Plough & Orion / If the Gaff Don't Let Us Down

Already officially crowned the hardest working band of 2011 (2011 PRS Award for Most Performances at UK Festivals), Skinny Lister now set their sights on conquering hearts and minds with the release of their debut album Forge & Flagon in 2012.

To get things started in true Skinny fashion the band release their first AA sided single; a beautiful slice of pop infused folk – Plough & Orion – coupled with a rip roaring folk marauder – If the Gaff Don’t Let Us Down – that perfectly represents both sides of Skinny’s musical personality. Plough & Orion / If The Gaff Don’t Let Us Down is officially released on 9th April 2012 (but you can get your virtual hands on it now on iTunes). There will also be a limited edition vinyl release of the AA single for Record Store Day on 21st April.

Skinny Lister are Daniel Heptinstall, Lorna Thomas, Maxwell Thomas, Sam Brace and Dan Gray who came together in the summer of 2009.  United by their love of folk, jigs and the outdoors the band have been riotously swinging the festival scene since day one, notching up an impressive 30 festivals last year.

The band soon came to the attention of festival impresario and all round good egg, Rob da Bank, who welcomed Skinny to the family fold and his  Sunday Best Recordings label.

Skinny Lister are all about good times and high energy performances with their modern day take on traditional folk. Equal parts sing along melodies and shanty, tenderness and rum making for a rollicking good time vibe at every gig. The flagon of liquor passes high above your head as you’re swung around by one of the Skinny Sisters, a troupe of the finest, dancing girls you’ll find in this great land, bedecked in summer hats and dresses, who ensure the party starts on the first note.

Skinny Lister are English to the core, upholding the finest musical traditions born in days gone by and brought merrily into the here and now. For everything Skinny there is a Skinny way. Their trusty Land Rover crammed to the rafters with beaten up old cases, a stomp box, mandolin, a melodeon, guitars and the double bass strapped to the roof, its no ordinary tour bus.  When Skinny take to the road it’s in style. The Grand Union tour saw the band tackling locks aboard a narrowboat, stopping off at waterway taverns along the way, recording an EP and bringing cheer and good times to riverside folk. A whistle stop ‘Homemade’ tour of their home towns, criss-crossed Great Britain and nearly blew a gasket!

Skinny Lister’s debut album Forge & Flagon was recorded at the wonderful Bryn Derwen studios in deepest darkest Snowdonia with producer David Wrench (Bat for Lashes, James Yorkston). The band were joined by folk royalty Kathryn Tickell foremost exponent of the Northumbrian pipes (Sting, Penguin Cafe Orchestra, The Chieftains) whilst fiddle player extraordinaire Roger WIlson also plays on the album. Forge & Flagon will be released in June just in time for this summer’s festival season, that will once more see the band whipping crowds into a frenzied fervour up and down the country, across Europe and America, nay the whole world!

The AA Single: Plough & Orion//If The Gaff Don’t Let Us Down is released on 9th April through Sunday Best Recordings. There will be a vinyl release of the AA single for Record Store Day.

Skinny Lister’s album: Forge & Flagon will be available in your friendly record store and online this summer.