New video: Get Low - Stornoway

Ahead of the release of their much anticipated third album, Bonxie, next month, Oxford band Stornoway have released the video for their new single, 'Get Low'. With an ornithologist for a lead-singer, birds are often a theme within the band's lyrics, but the new video takes it one step further with geese following the band as they drive. The band have stuck with trusted director, Hilary O'Hare who has directed several of their videos in the past, creating continuity with the band's major theme of exploration in the natural world.  The shots are stunning - typical of a Stornoway music video, which often feature natural landscapes to match the sense of freedom within the music. You can check out the video below. 

Bonxie will be released on Cooking Vinyl on 13th April and can be preordered now.

Visit Stornoway's website for more details. 

Mini-LP Review: You Don't Know Anything - Stornoway

Mini-LP: You Don't Know Anything

Release date: 11th November 2013

Rating: 9/10

After the success of their sophomore album, Tales From Terra Firma, (reviewed here back in March), Stornoway have returned with a mini-LP of songs which didn't quite  fit the 'mood' of their latest album.

Opener, When You Touch Down From Outer Space, has been a crowd favourite since it started being performed at gigs a few years back, but a studio version hasn't appeared until now. Despite the whimsical talk of 'cyborgs' and 'outer space', the lyrics convey a deeper and more emotional sense of exploration - lead-singer, Brian Briggs, wrote the song after the birth of his first child; singing 'I can't wait to introduce you to your new world', it's a touching ode to new life.

This theme of fresh beginnings is echoed in Waiting On The Clock, focusing on starting university and first love in a 'new found world'. However not everything is new; Stornoway have always found solace in the natural world, and we've come to anticipate this in each new release. 'So superior to beast and bird, drive them out unless they make us richer', Briggs sings on The Sixth Wave, whilst its marching beat could almost make it a Greenpeace anthem.

Tumbling Bay has a romantically nostalgic feel to it with talk of time machines 'to bring back Saturday'. It's a more laid-back vibe, creating the perfect breather in the middle of the album. The song seems to draw to a close, but an unexpected but nonetheless enchanting addition almost acts as a scene change into You Don't Know Anything, a song which has all the usual elements of a great Stornoway number - references to Oxford, vocal harmonies and trumpets. Clockwatching takes an entirely different approach, but is an exhilarating listen with a rather sinister edge to it, whilst Briggs' voice takes on a gruffer tone.

Tales From Terra Firma saw a clear progression from their debut album and again, You Don't Know Anything marks new territory for the band. Whilst these songs may be almost unrecognisable from those on Beachcomber's Windowsill, Stornoway touches still remain with trumpets striking up in triumphant fanfare across the album. It's a dramatic new sound from the band, and perhaps the most exciting one yet.

For more information visit: www.stornoway.eu

You can also read my interviews with Oli Steadman (bassist) and Rob Steadman (drummer)

Stornoway at The Forum - 27th March 2013

The jangly pop of support band, Pale Seas, was the perfect antidote to the bitterly cold wind outside, and proof that despite the cold weather we're currently experiencing, summer can't be far off. New single, Bodies, is infectiously catchy with simple and yet stunning harmonies of 'If she won't sing for me, will she sing for the devil?'. Frontman, Jacob Scott was charming and funny in equal measures, recounting a story of One Direction, a security guard who looked like 'John Bishop with no neck' and a service station; whilst drummer Zealah Izabella Anstey almost rivalled Metronomy's Anna Prior for the title of 'world's most awesome female drummer'.

Dan Croll

Second support act, Dan Croll, carried on the summery vibes which on occasions sounded like a more electronic Fleet Foxes. With its African drumbeats and Croll's crystal voice ringing out with such beauty and clarity, Compliment Your Soul proves why the singer has been garnering so much attention lately, and we're sure to hear much more from him as the year progresses.

Stornoway's set started with Susie Attwood on violin crescendoing into the new single, Knock Me On The Head, romantically lit only by moonlight (albeit an electronic alternative!). The visuals of crashing waves projected onto the back of the stage added to the haunting atmosphere created by the song as frontman, Brian Briggs, sang 'a woman dangles from a bridge on a thread of silver mercury'.

Brian Briggs

Having recently released their second album, Tales From Terra Firma, there were other new additions to the setlist. Hook, Line, Sinker was certainly the most exhilarating song of the set. The physchedelic visuals of
speeding traffics and headlights matched the slightly frantic tone of the song, and the rhythm section particularly seemed to lose themselves in the music, at one point seeming that bassist, Oli Steadman, was going to crash into the drums as he spun around the stage.

It's a testament to Stornoway's stagecraft that they can move from such an energetic number to an unplugged, acoustic one with such ease. November Song saw Briggs unaccompanied on stage, without even a microphone to project his voice - not easy in a venue with a capacity of over 2000. Incredibly, this didn't seem to phase Briggs, whose voice soared across the room with such a power and intensity it was easy to forget that this was an acoustic version. The audience remained silent throughout the song, enraptured by the stunning simplicity of the moment.

Oli Steadman

The newer songs were intertwined with those from their debut album, and it was with much appreciation and applause from the audience that both Here Comes The Blackout and Zorbing were performed. It seemed wise that the latter was not reserved for their finale. Bands often fall under the curse of being known for one particular song, and the strategic position of Zorbing in the middle of the set meant that whilst the crowd were able to hear their favourite, the band were not playing up to the expectation of 'that band from Oxford who sing that song, Zorbing'.

Although Tales From Terra Firma is a somewhat wiser and more mature album than their debut, Stornoway certainly haven't lost their sense of fun. Briggs' stage banter was on top form, and a ghost story recounted from the tour was accompanied by ghoulish piano chords, haunting basslines and appropriate drum rolls and cymbal crashing at suspenseful moments.

The encore started with an epic drum solo from Rob Steadman, with an African vibe reflecting his early Zulu influences. Starting with just bongos, gradually the whole drumkit was incorporated, with bass and keys being added before Briggs took to the stage for a rendition of I Saw You Blink. The night finished with another crowd favourite, Watching Birds. With a slowed down second verse, Briggs played up to his inner Johnny Cash, and the confetti falling above the crowd as the trumpets began to play was the perfect ending to such a colourful evening of music.

Despite this not being the first time I've seen the band play live, their set was fresh and showed their impressive ability to return each time with new arrangements to make each gig memorable in its own right. With their audiences ever increasing as they gain popularity, it'll be interesting to see how the band retain their vitality and sense of intimacy in bigger venues in future years.

To see more photos from the evening, visit the facebook page

You can also read NotAnotherRainySunday's interviews with Oli Steadman (bassist) and Rob Steadman (drummer)

Jon Ouin

Album Review: Tales From Terra Firma - Stornoway

Album: Tales From Terra Firma

Release date: March 11th 2013

Genre: Indie-pop

Record Label: 4AD

Rating: 9/10 

3 years after the roaring success of their debut album, Beachcomber's Windowsill, Stornoway have returned with a sumptuous follow-up in Tales From Terra Firma, and during that period the band have certainly achieved a lot. Main stage appearances at both Glastonbury and the Isle of Wight Festival; a separate Zulu side-project comprised of Oli and Rob Steadman (bassist and drummer) and friends; and even being an answer to a question on University Challenge, have ensured that the band has picked up a large following since the release of their first album. 

With a name like Tales From Terra Firma, you'd think the band would have moved away from the maritime exploits that feature so heavily on Beachcomber's Windowsill, however it's clear that the seasickness hasn't set in for them quite yet. Based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Knock Me On The Head, shows the Stornoboys as delirious lost explorers. The lyric, 'I saw a feathered silhouette on the crest of unforgiving waves, it hovered over salty air and I couldn't tear my eyes away' shows a certain amount of romanticism in keeping with the 19th century poets who seemed to have so heavily influenced the songwriting.

In fact, Tales From Terra Firma sees a deeper lyricism causing Briggs to describe it as '"an album of stories about rites of passage". Writing about birth, marriage and death, Stornoway have grown older and wiser since their debut. As an opener, You Take Me As I Am, is a delightfully upbeat, but nonetheless moving account of a wedding day, and in true Stornoway fashion, demonstrates Briggs' ability to make even the simplest of moments sound like Shakespearean love sonnets.

With an opening reminiscent of Wild Beasts' Loop The Loop, Farewell, Appalachia is a stunning ode to the mountainous American landscape. The haunting vocals and lyrics of 'I dreamed of rising up beside you among the galaxy and stars' adds to the "sense of escapism" on the album that Briggs is so keen to refer to. He has a point though - from the Appalachian mountains to the almost Japanese feel to the start of Knock Me On The Head, the band seem intent on exploring faraway lands, so foreign to their hometown of Oxford.

The more reflective, The Ones We Hurt The Most, is stunning in its simplicity, whilst on November Song Briggs' voice rings out with a real sense of sincerity as he sings 'I won't be afraid of the darkness a coming while I know a love that is as sure as the morning'.

Hook, Line, Sinker is definitely the most psychedelic Stornoway have ever been, and it's probably not often 'Stornoway' and 'psychedelic' appear in the same sentence. With an almost alien, electronic sound, it's an interesting new departure for the band whose first album so firmly rooted them in the folk genre.

The overriding sense of the album is one of a band who have stuck to the basis of doing exactly what they want with little interference from the record label. For many bands, the second album can be a tad contrived, especially when their debut has had success. However, for Stornoway, this hasn't been the case. Recorded in churches, and the garage of the Steadman brothers, it's very much a  home-grown affair.Their attention to detail, as always, is astounding, with multi-instrumentalist, Jon Ouin, bringing new and exotic instruments to the songs, which gives the album such a personal and vibrant feel, and makes it such a joy to listen to. With a Spring tour taking them around the UK, Europe and North America, the release of Tales From Terra Firma marks a new stage in the band's musical voyage.

Read NotAnotherRainySunday's interviews with Oli Steadman (bassist) and Rob Steadman (drummer)

For the full list of tour dates, and to pre-order Tales From Terra Firma, visit www.stornoway.eu

Stornoway announces news of sophomore album, Tales From Terra Firma

     Today brought the exciting news of Stornoway's long awaited follow-up to their debut album, Beachcomber's Windowsill, which had great success  in 2010 with sales of over 75,000. Due to be released on 11 March, Tales From Terra Firma coincides with a 25 date UK tour, including two in the band's hometown of Oxford, and a show at The Forum in London.

     But for those who can't wait that long, on 5 December, the band will be taking part in the Sounds From A Room sessions, performing songs from their new album, which will be streamed live via The Guardian.

To see the full list of tour dates visit www.stornoway.eu 

and read my interviews with Oli Steadman (bassist) and Rob Steadman (drummer)

Stornoway - La Blogothèque

Back in October, whilst in Paris for the Pitchfork Festival, Stornoway performed new song, 'When You Touch Down From Outer Space', for La Blogothèque as part of their 'Concerts A Emporter' series. With Adam Briggs on the trumpet, it provides the perfect mix of chirpy melancholia (never did I think those two words would go in the same sentence!) for a cold autumnal evening.

Read my interview with Rob Steadman (drummer of Stornoway) here

Concert4Conservation: The Dreaming Spires, The Epstein and Stornoway

After such an incredible evening seeing Stornoway play at Somerset House back in July, it was with great anticipation that I found myself waiting outside The Regal in Oxford on Saturday evening. As a Londoner myself, part of the excitement was seeing them play on their home turf; and standing on the Cowley Road, I half expected to see a giant Zorb rolling through the Street at any given moment. Once in the queue we were quickly approached by an orang-utan and something resembling a 5 ft chicken taking money from us. No we weren’t being robbed by primates and birds; instead the evening was a charity fundraiser. The Concert4Conservation was in aid of 3 charities, The Sumatran Orangutan Society, The Earth Trust, and The RSPB – charities chosen by Stornoway, and particularly apt ones considering Brian’s previous job as an ornithologist, perhaps reinforcing the idea of escaping our ‘battery human’ existence. Supported by fellow Oxford bands The Epstein and The Dreaming Spires and organised by Truck, it had all the ingredients for a perfect homecoming for Stornoway – their first concert to a home crowd since 2010.

            Brothers, Robin and Joe Bennett (founders of Truck Festival and the recently opened Truck Store on Cowley Road) kicked off the evening with their band, The Dreaming Spires, recently featured as Steve Lamacq’s ‘favourite new band’ on BBC radio 6. Not knowing much about the band I was taken aback by their rock‘n’roll sound, such a contrast to the likes of some of Stornoway’s more muted songs, but nonetheless, I decided to give them a chance, and was even slightly surprised that I liked what I heard. With such a rich tapestry of full-on guitars and drums, the sheer energy being generated on the stage was enough for anyone to truly feel a part of the music – though I didn’t appreciate the constant elbowing from the people rocking out next to me!  However the true highlight of the set for me had to be ‘In Our Lifetimes’, a song which Robin Bennett told us had been written to accompany a video game his neighbour had created about running the United Nations Climate Agency – appropriate for an evening In aid of wildlife conservation. The gentler tones contrasted with the rest of their repertoire, and for the first time in the evening, I didn’t feel in danger of a seizure from the strobe lighting. With an album set to be released in October on Clubhouse Records, they’re sure to be one to watch, though whether I will be queuing up for it is a different matter. 

            The opening bars of ‘6.06pm’ reminded me why I love The Epstein so much. The ethereal quality of the piece was truly magical, and the lack of lyrics ensured that nothing detracted from the beauty of the melody and the intertwining instruments that came together to produce a sound so stunning that when the music swelled and crescendoed all your hairs stood on end. ‘Black Dog’ by contrast showed the band’s playfulness. Shut your eyes, and you could almost imagine yourself sitting on the porch of a cattle ranch in Wyoming, showing The Epstein’s versatility that two songs by the same band are such polar opposites. Olly Wills’ powerful voice in ‘Morning News’ combined with the background harmonies of Seb Reynolds and Jon Berry made for an exhilarating slice of Americana, which had even the most phlegmatic tapping their feet along to. And suddenly all too soon, they were onto their final song, ‘Leave Your Light On’ a reflective number ‘to sing around the fire’ that only required Olly and Jon and two acoustic guitars on stage. It was truly beautiful, but sadly the mesmerising musicality of it was lost on the back on the room, whose main priority seemed to be the bar. However, for those who were listening, it was an enchanting end to one of the best live sets I’ve ever seen. 

After what seemed like an age, and a technical hitch or two (well it couldn’t be a Stornoway gig without a couple of those!), Tim Bearder (Radio DJ and huge champion of the band) finally stepped on stage to introduce the headline act to the adoring fans. Reading from the email Stornoway first sent to him many years ago, he reminded us what a ‘polite band they are’, and well, that’s all part of their charm. Lead singer, Brian Briggs, seemed slightly taken aback by the mass of screaming audience members, and it’s reassuring that unlike so many bands, Stornoway haven’t ever taken their success for granted. It was a smart idea for ‘Fuel Up’ to be one of the first songs of the evening, considering that the concert was all about conserving the planet, and despite the serious implications to the environment that ‘fuelling up’ has, the song was as beautiful as ever - Brian’s clear voice rang out over the gentle strumming of the guitar and the harmonies of Jon Ouin, and Oli and Rob Steadman, and the driving beat of the drum (if you excuse the pun) kept the pace without distracting from the lyrical quality of the vocals. 

To restore the evening back to its green roots, it was appropriate that new song, ‘Sixth Wave’ followed – a song about mass extinction. Featuring the auto-harp (an instrument which Brian learnt especially for the occasion), the fast pace was a dramatic change from the slow melancholy of ‘Fuel Up’, and completely different to any of the material on their debut album ‘Beachcomber’s Windowsill’. For many in the audience, it was also the first time that they’d heard ‘Waiting On The Clock’, a fairly old song of the band’s, co-written by Brian and Oli that didn’t make it onto their first album. The references to Oxford landmarks (The Jericho Cafe and Worcester Place), the insanely catchy melody, and background vocals, encompassed everything that’s good about a classic Stornoway song, and Oli’s spinning round on the stage with an infectious grin was enough to carry the audience with him, sharing the moment. The high standard which Stornoway set themselves was never in danger of slipping. ‘The Ones We Hurt the Most’, had all 4 Storno-members around a single mic, singing in perfect four part harmonies, that cast a spell over the audience members, enraptured by the beauty of the gentle vocals, that at the same time was steeped with power and emotion.

But of course, there was only ever one song that would satisfy the audience at the end of such a memorable Stornoway evening, and backed by The North Sea Radio Orchestra; ‘Zorbing’ concluded the set with the same power and freshness it had on first hearing. With a second album looming in early 2012,  the fans are clearly ready to hear more from this remarkable band. 

 Read my interviews with Olly Wills of The Epstein and Rob Steadman of Stornoway, and for more information visit: 

www.thedreamingspires.com

www.theepstein.com

www.stornoway.eu

Shameless plug in a bid for you to vote for me...

I've entered 5 of my photos from the Stornoway concert at Somerset House into the NME Photography Awards 2011, and I would be very grateful if you could vote for me :) Pretty please?! (Click on the links under each photo to vote)

And if you want to enter then follow the link here.

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Read my interview with Stornoway here

I've Been Listening To...

,

No Soap (In A Dirty War) - Reverend & the Makers

And sticking on the theme of music, I finally framed my Stornoway ticket (signed by Rob and Oli) and the EP made by Rob (see the video of the making of it here). I think it looks pretty damn cool aha :)

Yes, I know the photos are rubbish and they don't really do it justice, but I was in a rush. I promise it looks better in the flesh! My framed Stornoway poster is currently leaning against the radiator, waiting for my dad to put it up for me (I'm no good with a hammer...), and as soons as it's up I'll show you a pic.

Read my interview with Rob here.

Stornoway at Somerset House

'I'm not the most relaxed I've ever been, not just because we're next to the Inland Revenue', Brian Briggs, lead singer, relates to the audience of 3000 packed into the courtyard of Somerset House. But there's no sign of his nervousness in his singing - his voice soars over the harmonies without missing a note, and in the case of 'The Bigger Picture' it cast enraptured silence over the crowd. However, there were also moments that got everybody singing along; cue 'Watching Birds' - a fast paced, uplifing tune that you can't help but belt your heart out to.
     We were also treated to some new songs amongst the old favourites. 'When You Touch Down From Outerspace' is a jaunty song about aliens landing in Oxfordshire. With its fun lyrics, and catchy hooks it was sure to be a crowd-pleaser, and judging from all the wooping at the end, the audience were fans.

'Farewell Appalachia!', by contrast offered a more mellow sound - Brian's haunting voice was so beautiful, and the setting of Somerset House illuminated in the darkness seemed a perfect atmosphere for the song.

Adam casually sawing away in the background

It was not Brian alone that made it such a magical night though. The band were joined on stage by the North Sea Radio Orchestra, who provided beautiful introductions for several of the songs along with Rahul on the violin. Jon's little jaunt on the banjo was cheerful, Oli's playing of the double bass was gentle but powerful (I once read somewhere that he played his bass 'like a melody instrument' and I completely agree with that); and Rob's steady drumming kept everything driving along. He even produced the infamous saw at one point in 'Beachcomber's Windowsill' and played it with a violin bow much to the delight of the audience. Even Adam took a break from the trumpet at one point to saw a plank of wood - a talking point, but perhaps not a particularly strong musical feature. Nonetheless, Stornoway's rich variety of instruments added depth and interest to each song, in particular 'On The Rocks' which although I have to say is one of my least favourite songs on the album, proved to be a lot more exciting live thanks to Rahul's catchy violin playing halfway through.
     After some quieter, more sensitive songs, and a couple of technical hitches, the evening ended on a high with a rendition of 'Zorbing'. It's extremely difficult not to sing along and feel happy, especially when the trumpet comes in. So overall a wonderful evening, and if you haven't yet checked out Stornoway I definitely recommend that you do.

 Read my interview with Rob Steadman (drummer) from Stornoway here, or visit their  website:http://www.stornoway.eu/

Rob caught mid-swish. Dare I say that he seems to be channeling a bit of Jedward?!

The Best Acoustics on Youtube

Burberry Acoustic
They have some of the most stunning acoustic videos I've ever seen. I think the filter on the camera makes a big difference to the actual video, and gives it a kinda cold, 'vintagey' feel. My favourite has to be 'Yes, Yes, We're Magicians' by the Crookes, but as I talked about it in a post recently, I decided to show some different songs instead.

Watch, Listen, Tell
I always seem to prefer acoustic versions of quite 'rockish' songs. I first heard about 'Watch, Listen, Tell' when Stornoway did an acoustic version of 'I Saw You Blink' (see below), and since then I've been hooked on all their videos. They release a new one each Monday, so keep checking back each week! And follow them on twitter to find out more.

Domino Records
Ok, so I know this isn't actually an acoustic channel on youtube, but I found some really really good acoustic versions of Villagers. I'm not sure if they do home sessions with any other artists though, as I haven't been able to find any. Please let me know if you find any though!

30 Day Song Challenge - Day 1: Your Favourite Song

I felt like doing something a bit different for my blog, and so I'm going to take part in the 30 day song challenge which shall hopefully be a bit of a journey through what different music means to me (however cheesy that sounds!). So, my favourite song... well obviously it had to be something by Stornoway (as I'm sure my regular readers will realise). My favourite song on the album always changes from week to week, but at the moment it's definitely Watching Birds... it always gets me wide awake in the morning, and it's such a generally happy song. I love it :)

Read my interview with Stornoway here

Interview: Stornoway

L-R: Rob Steadman, Jon Ouin, Brian Briggs, Oli Steadman

 You're known for playing some quite unusual instruments - how many do you play between you?

 - Brian: guitar, drums, bongos, tabla, Oli: electric bass, double bass, piano, guitar, drums, the launchpad, banjo, Jon: guitar, piano, cello, qanun (from istanbul), synths, Rob: drums, saw, theremin, tv, qanun, banjo, piano, guitar, bass, bongos, tabla, xylophone, marimba, timpani.

 Are there any instruments that you've tried in a song, but then rejected because it doesn't fit with the Stornoway sound?

 - The most common example is when we've tried a brass or string section and it just hasn't sounded right. The saw is now used instead of the theremin because the song that I play it in has changed slightly and so it fits in a bit better.

 I know Rob and Oli listened to Zulu music whilst growing up. What music influenced the other members of the band?

 - Brian has always preferred listening to stuff like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and other 50's rock and roll along with a lot of reggae and 60's folk revival such as Bert Jansch and Pete Seeger. Jon has always listened to a wide range of music, from 60's folk revival, to eastern artists like Vashti Bunyan.

 Are there any bands that have caught your attention but which have not yet made it into the public eye?

 - We toured in Australia with a band called Otouto who are really minimalist and interesting. In America we met a group called The Caves and a group called Head and the Heart. There is also an Oxford band called Spring Offensive who are very good.

Which has been your favourite venue?

 - It's pretty difficult to remember a lot of venues, when we're touring and playing a different gig every night they all kind of merge in to each other. However, the last venue we played, in Paris called Cafe de la Dance was very cool. High ceilings, stone walls, big stage, very nice.

Playing on top of their van at the Green Man Festival in 2009

 You're bristling with degrees and other qualifications - if you weren't in Stornoway, what career paths might you have taken?

 - Brian would still be an ornithologist, I guess his career would have turned into something like manager of a bird sanctuary. I'm not sure what Jon would do, something Russian. Oli would follow chemistry possibly, maybe a teacher. I would be doing environmental studies at university, and would probably go on to work in the same sort of field as Brian. But all of us have always played music as a hobby so I'm sure that would still take up most of our time.

 
I've heard that you'll be working on your second album this Summer. How has your sound developed since 'Beachcomber's Windowsill'? 

 - Yeah that's right we're hopefully gonna release the second album early next year. I guess our sound has changed because of how we do stuff live. Before playing loads of gigs, our sound was created in small bedrooms for recording purposes, but now as we play more live shows we have started using louder instruments and so I guess overall we've just got a bit louder.

Thank you so much to Rob for taking the time to answer my questions. I leave you with some of their music.. and I can't wait to see them play at Somerset House in July!

http://www.stornoway.eu/

Bits and Bobs

1. Went to see Oli and Rob Steadman from Stornoway talk at Kings College School yesterday. It was so fascinating to hear about how Stornoway formed, and they played a couple of songs aswell! Definitely an enjoyable afternoon :)

They signed my ticket :)

2.My friend Emily has just started her own blog, Just Like Clockwork, so check it out :)

3. I'm off to France for the day tomorrow, so won't have any posts then, but I have a rather special post lined up for Friday (which I'm very excited about!) so keep an eye out for it!

See ya on Friday, Flora xx

Stornoway: Possibly one of the best bands ever

 I've been meaning to do a post about Stornoway for a while now, so here it finally is! Discovered them this summer (well I say discovered, really I stole them off my sister)and in my opinion they're the best band ever, with the best album ever. I guess what I like about them is that every single track on their album 'Beachcomber's Windowsill' is amazing.. and that's quite unusual as most artists normally only have a couple of good tracks on each album.
    According to Wikipedia, Stornoway first played on radio back in 2006 with 'I Saw You Blink', and apparently radio presenter Tim Bearder was suspended for 2 days after playing an hour of Stornoway on his breakfast show... which made me laugh (whether it's true or not!)
    Sadly I left it too late to by tickets to their gig in London back in Novemeber, and now it's a long wait until they come back - they're touring Australia at the moment and then Europe, and unfortunately no mention of London on their website, so I guess waiting it is.

In the meantime visit their website: http://www.stornoway.eu/