Cool birds, books and things - an evening at The Globe!

Back with more of those 'things'. In the absence of a book blog, but having shared a lot of Robert Macfarlane related things here... let's just say this is very music adjacent. Also, it's my blog! Shh!

Tuesday night was a true highlight of my bookselling career so far, and such a lovely reminder of the pure magic that books can hold. Hamish Hamilton very kindly invited some booksellers along to dinner at Swan London to celebrate the upcoming release of The Book of Birds by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris - the author and illustrator powerhouses behind The Lost Words and The Lost Spells. The book is easily my most anticipated of the year, and I feel so lucky to have been there.

I can trace the origins of my relatively new found love of birds through books. I remember the exact moment I picked up a copy of Dara McAnulty’s Diary of a Young Naturalist in the shop (drawn in by the cover and the Johnny Flynn lyrics within.) As I read it, my eyes were quickly re-opened to the wonder of birds. I watched Rob interviewing Dara online and found my way to Rob’s work, starting with The Lost Spells, through which I completely fell in love with Rob’s words and Jackie’s art.

Serendipity/a mycelium like network saw Rob collaborate with Johnny Flynn, and I’ve been fawning over his work and following him around at various events for various projects ever since. In fact, the first time I ever saw Rob at an event was his concert with Johnny, just next door to where we had the meal on Tuesday, almost exactly four years ago. I wrote about that night here.

Jackie’s books are dotted around the shop, her postcards for The Lost Words are on my wardrobe - they’re some of the only ‘art’ that decorates my room. I find myself constantly mesmerised.

Rob and Jackie releasing a bird book - which has been 7 years in the making - feels like it is *just* for me, but I absolutely can’t wait to share it with everybody.

It was such a joy to hear them introducing the book, talking about the processes behind it, the love that went into it, and to hear Simon Prosser from the publisher sharing his deep love for this book. This really feels like something special.

I’ve flicked through the book, each time stopping on another absolutely gorgeous illustration of another bird, catching a snippet of Rob’s writing - I have no doubt that his words are just as marvellous as the illustrations that surround them. I can’t wait to dive into the book and to shout my love for it from the rooftops (or, at least, sidle on over to customers and do my very best recommending) when it takes flight in May.

Thanks again to Hamish Hamilton / Penguin for letting me come along to this lovely evening.

WATCH: Ghost - 'It's A Sin'

Hello! Happy 2026! 

I'm trying to dive (slowly) back into the blog. I'll be honest that I felt a bit out of touch with new music last year (the newly found musicals obsession didn't help with that) and I really miss the feeling of being across so much new music, finding new artists to listen to. I've started to add some new discoveries to my playlists here:

office stereo - a rolling playlist, a mixture of new and not so new music that I'm listening to at the moment

2026: cool music and things - favourite new music of the year

2026: acoustic/folk/chilled - the above, but on the folkier/quieter side

I was scouring new releases this morning and found something I am a teeny bit obsessed with. Swedish rock band Ghost, who I love for their 80s-esque metal music, covering none other than Pet Shop Boys' It's A Sin. I am very much here for this. 

hello (it's been a while)

Gosh - time flies. It's been a while since I've shared anything here. Hello!

To be honest, I've been a little out of touch with new music this year. I haven't had so much time for trawling the new releases each week. 

I've also discovered a love of musicals (my Spotify wrapped will be entirely Hadestown, I can promise that.) I've spent far more time at the theatre than at gigs this year... please don't get me started on just how brilliant Paddington the Musical is. You may never escape.

I've been fairly busy with work since I became the manager of the bookstore I work at, and that isn't going to change any time soon as we build up to our busiest few weeks of the year.

I used to feel such an obligation to keep on top of my submissions inbox, to share posts and playlist updates on a certain frequency, as if people were expecting them and would be disappointed if I ever skipped it. It was a lot. I've barely touched the blog in several months. 

I feel really bad for all the people who've continued to email me this year - I really haven't been keeping on top of submisions at all (I was never the best at it - there are a LOT of emails to look through!) 

I don't think I'm quite ready to call it a day -  I spent a long time building this up and I love what I created. At the moment, I'd quite like to get back to sharing posts and new music that I'm enjoying, but I'm just figuring out what form that will take. I need to be a little kinder to myself in not placing so much pressure on myself around what should just be a bit of fun. 

The start of the new year feels like a good place to try a restart, maybe. Tentatively.

Anyway, I was just trawling through my inbox and felt like writing something here, in case anybody drops by the site and wonders where I am... 

So hi! 

PS if there's some new music I've probably missed and you think I'll love - feel free to drop a comment below. 

LISTEN: Lucy Rose - 'Pink'

I just realised I haven't posted here in a couple of months. Crikey. I say it every time I pop back up, but I'm trying... there's just a lot. Anyway. Hello! In honesty - I've listened to two albums over and over for the past couple of weeks. Both the Broadway and London soundtracks to Hadestown. No regrets, just an enormous desire to get straight back to the Lyric Theatre to see it again. Is tonight too soon? 

This one has however made it through the gap between album listens... Lucy Rose just released new track Pink and it is, as ever, excellent. 

The first time, I showed

Weakness it took you all by

Surprise, something must be wrong with this girl

You could not, shake the 

Feeling like it was all a front

A really personal one about the health struggles she's faced lately tied up in a generally great track. Love you Lucy! 

Follow Lucy Rose - Facebook | Instagram.

GIG NEWS: Stornoway at Royal Albert Hall (30th March 2026)

Would it be CMAT if I wasn't just sporadically jumping in to share news I'm excited about? 

Just over eight years ago, I was working on a Stornoway show at Oxford's New Theatre - the last date on their farewell tour. It was triumphant, emotional... they were bowing out on top, for sure - I wrote about it here. Thankfully, the split was short lived, and they're back and better than ever and I've had a brilliant couple of years following them around to some beautiful shows.

On noticing the anniversary of the gig, I messaged Oli, who told me that the band had some news coming, which they'd never have imagined would happen to them all those years ago. I'd just seen Bear's Den at Royal Albert Hall, had a little gush about that and got to thinking what on earth the Storno news could be...

Cut to a few days later and.... oh. 

Stornoway are only going and headlining the Royal Albert Hall next March. 

Wait - what?!!!!!!!!

As you can probably imagine, I am ridiculously excited for this show, which the band have described as once-in-a-lifetime, and 'a journey from sea to summit'. 

"What an honour and a privilege it will be to perform at the country’s most esteemed venue. We will be celebrating our 20th Anniversary with the most special and unique show we’ve ever done, including some very special guests and songs from our career so far. We are going to bring the outside inside, filling the hall with nature, taking you on a wild, musical journey from the open sea through marshes, woodlands and up into the mountains."

See you there?! 

Tickets go on pre-sale tomorrow (Wednesday 26 March) and general sale this Friday (28th). Details on the Royal Albert Hall website here.

ALBUM NEWS: Low Island - 'bird'

Back for my monthly blog post (sorry - I'm trying!!!) with news from this week of some excellent records on the way. I'll try and come back to ramble excitedly about new Christof van der Ven (!!!) and the debut from Jacob Alon but for now - news from friends of the blog and one of my favourite bands Low Island. Their new album bird is busy making its spring migration and will be available to listen to from 29th May - I cannot wait!!! 

The album announcement comes with new track and video spit it out which is below (and, as always, superb).

If you like what you're hearing and want to experience it in the round during album release week, the band are playing a few shows in Bristol, London, Brighton, Manchester and Oxford - tickets here. It has been far too long since I saw them live so I'm hoping I can make one of these or another show later in the year! 

Pre-order your copy of bird here.

Follow Low Island - Instagram.

LISTEN: Flyte - 'I'm Not There'

I've been feeling a little rough lately (haven't we all?!) and those best laid plans of writing more posts here haven't quite come to fruition yet, but I've been enjoying this new one from Flyte and wanted to share. The duo's first new music of the year, I'm Not There is a taster of more to come from a record made with producer Ethan Johns at his home studio and is just beautifully vintage Flyte. I adore them. 

On the process of creating the new track, Will shares:

Although regular therapy and the ever-enlightening practice of songwriting has helped me immensely over the years, a lack of self-love, self-forgiveness, and the baggage of family trauma still hangs around - sometimes heavily.

This song was written under a particularly dense cloud, with a rainy brain. I was draining my subconscious, not present in the slightest. From the few times we’ve played this song live, it’s been noteworthy how male leaning people of all ages have been quick to tell us about their immediate connection to it - make of that what you will.

What may also be interesting to some is that it’s a fully live performance, cut right at the start of the album recording session. We played it once and once only, and that’s all the listener hears bar a single piano added later. Nick, Ethan and I hadn’t played as this trio before and you can hear us introducing ourselves to each other, figuring the whole thing out as we played. Ethan, as well as being a sensational producer/engineer is an experienced, emotionally intelligent drummer, which provided a safety net that allowed us to step blindly into the performance with no preparation.

It’s taught us that there, in that risky place, is where the truth is most easily coaxed out of us.

 

Follow Flyte - Instagram | X | Facebook.

WATCH: Tara Nome Doyle - 'Lighthouse'

"Those who matter won't mind and those who mind don't matter." 

Completely and utterly haunting and beautiful, this one. Tara Nome Doyle is back with Lighthouse, taken from newly announced album Ekko, due via FatCat Records on 11th April. The track is currently sitting atop my acoustic/folk/chilled playlist for the year alongside songs from Hayden Thorpe, lilo and Martin Luke Brown and I can't get enough of it. 

On the track, Tara shares: "I wrote ‘Lighthouse’ for a friend who was going through a difficult time. I saw myself in her struggles to please everyone while neglecting her own needs. This song is meant to be a warm embrace, offering reassurance and gentle encouragement. The mantra ‘those who matter won’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter’ has guided me through my lowest moments, and it felt meaningful to share it through this song. I hope it reaches someone who needs to hear it, remember it and repeat it."

Pre-order/ pre-save Ekko here.

Follow Tara Nome Doyle - Instagram | Facebook

WATCH: Christof van der Ven - 'rock salt / driftwood'

All hail our indie-folk king, Christof van der Ven. A long-time firm favourite artist of the blog and a generally lovely person, I'm always delighted when he shares some new music. This morning I found new track rock salt / driftwood waiting for me on my morning commute and very much enjoyed, before taking a dive into his recent releases. What's In It For remains a beaaaaaut of a track. 

The new one follows recent tracks polaroid and For The Ages and is taken (I think... optimistically) from an as yet unannounced new album, which I'm expecting might arrive later this year. (I can speak it into existence, right?) 

If the live video above whets you're appetite, Christof is headed out on tour in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and England in May, with a show at London's Sebright Arms on 8th May. Full dates and tickets are available here.

While I'm here, I also have to direct your attention to this stunning performance of We Didn't Know We Were Ready from Christof, Ólafur Arnalds, The Staves, Memorial, Dermot Kennedy, Niamh Regan and more on RTÉ in honour of their friend Eoin French, who released music as Talos. Truly one of the most moving things I've seen in a long time.

Follow Christof van der Ven - Facebook | Instagram.

LISTEN: Samantha Crain - 'Ridin' Out The Storm'

It is rather blustery out there, so I don't know about you, but I'm hunkering down with books and music for the day. Where better to start than with this latest track from Samantha Crain - Ridin' Out The Storm. It may be in fact be sponsored by the current UK weather. Maybe. 

On the track, Samantha shares: "I was watching this TV show called “The Great” one night and this one line caught me. I’m sure it is based on some older, canonical text but, basically, it was this: “Let it go. It is a storm. They will never stop coming, but pass through and away. They always will.” To me, that seemed like the best way I could sum up the gist of living and I wanted to write an expansive song about how that has played out in my life.”

I love Samantha's music and it is great to have her releasing new songs into the world - and better still, she's headed out on tour soon! She's just announced a 2025 US tour with a few UK/EU dates sprinkled in - full list of tour dates and tickets are here.

Follow Samantha Crain - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.