In their ballad Together Alone, Sound of The Sirens could have had a perfect song to capture the loneliness endured and spirit felt by many during lockdown. The problem was the song came out in 2015!
Abbe Martin and Hannah Wood were able to see the funny side when their song name was used as a phrase throughout the pandemic and even borrowed by the NHS.
Now, the folk duo are back with a new album, their first since 2019, which they will launch on the day it comes out this Friday (April 8) with a gig at Islington venue The Grace.
Damage Control, their fourth album, was largely written and recorded during lockdown - although only the final song directly addresses it. The LP has themes of love, loss, reflection and hope but also addresses mental health awareness.
“Writing and recording was strange,” Hannah says, “A lot of it was on Zoom to begin with and we were never sure if we could meet.
“We did some sessions outside before we were ready to go to the studio - which we did very quickly in the end.
“We are so glad it all came together.”
Abbe and Hannah go back “years” they tell me, with their debut album coming out in 2013. Their style has been branded as Americana-folk but the pair have a sense of humour that is rather more British and it comes across on our Zoom call from their base in a Devon studio.
Fitting right into their banter is Damage Control producer Saul Davies, the longtime guitarist for indie band James. Islington fans will bear witness to something of a historic moment when he makes his first ever appearance with another band at The Grace. His James commitments will prevent him joining the duo on the rest of the 17-date tour, which will take Sound of the Sirens everywhere from Llandrindod Wells to Nuneaton via Manchester and Bristol.
“With James we had our biggest ever tour last year,” he says, “We did Wembley Arena and we had 12,000 people - but at that level you don’t see the fans, it is just a mass. So I am actually quite nervous to be playing this one [in a smaller venue]. I am out of my comfort zone!”
Abbe adds: “You can see peoples’ faces in smaller venues!”
“It is the first time playing at The Grace and for a band with our following it can be tempting to just stick to the places we know can bring in an audience. It is a risk but we like the look of it and are really excited.”
Saul butts in: “Isn’t Jeremy Corbyn the MP for Islington?”
“He’ll have to come along,” Abbe adds. “We’ve met Jeremy Vine as well, so all the Jeremys are welcome!”
Sound of The Sirens will perform at The Grace on Friday, April 8. New album Damage Control will be released the same day. For tickets and more information, visit: www.soundofthesirens.net
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