SHORT STORIES FROM EAST YORKSHIRE
Short Stories From East Yorkshire, releasing February 11th 2008, is the first post-Beautiful South album to be released from their
songwriter/guitarist, Dave Rotheray. The single 'Short Story' featuring Sam Brown on vocals, is at radio now.
Releasing under the moniker 'Homespun', the album is a collection of acoustic, guitar-based country/folk tracks and features guest vocals
from Sam Brown, Eleanor McEvoy and Mary Coughlan. Having began as a collective whereby artists were welcomed to share song writing ideas along with performances, Homespun initially functioned as an outlet for Dave's writing during an in-between album lull in the latter days of The Beautiful South. The Beautiful South called it a day in February 2007, having sold in the region of ten million albums in their nineteen year lifespan.
The first gathering of the Homespun collective resulted in the first eponymous album in 2003, and the second, 'Effortless Cool', in 2005-
both featuring vocals from Sam Brown. The albums received widespread acclaim from media with The Times calling the latter release "clever,
country-tinged tunes that have their heart in Texas and their soul in a bed-sit in Hull".
Short Stories From East Yorkshire reflects Dave's long-time obsession with country music.. This album is a translation of this grass roots
tradition to a northern England setting.
The musicians Dave has worked with have remained constant over the three Homespun albums. These are:- Melvin Duffy on pedal steel guitar; Gary Hammond on percussion; Tony Robinson on keyboards; Clare Mactaggart on violin; and lastly Alan Jones on bass.
As well as being one of Britain's most successful songwriters, Dave has a collection of hotel 'Do Not Disturb' signs numbering in the thousands,
was briefly addicted to lottery scratchcards, is a Hull City season ticket holder, a Grateful Dead fan, a vegetarian hunt supporter and an amateur biscuit inventor.
" a folksy, unassuming record that punches far above it's weight.....on the evidence of this collection, Hull must really be the emotional epicentre of the country after all"
MOJO
"recalls Morrissey at his most self-effacing...an unassuming and unpolished gem that shines ever brighter with every play"
RECORD COLLECTOR
"reminds you that Hull was also spiritual home to Philip Larkin"
UNCUT
"a curious gem...a smouldering, off-the-wall, country-meets-rural pop delight"
MAVERICK
"exquisite genius"
BELFAST TELEGRAPH
"real-life tableaux and wry observations"
THE INDEPENDENT
"beautifully portrays the melancholy vibe of Yorkshire..fans of his old band will love this one"
ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE
"acute, anguished observation...gentler than a grandmother's sigh"
YORK PRESS
"an album all about songs....soaked in the kind of country and folk that give those traditions a good name"
ROCK 'N REEL
"simple, yet hard-hitting...a gem"
CLASSIC ROCK MAGAZINE
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