Prague-based straight-edge UK singer-songwriter Alasdair Bouch releases his second single of 2021 on Bandcamp Friday, 5th March: ‘Storm In A Coffee Cup (feat. Anna Beckerová)’, a duet with Hradec Králové native and rising star Anna Beckerová.
The tender, introspective ballad is the result of recording sessions with one of Alasdair’s regular collaborators Thom Artway, producer at the Artway Record Booth. The single is taken from the forthcoming EP ‘Desolation Peak’ (set for release on April 2nd 2021).
‘Storm’ lays bare the futility of communication without listening, summed up by the refrain ‘Would you like to know?’ Alasdair furthers: “Two monologues do not make a dialogue. Both singers are trapped, in their own way – they are reaching out, but don’t want to hear the answer. They are prisoners of the tyranny of memory, of clinging to a rose-tinted past. This is a story of resistance to the inevitable, and about holding someone back when you know they have to fly.”
The song marks the first time a featured artist appears on one of Alasdair’s own songs, but as he explains, Anna’s participation was indispensable. “The first time I heard Anna perform, I was mesmerized by her sheer natural talent. It was only professional shyness that initially kept me from asking if she’d care to collaborate with me. Even as I was writing this song, I wanted to hear her voice on it – I’m not sure if it would have ever seen the light of day, if she hadn’t generously agreed to give it a try!”
Inspired by the late-60s English folk heyday of Fairport Convention, Pentangle and (latterly) Fotheringay, the sound nevertheless bears a decidedly modern imprint – followers of the Czech music scene can hear the unmistakeable touch of producer Thom Artway on the track. Alasdair concurs: “Thom’s fingerprints are all over it! He has a very distinctive dreamlike, yearning sound, a pathos that fits this subject matter like a glove.” Thom’s intuitive double-bassist Ondřej Jurásek was brought in to round out the sound. American producer Geoff Tyson took on remixing and mastering duties once again, while local illustrator Ken Nash designed the cover art.
‘Storm In A Coffee Cup’ is available to stream and download on March 5th 2021 exclusively at Bandcamp and later, on all your favourite outlets.
Listen: https://alasdairbouch.bandcamp.com/track/storm-in-a-coffee-cup-feat-anna-beckerov
Singer-songwriter
Alasdair has been a full-time musician for over 11 years, with over 30 years of live experience as a frontman, & more than 1250 concerts worldwide under his belt. His most recent tours have taken him across the Czech Republic and Europe. Since 2010, Alasdair has recorded and released 4 critically-acclaimed albums, with two live EPs in a series of archive concert recordings, to offer people a taste of his captivating live appearances in the Czech Republic. Each album has been supported by a continuous touring schedule. An EP of four new songs, ‘Desolation Peak’ is set for release in April 2021, & will be followed by his long-awaited fifth album later this Summer.
Discography:
‘First Person Singular’ (2010) – urban folk-blues
‘Second-hand Lullabies’ (2011) – melodic indie-pop & soul
‘Third Time Lucky’ (2013) – hard-rock & folk-jazz
‘Go Forth!’ (2014) – alternative-folk
‘Live in Little Paris’ (EP, 2016) – live & solo
‘Live at the Flicks’ (EP, 2018) – live & solo
‘Out Of My Mind’ (single, 2021) – alt-folk pop
‘Storm In A Coffee Cup (feat. Anna Beckerová)’ (single, 2021) – alt-folk duet
