Naomi Bedford & Paul Simmonds - Strange News Has Come To Town [CD]

Please Note Not All Our New Items Are Shrink Wrapped.All items shipped within 3 working days of payment.

Strange News Has Come To Town Press Release

Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds

Released June 28th via Dusty Willow Recordings/Proper Distribution

'Strange News Has Come To Town' is the fourth collaboration for folk roots country hybrid duo Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds. It follows the dramatic introduction to Bedford's unique high lonesome vocal style in the murder ballad heavy album 'Tales of the Weeping Willow'; the celebration of protest and exposition of madness in 'A History of Insolence' and 'Songs My Ruiner Gave Me' respectively, and finally the Appalachian celebration of 2019's 'Singing It All Back Home'.

Four years on there is 'Strange News....' Commenced the week before lockdown and beset by pandemic, financial collapse and health issues, this time personal issues are to the fore. Nowhere more so than the opening track 'Optimist' where all the above travails are breezily confronted in a homage to one of the duo's most essential qualities - positive resilience.

Overseen once again by producer/multi-instrumentalist Ben Walker, 'Strange News...' overflows with great ensemble playing from the fluid cast of musicians that Bedford and Simmonds have gathered to support their projects. Vocally, there's the aching high harmonies of Rich Leo, the bluesy grit of Donna Edmead and the cool Americana cream of Xan Tyler, yet still Bedford's voice rises above all to infuse each vocal with her trademark wounded yearning; never more effectively than on the raw tradition of 'A Blacksmith Courted Me', the strange, ambient swamp of 'Haunted River' and the euphoric homage to anxiety, 'Happiness Is A Way Of Travelling'.

Elsewhere, erstwhile partner Paul Simmonds joins the fray with two rambling and surreal narratives, 'I've Got A Fever' and 'Opposite Day'; the former a lockdown horror movie resolved into a meditation on reincarnation and liberty, the latter an inverted Quest ballad set during a dystopian odyssey through post truth Britain in search of 'what a man desires' via nursery rhymes, wah wah guitar and a brutal lydian scale.

Other standouts are the blissed-out Americana of Justin Currie co-write 'I Love You Too'; all pedal steel and Everly Brothers harmonies and the dark folk allegory 'Asylum', a phantasmagorical tale of the fatal adventures of three would migrants.

The album ends with the rural ballad 'The Lapwing's Call', set appropriately in the first reviving Spring at the end of lockdown. Strange News Has Come To Town, long overdue, long awaited and worth every minute.

Optimist

Happiness Is A Way Of Travelling

Haunted River

I Love You Too

Lewiston Factory Girls

Asylum

I've Got A Fever

Dark Rolling Road

A Blacksmith Courted Me

Opposite Day

The Lapwing's Call

Optimist

Happiness Is A Way Of Travelling

Haunted River

I Love You Too

Lewiston Factory Girls

Asylum

I've Got A Fever

Dark Rolling Road

A Blacksmith Courted Me

Opposite Day

The Lapwing's Call

• Genre: Folk
• Product Type: AUDIO CD
• Barcode: 5063176034724

Dispatch Information: Dispatch times vary by item and items are only dispatched on UK working days – not weekends or UK Bank Holidays. Items marked "Dispatched Same Day" will be dispatched on the day of purchase if bought before 2pm GMT. "Dispatched Same Day" items bought after 2pm GMT or on a non-working day will be dispatched on the next working day. We aim to dispatch all other items within 3-5 working days.

Delivery Information: We aim to deliver your order as quickly and efficiently as possible. All UK orders are dispatched using Royal Mail 48 Tracked service and the standard delivery times are 2-3 business days. Please note that delivery times for overseas orders will vary depending on your location and the shipping option you choose during checkout.

Shipping Costs: We offer free delivery on all UK orders and free worldwide delivery on orders over £15.

Tracking Your Order: All UK orders are tracked. Once your order is dispatched, you will receive a tracking number via email. You can use this tracking number to monitor the progress of your delivery on the Royal Mail Track and Trace website.

Returns and Exchanges: We want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase. If for any reason you are not happy with your order, you may return it within 28 days of the item being dispatched for a refund or exchange. Please note the following guidelines:
- Items must be returned in their original condition and packaging – items that have been opened or had shrink wrap removed are not eligible for return or refund.
- Make sure to include your order number in the returned package.

How to Initiate a Return: To initiate a return or exchange, please contact our customer service team. The team is available to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have about the process.

Refund Processing: Refunds will be processed as soon as we receive your item back into our warehouse. Replacements are subject to availability and if a replacement is not available, a refund will be issued.

If you have any further questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact our customer service team or check out our FAQ’s. We're here to help ensure your shopping experience is enjoyable and hassle-free. Thank you for choosing Chalkys!