STATE OF THE UNION (Boo Hewerdine & Brooks Williams) Album & UK TOUR DATES

In the grand tradition of ‘The Special Relationship’, State Of The Union combines the talents of America and England, producing an end result that is sure to delight fans of hook-laden songs, fiery and emotional guitar playing and soulful vocals. Tapping into a multitude of influences, from Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash to Blind Lemon Jefferson, the wide open Fenlands and the frenetic buzz of London, State Of The Union is a masterclass in songwriting, showing off the talents of bluesy Americana stalwart Brooks Williams and cult British singer-songwriter Boo Hewerdine to full effect.

When Brooks was called in at the eleventh hour to replace the billed Special Guests at Boo’s annual Christmas shindig, the seeds for State Of The Union were sown. “Boo rang me up that morning and asked: ‘Could you, would you?’ To which I responded, ‘Yes’”, explains Brooks. “The audience loved it. We loved it, and soon we were playing together as often as our schedules allowed, and working on a collaborative album.”

With both men bringing songs to the table, and collaborating on new material, the chemistry between the duo was undeniable as a torrent of creativity was unleashed in Boo’s living room. Making rough demos on their iPhones, the decision was made to record the songs proper at the Kyoti Studio in Glasgow. A week was booked, but just as the songs had flowed so freely, the pair cut the album in a mere one and half days, recording the songs in the order they appear on the album. With production handled by Mark Freegard (Pete Townshend, Del Amitri, Marillion), the album is intimate and captivating, like a concert delivered in your living room. Two guys, two guitars and a handful of great songs.

Album opener ‘Darkness’, a slice of dusty Americana, sees Williams’ smooth vocals riding on top of his slick, slide guitar playing. Conjuring images of a battered frontiersman returning home, the song is a masterpiece of concise story telling. ‘23 Skidoo’ by Hewerdine is a wryly humorous look at the bitter-sweet nature of life, no sooner have you got a grip on things and you’re forced to move on. With its 1920s rag-style guitar parts harking back to the era that gave birth to the phrase, the song has all the hallmarks of an old classic, belying its contemporary nature.

With a sharp turn, the pair’s take on ‘Rent’ flips the Pet Shop Boys’ song on its head, taking the electro-pop original and dressing it in wiry slide guitar, with Hewerdine’s voice bringing an aching honesty to the lyrics. Whether it’s authentic Americana, delicate ballads, re imagining modern pop or a new take on the classic standard ‘Peg And Awl’, the union of Williams and Hewerdine is in a wildly creative state, producing one of the year’s must-have albums.

‘A slice of Americana at its finest!’ – fRoots
‘Deft, tasteful guitar chops’ – Rolling Stone
‘A beautiful album, full of classy playing and great songs’ – Acoustic Magazine

State Of The Union is released on Reveal Records April 2nd 2012

04/04/2012	Folk Club	Kirkham	http://www.lesliebrown.plus.com/diary.htm
05/04/2012	Junction	Cambridge	http://www.junction.co.uk/artist/3919
12/04/2012	Coffeehouse Folk Club	Shrewsbury	tel: 01743 242610
13/04/2012	Chattery	Swansea	http://homepage.ntlworld.com/thechattery/giglist.htm
14/04/2012	Marrs Bar	Worcester	http://www.marrsbar.co.uk/
15/04/2012	Ropery	Barton	http://www.the-ropewalk.co.uk/roperyhall/music.htm
19/04/2012	Thunderbolt	Bristol	http://www.thethunderbolt.net/whatson.ihtml
24/04/2012	The Lemon Tree	Aberdeen	http://www.boxofficeaberdeen.com/index.asp?VenueID=281
25/04/2012	Voodoo Rooms	Edinburgh	http://thevoodoorooms.com/events.php
04/05/2012	Arts Centre	Haverhill	http://www.haverhillartscentre.co.uk/
08/05/2012	The Stables	Milton Keynes	http://www.stables.org/
09/05/2012	National Centre for Early Music	York	http://www.ncem.co.uk/?idno=152&thisMonth=5&thisYear=2012&skin=
24/05/2012	Borderline	London	http://venues.meanfiddler.com/borderline/listings/?tickets_search_value=&tickets_view_type=list&tickets_search_date=2012-5
03/06/2012	Greystones	Sheffield	http://www.mygreystones.co.uk/
17/06/2012	The Big Session Festival	Derbyshire	http://www.bigsessionfestival.com/?cat_id=1&level=1
23/06/2012	Brudenell Social Club	Leeds	http://www.brudenellsocialclub.co.uk/
28/06/2012	The Met	Bury	http://themet.biz/

Artist Web Link: http://www.stateoftheunionmusic.com/