

The single is again produced by renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin (who records under the name of Lowpines). Released digitally on October 11th 2024 it is available via: https://littlelore.bandcamp.com

Release information ‘This Building is Condemned’:

Written and performed by Little Lore / Tricia Duffy

Produced by Oli Deakin

Violin by Francesca Dardani

Cello by Sasha Ono

Drums by Morgan Karabel

All other instruments Oli Deakin

Artwork Afia Paice

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, West London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States.  She began writing and performing her own material with Americana duo Duffy & Bird and they released a well-received album ‘5 Lines’ in 2017 and a follow-up EP ‘Spirit Level’ in 2019.

Tricia’s solo project Little Lore was created in 2020 during the pandemic. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. The singles, ‘Shallow’, ‘Brown Liquor John’ and ‘Birds’ were released in 2022 to similar acclaim, followed by another equally well-received single ‘Normal’ in January 2023. Two follow-up EPs Seven Stories Part One and Seven Stories Part Two were then released in late 2023 and early 2024 to enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay.

An enthusiastic advocate for songwriters, she is the London Chapter Coordinator for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) and is especially passionate about creating opportunities for female, transgender and non-binary songwriters. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

Related posts:

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

Seven Stories (parts one and two): the new project from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘Normal’: a gorgeous slice of lush Americana – the new single from Little Lore

Seven Stories (parts one and two): the new project from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

Album reviews, americana, Music news, , , , , ,

Seven Stories (parts one and two): released 23rd February 2024

“Storytelling is at the heart of Duffy’s songwriting but she finds a unique angle or topic on each track that brings a fresh perspective to a common and relatable issue.” – Maverick magazine on the 2021 debut EP from Little Lore

Following her fantastically well-received debut EP as a solo artist back in 2021, Seven Stories is the latest project from Tricia Duffy and her singer-songwriter alter ego, Little Lore. The first four songs, Seven Stories part one, were released digitally back in September 2023 with the final three songs Seven Stories part two being released in February of this year. A CD version, featuring all seven songs from both parts one and two, is also set for release on 23rd February 2024.

Little Lore: “I had seven songs and I decided to release it in two parts: Seven Stories part one and Seven Stories part two. I’m now thrilled to be releasing the final three songs from the project as well as the CD bringing all seven songs in the collection together. There’s a real variety of styles. Death is one of my go to subjects to write about so there are a couple of quite bleak, sad songs. I’ve got some wry wit in there as well. There’s obviously a climate change one as well – I always like to include one of those. It’s a figurative song written from the perspective of the planet.”

Featuring Little Lore’s compelling storytelling, irresistible melodies and heartfelt vocals, Seven Stories is again produced by renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin (who records under the name of Lowpines). As with the debut Little Lore EP and subsequent singles, Oli Deakin provides the lush instrumentation on each of the tracks, with Morgan Karabel, once again, featuring on drums.

Little Lore adds: “I recorded the vocals in a studio in Kent with an amazing producer and engineer called Paul Stanborough. Lowpines (Oli Deakin) has done the production and all of the instrumentation again and Morgan Karabel is playing drums once more. It is important to me to have women in the team so having a female drummer is really cool.”

On working with Little Lore, Oli Deakin comments: “Working with Tricia on her records as Little Lore has been a really fun journey. As a producer it’s always exciting to work with people who have great ideas, and even more so when they’re also open to building on those ideas and trusting where that might lead. Tricia has been very generous with that trust, which I think has given us both a lot of confidence to be adventurous with our approach, both in the writing and the recording. It’s super rewarding to go out on a limb with an idea and have it land in a place we both get excited about!”

For the full interview with Little Lore visit here

Six of the seven tracks were again written by Tricia Duffy while the final track, ‘It Would be Easier to Miss You if You’d Died’ was a writing collaboration between Tricia and musician and songwriter, Thiago Trosso. A part of the US Ska/Punk/Reggae scene and playing as a session musician in his home country, Thiago Trosso moved to the UK in 2015 with the goal of building a career as a songwriter and solo artist. He finished a Songwriting MA in London, and is now doing a PhD in therapeutic songwriting, opening the path for co-writing with numerous artists around the world.

Seven Stories (parts one and two) will be released on CD on 23rd February 2024 and the final three songs from the project will also be available on all the main digital platforms on the same date.

Available via https://littlelore.bandcamp.com or https://littlelore.ffm.to/sevenstoriespartone

Seven Stories – track by track:

  1. Running on Empty: “Written from the perspective of the planet, it’s sort of a love letter to the human race. The lyrics start “I hold you gently, while you destroy me. Running on Empty. I love you anyway. To get into the frame of mind I needed to write the song, I physically wrote a letter to humanity to help me get the sense of what I wanted to say, that the planet will survive the climate crisis just fine after we humans have wiped ourselves out, but she (Mother Earth) acknowledges that she benefits from some of our interventions. Despite the big topic, it’s a relatively simple song with a haunting Americana vibe.”
  2. Stolen Glances: “I wrote this song in response to a prompt from the Song-a-week challenge run by James Tristan Redding in Nashville. The prompt was “Stolen Glances” and I was travelling home from Cornwall on the train. I remember opening my computer and typing “on a train facing backwards, I steal glances”.  It has had quite a lot of re-writes since that first draft – I think the original version is still knocking around on YouTube somewhere – it’s quite a different song lyrically now. I tried to capture the sense of movement and observation that can be inspired on long journeys, the narrator is searching for answers, but there is almost a sense of not quite knowing what questions she is asking. I think we have all felt that way at some point in our lives.”
  3. The Bench: “This devastating song was inspired by the benches that line the seafront in St. Ives in Cornwall and the true story of a friend of mine who tragically lost her husband a few years ago. The song tells the tale of a man and a women who meet and fall in love despite their age difference. He leaves her once because of the social discourse around their circumstances, but later returns and they marry only to have him leave her again. In the bridge it is revealed he hasn’t left her voluntarily, but died. In many societies benches are incredibly important to people, who use them to memorialise their loved ones with plaques that articulate their feelings about a particular place. “He loved this place” – for example. By centring the story around the bench, we have a sense of a specific location with which to build the narrative. And I believe this makes it more relatable as a result.”
  4. Sebastian Says: “This is a song about imposter syndrome and the inner critic. I have named the voice in my head Sebastian so this is my tribute to him and a good way to tell him to button it! Obviously it had to be a man who tells me I am too fat, doormat, too old, too cold etc. It is a full on driving rock Americana song which probably needs to be played at full volume!” 
  5. The Jackal: “I originally wrote this for a TV Americana Crime brief, but I liked it so much I decided to release it myself.  There are lots of myths surrounding the Jackal, which are known in some communities as ‘death dogs’ or as tricksters.  The Egyptian God of the afterlife, Anubis, had the head of a jackal, so seeing a jackal was considered a warning that someone was in danger.  A bit like a fox in European folklore, in African folklore the Jackal is recognised for its ability to adapt with cunning and stealth, a wily creature that dodges traps by feigning death. It has a black saddle because it offered to carry the sun on its back, burning his fur, and inspiring the words in my chorus.”  
  6. Little Pieces: “I wrote this in response to a brief which was simply to write a song that was titled “little pieces” with a I IV V chord structure. I started mind mapping the words little pieces and somehow landed on the idea of food. I asked myself who eats food in little pieces? The infirm, babies, people at ‘80s dinner parties with pineapple and cheese on sticks? The lack of control people in care feel over all their choices I think can be summed up with the concept of food. Imagining what it must be like to have so little influence over your daily life that you can’t even decide what you eat must be disturbing. I had a lot of doubts about releasing this song as I know it is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea! But I took inspiration and confidence from the likes of Nick Cave and Tom Waits and decided to just go for it – with a lot of support from Oli who always believed.  The arrangement is entirely unsettling and I am sure it is not an easy listen but sometimes stories just need to be told.”
  7. It Would be Easier to Miss You if You’d Died*:“This was a co-write with my friend and fellow songwriter, Thiago Trosso. I always like to come to writing sessions prepared with some ‘writable’ ideas. I don’t always need them, but I think it is the spirit of co-writing to bring your best stuff to the room. That day I read out a list of ideas to Thiago and when I told him the concept I had of being ghosted and it being easier to miss that person if they’d died – he smiled and said, “Let’s write that one!”.  We knew it had to be a careful balance of wry wit and humour with sadness and I hope that we have struck that balance. It was inspired by a real experience of being ghosted which seems to be more common these days. Or maybe we just notice it more because we are all so connected. I think Oli thought I was crazy when I first sent him the song. It doesn’t fit a typical structure, starting with a half chorus to land the premise from the start. But he really leaned into the wry nature of the song and I think the instrumentation really enhances the feel. This is the first time I have ever cut a co-write, but I am positive it won’t be the last.”

Seven Stories: release information:

All Tracks written by Tricia Duffy except *written by Tricia Duffy and Thiago Trosso

Vocals – Tricia Duffy 

Produced by – Oli Deakin

The Bench Drums – Oli Deakin

All other tracks Drums – Morgan Karabel 

All other instruments – Oli Deakin

Vocal Recording – Paul Stanborough at Chapel Studio, Kent

Artwork – Afiya Paice

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, West London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States.  She began writing and performing her own material with Americana duo Duffy & Bird and they released a well-received album ‘5 Lines’ in 2017 and a follow-up EP ‘Spirit Level’ in 2019.

Tricia’s solo project Little Lore was created in 2020 during the pandemic. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. The singles, ‘Shallow’, ‘Brown Liquor John’ and ‘Birds’ were released in 2022 to similar acclaim, followed by another equally well-received single ‘Normal’ in January 2023. An enthusiastic advocate for songwriters, she is the London Chapter Coordinator for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) and is especially passionate about creating opportunities for female, transgender and non-binary songwriters.

In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

Seven Stories (parts one and two): released 23rd February 2024

Related posts:

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘Normal’: a gorgeous slice of lush Americana – the new single from Little Lore

Seven Stories: a brand-new project from the acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

americana, Music news, , , , , ,

Seven Stories part one (EP): released 22nd September 2023

“Storytelling is at the heart of Duffy’s songwriting but she finds a unique angle or topic on each track that brings a fresh perspective to a common and relatable issue.” – Maverick magazine on the 2021 debut EP from Little Lore

Following her fantastically well-received debut EP as a solo artist back in 2021, Seven Stories is the latest recording project from Tricia Duffy and her singer-songwriter alter ego, Little Lore. Seven Stories will be released digitally in the form of two corresponding EPs, Seven Stories part one, which comes out on 22nd September and Seven Stories part two, which will come out in February next year. A CD version, featuring all seven songs from both parts one and two, will also be released in February 2024.

Little Lore: “I had seven songs and I decided to release it in two parts: Seven Stories part one and Seven Stories part two. There’s a real variety of styles. Death is one of my favourite subjects to write about so there are a couple of quite bleak, sad, death songs. I’ve got some wry wit in there as well. There’s obviously a climate change one as well – I always like to include one of those. It’s a figurative song written from the perspective of the planet.”

For the full interview with Little Lore visit here

Featuring Little Lore’s compelling storytelling, irresistible melodies and heartfelt vocals, Seven Stories is again produced by renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin (who records under the name of Lowpines). As with the debut Little Lore EP and subsequent singles, Oli Deakin provides the lush instrumentation on each of the tracks, with Morgan Karabel, once again, featuring on drums.

Little Lore adds: “I recorded the vocals in a studio in Kent with an amazing producer and engineer called Paul Stanborough. Lowpines (Oli Deakin) has done the production and all of the instrumentation again and Morgan Karabel is playing drums once more. It is important to me to have women in the team so having a female drummer is really cool.”

On working with Little Lore, Oli Deakin comments: “Working with Tricia on her records as Little Lore has been a really fun journey. As a producer it’s always exciting to work with people who have great ideas, and even more so when they’re also open to building on those ideas and trusting where that might lead. Tricia has been very generous with that trust, which I think has given us both a lot of confidence to be adventurous with our approach, both in the writing and the recording. It’s super rewarding to go out on a limb with an idea and have it land in a place we both get excited about!”

Seven Stories part one will be released in all the main digital formats on 22nd September, with a CD featuring all seven songs from parts one and two being released in February 2024.

Available via https://littlelore.bandcamp.com or https://littlelore.ffm.to/sevenstoriespartone

Seven Stories part one: track by track:

  1. Running on Empty: “Written from the perspective of the planet, it’s sort of a love letter to the human race. The lyrics start “I hold you gently, while you destroy me. Running on Empty. I love you anyway. To get into the frame of mind I needed to write the song, I physically wrote a letter to humanity to help me get the sense of what I wanted to say, that the planet will survive the climate crisis just fine after we humans have wiped ourselves out, but she (Mother Earth) acknowledges that she benefits from some of our interventions. Despite the big topic, it’s a relatively simple song with a haunting Americana vibe.”
  2. Stolen Glances: “I wrote this song in response to a prompt from the Song-a-week challenge run by James Tristan Redding in Nashville. The prompt was “Stolen Glances” and I was travelling home from Cornwall on the train. I remember opening my computer and typing “on a train facing backwards, I steal glances”.  It has had quite a lot of re-writes since that first draft – I think the original version is still knocking around on YouTube somewhere – it’s quite a different song lyrically now. I tried to capture the sense of movement and observation that can be inspired on long journeys, the narrator is searching for answers, but there is almost a sense of not quite knowing what questions she is asking. I think we have all felt that way at some point in our lives.”
  3. The Bench: “This devastating song was inspired by the benches that line the seafront in St. Ives in Cornwall and the true story of a friend of mine who tragically lost her husband a few years ago. The song tells the tale of a man and a women who meet and fall in love despite their age difference. He leaves her once because of the social discourse around their circumstances, but later returns and they marry only to have him leave her again. In the bridge it is revealed he hasn’t left her voluntarily, but died. In many societies benches are incredibly important to people, who use them to memorialise their loved ones with plaques that articulate their feelings about a particular place. “He loved this place” – for example. By centring the story around the bench, we have a sense of a specific location with which to build the narrative. And I believe this makes it more relatable as a result.”
  4. Sebastian Says: “This is a song about imposter syndrome and the inner critic. I have named the voice in my head Sebastian so this is my tribute to him and a good way to tell him to button it! Obviously it had to be a man who tells me I am too fat, doormat, too old, too cold etc. It is a full on driving rock Americana song which probably needs to be played at full volume!” 

Seven Stories part one: release information:

Written by – Tricia Duffy

Vocals – Tricia Duffy 

Produced by – Oli Deakin

The Bench Drums – Oli Deakin

All other tracks Drums – Morgan Karabel 

All other instruments – Oli Deakin

Vocal Recording – Paul Stanborough at Chapel Studio, Kent

Artwork – Afiya Paice

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and yet beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, west London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career in a live covers band performing popular rock classics. Over time, however, a strong desire emerged to begin writing and performing her own material and she formed an acoustic Americana duo with fellow musician, Al Bird. Duffy & Bird released a well-received album ‘5 Lines’ in 2017 and a follow-up EP ‘Spirit Level’ in 2019.

While Al subsequently decided to take a back seat from recording and performing, Tricia was keen to take things a step further. Little Lore was born. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. The singles, ‘Shallow’, ‘Brown Liquor John’ and ‘Birds’ were released in 2022 to similar acclaim, followed by another equally well-received single ‘Normal’ in January 2023. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/littleloremusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleloremusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleloremusic/

Related posts:

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘Normal’: a gorgeous slice of lush Americana – the new single from Little Lore

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

americana, Interviews, , , , ,

Initially one half of the duo, Duffy & Bird, Tricia Duffy then set out on her own as a solo artist under the name of Little Lore. We discuss why her songwriting is like an episode of The Simpsons, her feelings of devastation at the demise of her original duo and why, in hindsight, it turned out to be the best thing that’s ever happened to her.

Tell us how you first got involved in playing and singing.

I was a singer when I was a child and then when I was 19  left the UK to go to America to work on cruise ships. I was so desperate to get into working at sea, my first job was in the gift shop. I left the gift shop and became a hostess and entertainer. I spent four and a half years at sea altogether. I was basically like a Butlins redcoat. Doing everything from calling bingo to singing. I sang a lot of standards and contemporary music as well.

And I always sang in choirs and that type of thing, and then I was really fortunate to meet an amazing lady who’s still my singing teacher, Rose Bellingham. She runs these workshops and I went to one of those and I performed a solo. It must have been about fifteen years ago now. And she just came up to me afterwards and said, “You know it’s not too late for you. If you want to still make it as a singer you probably could.” And I was like, “Really?” because it was just a hobby at that stage. And I said, “Well give me some lessons then.” And I started having lessons and I was sort of genre-confused. I didn’t really know where I wanted to be. And she suggested that I try for a musical so I went to an open audition for a musical and amazingly got a part. First audition I’d ever been for and I got a part in a musical. Which was a great learning curve to work out what’s definitely not for me because – my God! – that is a different kind of schedule. I don’t know how anyone does a long run. The one I did was very short and I had, like, the older woman ballad part but it nearly killed me.

And then I started singing contemporary music. I got into a band and was singing rock covers. I met Al my duo partner and we were on that pub circuit doing covers gigs as a duo – with guitar and vocals. Our set-list was up to a hundred songs I would imagine because we were always thinking, “Oh, we’ll do this. We’ll cover that.” And Al was such an amazing guitarist. He could  play anything. And I said to him one day, “Do you know what? It’s all very well trying to turn heads with different arrangements of other people’s songs. Why don’t we write our own?” And he just goes, “Alright. You start. Let me know when you’ve got something.” And I was like, “Fine, I will.” So I started writing and really found my feet with Americana and country.

Did the focus on Americana come straight away or did you start off by experimenting with various genres and styles?

Well I suppose I still do experiment with different genres and styles, now that I’m writing professionally. I’ve been writing for a sync brief in a shoegaze style and this morning I was writing something for musical theatre. So I do still experiment with genres but my artist project – the Little Lore project and Duffy & Bird before it – they both very much have storytelling leanings. And writing songs to perform myself rather than writing for other people I really do like songs that tell stories. I admire those songs when other people write them and those are the songs I want to write. So that naturally points me to towards that genre and I also enjoy the devices of Americana: the instruments – the way that a voice can duet with a steel and all of those kind of things.

After beginning to establish yourself as part of a duo, you then moved onto becoming a solo artist. Did that feel daunting?

Absolutely. It destroyed me. I was devastated by the ending of the duo. I didn’t want it to finish at all. And I didn’t know I could do it on my own because my voice is my first instrument. My guitar-playing was not that hot and I couldn’t imagine having the kind of relationship with someone else as a duo partner that I’d had with Al. And it was obviously the pandemic so I couldn’t even get together with anyone anyway. I didn’t have the opportunity to find a chemistry with another guitarist. It was really, really upsetting when it ended. I didn’t want it to end at all. We just had different priorities and he couldn’t give me what I wanted so there was tension between us because I was like, “When are you going to get to that song I sent you?” And he’d be like, “Later, when I’m not running a business and dealing with my family.” So we just had different priorities. But, I have to say that even though I still really miss that and I miss him and I miss our friendship – because obviously that had a massive impact – it has been the best thing that’s happened to me!

I was going to say that! Because in preparation for this interview I listened to your previous albums and while the Duffy & Bird material has a raw, really emotive feel about it which works really well, when we move on to hearing the Little Lore material, it’s like a whole different world. The way you’ve thrown yourself into it and the way your voice works with the instrumentation, it just seems a huge leap forward.

Thank you. That really means a lot to me because I know you’re really familiar with everything that I’ve done. It honestly has been the best thing that ever happened. I think that everything works out for a reason doesn’t it. What feels really awful at the time turns out for the best. And I’m so focused on my writing. My writing is getting better and better. Obviously, every week I still write duff songs! But it’s a volume game. You’ve got to write a huge amount of material is what I’ve really learnt. I mean, just masses. I write two to three songs a week now and I’m really disciplined: “Writers write so get to your desk. Get your notebook out. Pick up your guitar and write!”

Are they always completed songs or are there fragments that you might return to later and use elsewhere?

Pretty much always completed songs. I’ve got a couple of little devices. I write for something called the song-a-week challenge every week. Which is run by an amazing guy called James Tristan Redding in Nashville. And he just puts a prompt up every week. This week’s prompt was ‘Ode to chameleons’ so you just never know what you’re going to get and I’ve been doing it over a year now. Every single week I’ve written to that prompt. Whatever he offers me. Last week it was something like ‘The roots beneath the tree’ – so it can be anything! And you can either write that as a title or you can jump off from it so today I’ve jumped off from it a little bit. And there’s a minimum of one every week so that’s fifty-two songs a year!

And then over and above that, I’m doing a Masters in song-writing and so we get one or two briefs a week from that as well. And sometimes they’re quite broad – so it might be to experiment with a different form or to experiment with a different rhyming pattern. And other times they’re more specific – write something about identity, write something about imposter syndrome, write something about a topic. Sometimes it’s been sonic challenges – write with a certain chord structure or whatever. So there’s all sorts of different things coming in which is really good for my discipline.

And then over and above that, there’s the songs that come to you. You’re running down a river and see someone reading a book and think, “Ooh, that’s a title.” And then I’ve got some briefs as well – I’m writing for a movie at the moment. So there’s a few opportunities like that coming through as well.

You don’t just stick to stereotypical Americana themes like road-trips and personal heartbreak. You’re happy to tackle all sorts of controversial, contemporary issues. Was that a conscious decision?

Well I like songs to be – and this is a very specific technical term – ‘arf clever! You know like when you watch an episode of The Simpsons and there’s something for the adults and you go, “Ahh ha-ha-ha that’s funny,” and then the kids can just take it on face value. When songs are good, that’s what I think they do. If you are listening carefully to the lyrics and to how the music plays with the words you can go, “Oooh, actually that’s clever. I see what they did there. Interesting.” And a lot of country music really does do that. Those typical – ‘problem, statement, how do I feel about the problem, expand more on the problem, ooh twist the problem about up on it’s head, it’s not really about what you thought’ – type songs I think are really, really, really clever. Which is probably why I’m really drawn to that kind of writing and that kind of music. And yet, you could just listen to it on the radio and hum along to the melody. You don’t have to engage with the clever lyrics. You can just listen to the chorus and go, “Oh, that’s nice. It’s a fun tune. I can sing along to it.” So that’s something that I really try to do. Sometimes, I think I have a tendency to go off ‘alf clever and go full clever and then I have to really reign myself back and just decide what I want the song to be about.

What are your favourite artists and who has been a big influence on you?

One of my absolute top favourites is Sheryl Crowe. I love the fact that she can write a really hard-hitting, political song one minute and then just a pop throwaway the next minute. I love the vibe of that Americana with the pop sound. I think she’s a badass as well and so all power to female performers who keep on hustling and keep on doing it. To that end as well, I really love Shania Twain. I just think she’s amazing. I think she’s a really good role model. I love Dolly. I love Joanie Mitchell. Another great influence of mine is Nina Simone. I absolutely adore both her writing and her performing of other people’s songs. Her phrasing and her ability to tell a story – there’s no-one touches her. And she really did sing some very hard-hitting, difficult songs as well.

You’re a regular visitor to Nashville. Are those trips now an important part of the creative process for you?

Definitely. My dream is to be able to go out there twice a year for a month to six weeks at a time. And have that environment where I could just drop in for co-writes and what have you. Obviously, the pandemic stopped me going for a bit but I went this year in March and I’m going again next year. They have a song-writing festival over there called Tin Pan South which is just an amazing place to be because it’s literally the only large-scale festival that celebrates song-writing rather than performing. It’s super inspiring because those national writers are writing contemporary pop music that we hear on our radios right now, as well as country music.

Presumably, you’ve managed to fit in a bit of time for sight-seeing as well while you’ve been in Nashville?

Well, I’ve seen a lot of the sights already but the live music is the thing – so you’re going to all the iconic venues and you’re seeing live music and that’s really what you want to see.

You’ve got a new EP that you’re working on currently. What can you tell us about that?

I’ve got seven songs and I’m going to release it in two parts: Seven Stories part one and Seven Stories Part Two. There’s a real variety of styles. Death is one of my favourite subjects to write about so there are a couple of quite bleak, sad, death songs. I’ve got some wry wit in there as well. There’s obviously a climate change one as well – I always like to include one of those. It’s a figurative song written from the perspective of the planet.

I’m recording the vocals in a studio in Kent with an amazing producer and engineer called Paul Stanborough. Lowpines (Ollie Deakin) has done the production and all of the instrumentation again and Morgan Karabel is playing drums once more. It is important to me to have women in the team so having a female drummer is really cool.

Is there anything else you want to tell us?

I hope I’m going to write an album next year. These EPs will come out in the autumn and early next year and probably towards the end of next year hopefully I’ll be able to release an album.

Live dates:

Saturday 8th July at 3pm, Hanwell Cavern, London W7

Tuesday 5th September at 8pm, Songwriters Gallery, Hangar Farm Arts Centre, Totton, Southampton SO40 8FT

https://littlelore.uk/

Related posts:

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘Normal’: a gorgeous slice of lush Americana – the new single from Little Lore

Seven Stories: a brand-new project from the acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

‘Normal’: a gorgeous slice of lush Americana – the new single from Little Lore

americana, Folk music, Music news, , , , ,

“Storytelling is at the heart of Duffy’s songwriting but she finds a unique angle or topic on each track that brings a fresh perspective to a common and relatable issue.” – Maverick magazine on the debut Little Lore EP

‘Normal’ is the latest single from Little Lore, the alter-ego of London-based Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy, and will be released on 20th January 2023. Featuring Little Lore’s characteristically astute storytelling and beautifully heartfelt vocal, in tandem with Oli Deakin’s equally engaging arrangement and exquisitely empathetic production, ‘Normal’ is another gorgeous slice of lush Americana from the acclaimed singer-songwriter.

Little Lore: “I wrote ‘Normal’ when I was isolated in my bedroom with Covid. I had been locked in my room for about five days at the time I picked up the guitar – I was feeling much better, but still testing positive. My husband travels a lot and couldn’t risk catching it so I had to stay away from the family. I am a huge fan of Jeanette Winterson’s writing. Her memoir is called ‘Why be Happy When you Could be Normal’ and this title really resonated with me as I have a lot of very strong feelings about how socialised we are to accept things because that’s what is done or expected rather than what makes us happy or fulfils us. I was using an old Guild Songbird guitar to write with – it has a very twangy sound which instantly inspires me to write in a higher registers.”

“As always Oli Deakin has worked his magic with the arrangement and production, really emphasising the syncopation and building the energy of the song. When I briefed Afiya for the artwork she came back with multiple ideas for how she could approach it.  I decided to leave it to her discretion – after all she is an artist herself!  When she sent me the final artwork I was absolutely blown away.  It is a brilliant visual of female empowerment – perfect for this song.”

The single will be released in all the main digital formats on 20th January, available from https://littlelore.uk or https://littlelore.bandcamp.com 

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and yet beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, west London and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career in a live covers band performing popular rock classics. Over time, however, a strong desire emerged to begin writing and performing her own material and she formed an acoustic Americana duo with fellow musician, Al Bird. Duffy & Bird released a well-received album ‘5 Lines’ in 2017 and a follow-up EP ‘Spirit Level’ in 2019. While Al subsequently decided to take a back seat from recording and performing, Tricia was keen to take things a step further. Little Lore was born. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. The single, ‘Shallow’, was released in April 2022 to similar acclaim, followed by ‘Brown Liquor John’ in October 2022 and ‘Birds’ in December 2022. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

Release information:

Vocals, lyrics and music: Tricia Duffy

Production and instrumentation: Oli Deakin.

Drums: Morgan Karabel

Artwork: Afiya Paice, a West London-based artist and designer.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/littleloremusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleloremusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleloremusic/

Related post:

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘Birds’ – the new single from UK Americana singer-storyteller, Little Lore, released 2 December

americana, Folk music, Music news, , , , ,

“Storytelling is at the heart of Duffy’s songwriting but she finds a unique angle or topic on each track that brings a fresh perspective to a common and relatable issue.” – Maverick magazine on the debut Little Lore EP

‘Birds’ is the latest single from Little Lore, the alter-ego of London-based Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy, released on 2 December 2022.

With the lush instrumentation from Oli Deakin beautifully complementing Little Lore’s heartfelt vocals, ‘Birds’ came out of a visit to the Hampshire countryside, close to where Tricia grew up. With the chorus of birdsong that rang out around her providing a calming backdrop as she wrestled with some challenging personal news, all the while gently strumming her guitar with just an ageing and rather deaf cat for company, the melody took shape and the creatures around her began to inspire the lyrics.

Little Lore: “I wrote ‘Birds’ at a friend’s home in Hampshire.  They live near the Hamble river, very close to where I grew up just outside Portsmouth. I had been devastated by a terrible event that had happened to someone close to me a few weeks before, which all sounds a bit cryptic, but without going into details I’ll just say I was craving some time away to be inside my head.  My friends have a gorgeous black Manx cat called Scooter. Poor Scooter is rather old and almost completely deaf, but seemed to enjoy the vibrations created by my guitar. He spent my entire stay close to me, purring a lot of the time at full volume. The birds in that area are also incredible, doves, blackbirds, thrushes, woodpeckers were enveloping me in warm calming song.”

“So that’s the scene – which you can hear described in the first verse. Along with that, I was trying to challenge myself to try different approaches to song-writing. My usual process is to start with lyrics, then build harmonics and melody comes last. This time I was playing guitar – building a palate which included some gorgeous suspended chords and I started singing what I could see and what I was feeling over the top. It was one of those rare moments that songwriters become quite addicted to, when you almost lose awareness of time and motion and you’re just in the song.  What seems like ten minutes later (but in reality is a lot longer) you have a song and it feels like it wrote itself.  So ‘Birds’ was created.”

Released in all the main digital formats on 2 December, available from https://littlelore.uk or https://littlelore.bandcamp.com 

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and yet beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, west London and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career in a live covers band performing popular rock classics. Over time, however, a strong desire emerged to begin writing and performing her own material and she formed an acoustic Americana duo with fellow musician, Al Bird. Duffy & Bird released a well-received album ‘5 Lines’ in 2017 and a follow-up EP ‘Spirit Level’ in 2019. While Al subsequently decided to take a back seat from recording and performing, Tricia was keen to take things a step further. Little Lore was born. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. A follow-up single, ‘Shallow’, was released in April 2022 to similar acclaim, followed by ‘Brown Liquor John’ in October 2022. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

Production and instrumentation: Oli Deakin.

Drums: Morgan Karabel

Artwork by: Afiya Paice, a West London-based artist and designer.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

‘Voice on Shellac’ – the stunning new live show from Laughing With The Raindrops – 10th June

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Led by songwriter and performer Virginie Lacour-Puiboube , Laughing With The Raindrops bring the highly-acclaimed new album, Voice On Shellac, to a live setting with two dates announced for a stunning multi-media show: Impact Community Arts, Perivale, Ealing – Friday 10th June

“Modern jazz that crackles with the vintage vinyl tones of and vivid vintage imagery summoned in the sepia tones of the soulful story of Virginie Lacour-Puiboube.” – Yack Magazine

“Laughing with the Raindrops’ music never ceases to amaze me.  What I noticed about their latest work is that it is very cerebral, yet vulnerable and relatable. If you are in London (UK) area, make sure to catch Laughing with the Raindrops at one, or all, of these upcoming live dates:”- Lakisha Skinner, Klef Notes

“And what a fine storyteller Virginie Lacour-Puiboube is.” – Jane Mann – London Jazz News

The Voice on Shellac show is a live performance of the album’s songs, synchronised to a black and white silent movie: Faded Prints. Inspired by Virginie Lacour-Puiboube’s family photo album, the songs evoke the lives and true stories of those displayed in the album.  With the film’s cast made up entirely of children, the show can be enjoyed by people of all ages and makes for captivating family entertainment.

YouTube trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rndiefcb8V4

The silent movie’s narrative develops in tandem with the songs: Two young girls discover memorabilia in their attic. They rummage through suitcases and play games related to their findings. Starting with a “peculiar” camera that “captures memories in colour”, the girls investigate the song characters’ past, through photos, letters and a record collection that contains a recording of Virginie’s grandmother’s voice on a shellac disc.

The girls also ponder about how they will use a large sum of money they have discovered in one of the suitcases. This fortune takes them on a long journey in search of the girl in the black and white dress, from the photo album. The storyline takes the audience back and forth in time, as the girls refer to the time when they first found the memorabilia two years earlier, and to how their new, now more mature understanding sheds light on the song characters’ past through decades of love, betrayal, divorce, war, travel, life…

Live show:

Friday 10th June 2022, 7.15 pm: Impact Community Arts Centre, Perivale UB6 8GP. This show forms part of an evening of eclectic live music performances featuring women songwriter-storytellers. Ticket link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/original-eclectic-an-evening-with-women-songwriter-storytellers-tickets-292480526127

Support:

Support comes from Lutfia, a 21-year-old BIMM student and her all-girl band promoting their recently-released EP, So Much For Summer. The EP which has been described as a ‘sophisticated collection of pop songs’ incorporates a variety of different styles, including alternative pop, pop-rock, funk and dance. Each song is unique and different from the rest but her powerful mezzo-soprano voice and deeply personal lyrics make the project seamlessly cohesive. Lutfia tells stories of teenage love, mental health struggles and nostalgia, each song recounting an impactful emotion, person or place in her life.

The evening also features Little Lore, a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and yet beguilingly challenging. In her songs Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds. Following acclaimed work with her previous dup, Little Lore’s debut solo EP was released in 2021 to glowing reviews

About Virginie Lacour-Puiboube:

Virginie founded Laughing with The Raindrops in 2013, and their eponymous debut album was released in 2016. More recently, as she studied for an MMus in Music performance at London College of Music, Virginie focussed on the creation of narratives in song and explored the use of visual art as a combined story-telling device. Voice On Shellac was the resulting album (released on vinyl this year) and live show.

Hailing from Paris, Virginie has contributed to music projects in the UK since the late 1980s, from playing guitar in all-girl Reggae band Just Desserts and a Serge Gainsbourg tribute trio to being active on the London Jazz scene in the 90s, alongside bassist Alexander Keen and pianist Gabriel Keen, co-leading 13-piece experimental Jazz group Piano Di Lavoro, performing in London venues such as the Barbican Foyer, The Bull’s Head (Barnes), former jazz club The Bass Clef. In the mid-90s, Virginie also founded Baton Rouge, a vocal-led septet showcasing her song writing.

Laughing with The Raindrops have played at Toulouse Lautrec Jazz bar (Kennington), Map Cafe (Kentish Town), Kentish Town Arts Club, Babel Art House (Stoke Newington), London festivals, and recently premiered the show at the Etcetera Theatre in Camden.

Laughing With The Raindrops – the musicians:

Drums – David Ingamells

Bass – Alexander Keen

Piano/Keyboards – Gabriel Keen

Trumpet/Flugel – Paul Higgs

Tenor Saxophone – Theo Travis

Lead Vocal – Virginie Lacour-Puiboube

Guitar – Neil McBennett

Website: https://laughingwiththeraindrops.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laughingwiththeraindrops

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaughRaindrops