Discography

Recording! new songs – new album

Hello!

I have now started recording my second album. I’ve spent the last year in my creative cave, gathering enough songs that I can be excited and proud of to put together worthy of an album. 12 songs in total, yes! I made it.

Admittedly I got a teeny bit waylayed as I spent time on some amazing collaborations with other artists (Bowker, Tiki Black, Operation Lightfoot) and also had the pleasure of playing guitar on the Kwalaparla album Break the man. I have also acquired a small collection of commissioned pieces for BBC Radio Merseyside Pure Musical Sensations show (Anyone Who Had a Heart (yes, a Cilla cover…), Always Feel Like Home & Faith on Hope st.).

Admittedly…………..I also got a bit more waylayed as I entered into a personal mission to get fit (Crossfit / Running / Hiking / Mountain biking) and eat clean, get some decent sleep, early mornings and drink less..(much less)…so, rock n roll….I know, but I feel amazing….. and…it feels GOOD!

But now….I’m ready. In motion.

So I have a little quick video to share with you that I’ve just recorded at home as a taster of what’s to come. The album is pretty much a mixture of acoustic guitar and slide guitar songs. Some solo, some with guests 🙂 I’m excited.

But for now….

Enjoy x

Riches to Rags FREE download..

Hey All!

I’m very excited about this whole experience of writing and winning the Judges Award for Liverpool Acoustic Songwriting Challenge (Nov 14) and so have decided that the new recording will be available as a free download to anyone who would like to enjoy it for a limited time.

As part of my prize I had the pleasure of recording Riches to Rags with Judge Jon Lawton at Crosstown Studios Liverpool. We had a chilled and enjoyable session and thus this recording was born.

Big thanks to Liverpool Acoustic and the 3 Judges (Kaya (Balance Vocal), Jon Lawton (Crosstown Studios) & Robert Vincent).

Big smiles from me!

You can download the song from Bandcamp (free or if you want to pay anything that’s up to your discretion) or Soundcloud.

I also played the fab Liverpool Acoustic live on Friday (27th Feb.) as part of an epic line-up (Cousin Jac & Roxanne De Bastion) and the lovely Graham Holland (1 half of Liverpool Acoustic) took this vid of me performing the song …

Enjoy

Krossborder Kompilation vol 2

Exciting times… Last year I was asked to contribute a song to vol 2 of Krossborder Rekords ‘The Best British Blues’ release. I had just finished writing my slide song ‘Silence Changed’ and so here was the perfect song for the situation. I had a great time recording the song with Russell Cottier (who also mastered my EP Chasing Tales) and love how it came out.

The CD is set for release on 23rd Feb and is available to buy from the Blues Matters shop here. It will also be available to buy from me at gigs.

The CD also contains music from other top Blues artisis/bands – Split Whiskers / The Mighty Boss Cats & Jed Thomas Band to name but a few….

Christmas Come Home., come have a listen :)

Hey all,

A festive update…

Here is Christmas Come Home for your ears 🙂

When I was asked to contribute a song to Searching for Dandelions for this year I admittedly struggled with what angle to approach from., Ultimately I wanted to have fun writing it but the one thing that reins over the festive period is how much of a love/hate relationship people have with it, I love this time of year but often we forget where the root of Christmas comes from, there’s also a lot of sadness for people around this time of year. In ‘Christmas Come Home’ Christmas is a loud/garish/lush of a friend, who eventually I remember why we became friends in the first place.

Here are the lyrics…

Christmas Come Home

Christmas you come on so strong

Like whisky for breakfast on a work day

Shaking up a winter storm

I see you let yourself in

With your bells and your elves and your reindeer and your relentless seasonal cheer

Well you’re here now come in, make yourself at home

Christmas when we were young

You could’ve stayed here all year

But now I’m not so

You’re a little bit overkill

With your red suits and your chocolate boots and you plastic trees and your festive cheese

You bring a lot of baggage are you staying long?

Christmas you’re an old, old friend

And I’m a sucker for your lavish charm

But you’re somewhat an acquired taste

On repeat like a frozen alarm

With your trumpets and drums, your crackers and ‘Noels’

Raising Merry Hell, raising merry hell, raising merry hell

Christmas there’s just no room (x 3)

Every year you come too soon

Sometimes I forget

When we met

So long ago in the winter oh

Deep in that December

When the seasons change I remember

So long ago in the winter oh

You kept me warm in the cold

You gave me light in the dark oh

You kept me warm in the cold

You gave me light in the dark oh

Keep me warm in the cold

Give me light in the dark oh

Keep me warm in the cold

Give me light to behold

Come home, come home Christmas

Light the fire, Warm your bones

(x 3)

Come home, come home Christmas

Light the fire, light the fire, light the fire

Come home

I hope you enjoy it x

‘This Garden’ a song to bring in summer – free download

Hi all,

Well for as much as I’ve been having a hibernate and writing lots so far this year I also appear to have done much! 2 new songs under my belt all good and strong: Last month I set free ‘Woollen Hearts’ into the ether and this month I have my newest ‘This Garden’.

I had a play around with some new textures on this one and added some harmonies and a sprinkling of flute, thanks to my fab Blythe Cooper. The song is about having somewhere that brings you back to your recharged state. Somewhere that reminds you of home (where ever that is) and who you are when things my shake you away for a bit. I wrote this on my newest acoustic guitar (Taylor 314) and as it was crying out for some finger-picking that is exactly what happened. The guitar has been beautiful to play on and I’m very much looking forward to doing much more writing on it 🙂

You can listen to the song here! It is a free download at the moment so feel free to sing along, upload it to your Ipod etc….

Over the last month I did my first gig at Threshold Festival, Liverpool and was filmed over the weekend by Addistock and Liverpool Live TV performing Woollen Hearts. You can see both of these vids on my Videos page. I had a wonderful review of my gig thanks to Ian @ Liverpool Sound and Vision.

For April….well, tomorrow I head to finish my session with Addistock by playing a cover song that will be revealed soon enough 🙂 I shall also be live on The Tillerman Show (www.liverradio.co.uk) 4pm – 6pm from The Lomax, Liverpool.

More updates to come soon! 🙂 Until then enjoy the music and create!

See you soon

Jo x

Jo Bywater