After spending late last year amping up anticipation for the
March 1st release of their second album
‘Otherness’ with the
‘Side A’ EP,
Ferris & Sylvester got
2024 off to a flying start when they unveiled the single
‘Rain’ last month. Today, they continue to build anticipation for the new album by sharing the official video for one of its highlights, the timeless love song ‘Headache’, which
Americana UK describes as
“a beautiful example of their fine songcraft, featuring an absorbing melody and deeper feeling that lingers after the song has finished. As always, the pair’s harmony vocals are sublime – the combination of their voices is excellent – perfectly executed and natural”. Watch it
HERE. LISTEN HERE. Archie (Sylvester) explains, “We shot the video completely live, in the most intimate way we could think of – sat facing each other, singing into one mic with a guitar. All done in one shot with nowhere to hide. The song is about fighting, headaches and heartaches. There’s something pretty terrifying about singing these words to one another, for the world to see. We hope it connects with people.”
Husband-and-wife duo – Archie Sylvester and Issy Ferris wrote the country-tinged love song ‘Headache’ after an argument – the song further highlights Issy’s heartfelt vocals, complemented with deeper vocal harmonies from Archie, singing “You’re giving me a headache, Why you doing this to me? You’re making such a mess, babe”.
Issy (Ferris) adds, ‘‘We wrote ‘Headache’ after an argument. As a husband-and-wife band, we wanted to write something truthful about relationships, inspired by old-school country love songs. I remember saying to Archie, “I want Dolly Parton to hear this song and like it”. That’s what inspired us to write it.’
Ferris & Sylvester have previewed the ‘Otherness’ album with a total of seven tracks and collectively they provide an insightinto the wider record. It is an album which defies simple genre-expectations; explores a wealth of emotions inspired, in part, by major health issues as their son was born prematurely while they were on tour in Nashville; and uses timeless musicianship as the conduit for songs which reflect the turbulent era we live in.
The album’s out-of-time sound is heightened by recording direct to a 1960s tape machine, while its ambience reflects the studios that it was crafted in: the escapist location and top tier equipment of Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios, and the intimacy of their own Archtop Studios. The record was produced by Archie with their regular collaborator Michael Rendall.
The ‘Otherness’ album is available to pre-order or pre-save HERE. It will be released on three physical formats: a signed CD, regular black double-vinyl, and limited edition signed marbled red heavyweight double-vinyl. All formats plus a new ‘Otherness’ t-shirt are also available in various album bundles.
‘Otherness’ follows the success of their 2022 debut album ‘Superhuman’, which earned UK Album of the Year at the 2023 UK Americana Awards and landed at #1 on the Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart. As seen in their recent Live From Real World video series, Ferris & Sylvester truly flourish in the live arena. That flair will be prevalent as they embark upon a 26-date headline tour next month, which includes a London show at Lafayette on the same day that ‘Otherness’ is released, before concluding with their first ever shows in Germany. The tour dates are listed below, and remaining tickets are available HERE.
FEBRUARY
14th – Hull, The New Adelphi Club
15th – York, The Fulford Arms
16th – Sunderland, Independent
17th – Cambridge, Portland Arms
20th – Huddersfield, The Parish
21st – Birmingham, The Sunflower Lounge
22nd – Brighton, Komedia
23rd – Bristol, Thekla
24th – Guildford, Boileroom
27th – Liverpool, Camp and Furnace
28th – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
29th – Manchester, Deaf Institute
MARCH
1st – London, Lafayette
6th – St. Albans, The Horn
7th – Dover, The Booking Hall
8th – Golant, Bar Silo Cornwall
9th – Falmouth, The Cornish Bank
11th – Glasgow, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
12th – Edinburgh, The Mash House
13th – Dublin, The Grand Social
18th – Cologne, Blue Shell
19th – Hamburg, Nochtwache
21st – Berlin, Prachtwerk
Album Tracklisting
All songs written by Issy Ferris and Archie Sylvester
Except ‘Mother,’ written by Issy Ferris, Archie Sylvester and Michael Rendall
