7. A Beast Of Burden

These are all Voice Memos that I've found recorded on my iPhone between June 2021 and December 2023.

I've decided to upload them all here so that I've got all my rough sketches and happenings in one place. These are the very first starting points of all songs, just captured on my phone when 'the happening' took place. So they are all very much raw ideas. Some have developed into fuller songs, others have just been left by the wayside. My hope is that putting them here will make me listen to them more and see which ones stand out. It'll also be interesting to see which ones get the most plays / likes.

So no, production. Just raw recordings captured on my phone.

Always Waiting For My Loving - Gotta Make A Change

Moss Glow

Ishaaq Aarkistra - 'Grunderna'

This was us revisiting an improvised track we did on our very first session back in November 2022. We pulled up the original recording, quickly relearnt it and gave it another shot.
The audio was taken from the video camera that had a feed from the mixing desk so it's a little rough and ready and was only meant for our reference. However, we thought we'd stick it on here as a live studio demo.

The Last Sea - live studio demo

These are five tracks we’ve poured ourselves into - emotionally, creatively, and technically. The lyrics are incredibly personal, and we spent a lot of time building up layers with guitars, percussion, and backing vocals. It’s taken real dedication to reach the sound we had in our heads. It’s been a challenge, but the end result feels honest and powerful.
We feel it represents a good cross section of our various sounds and styles and we hope you enjoy!

The Places Where We Go

Evening Star

City Lights

The Standing Man

Over & Out

SCENE AND HERD GIG REVIEW: BLACKWATER LIGHTSHIP EP LAUNCH SUPPORTED BY FREEZER & OSPREY @ SIDNEY & MATILDA
Written by Charlotte Sometimes
Gig photography by Russell Jones-Davies

One final reset of the stage and it was time for the main act: the celebration of Blackwater Lightship’s new EP Last Night I Saw the Leaves Fall. Seeing the music we had previously reviewed was a completely different experience live.

The first half of the set served as an introduction to the band’s breadth and versatility before they moved into the EP tracks. Early songs carried a post-punk pulse with echoes of Joy Division and The Smiths - angular yet melodic, with a rich undercurrent of emotion. The sound was incredibly tight, and the chemistry between the two members was instantly engaging. Lockley, ever the warm and playful frontman, had the audience cheering for “Hyper Tom” on drums, and both musicians were visibly energised by the response: grinning throughout, feeding off the room’s enthusiasm.

They then shifted gears, with Lockley continuing the tradition passed down from the Byrds to Big Star to Teenage Fanclub and swapping to a Rickenbacker for the jangling, shimmer of Trapped in Dreams: a tonal change that showed another facet of their songwriting. 
Before the official EP launch portion began, Lockley explained that the release isn’t yet on the big streaming platforms because, in his words, “the billionaires can wait”. And indeed, this performance was something entirely separate from the studio versions. With no extra band members or production layering, the live renditions took on a more organic form; raw and immediate, yet no less compelling.

The EP tracks unfolded in a way that highlighted the deep creative rapport between the two musicians, each one enhancing the other’s sound. The opening track City Lights rang out with a big, cinematic sweep; the second track Evening Star was adapted for a live audience with whistles, giving it an earthy, folk-inflected charm. The third track Over & Out had a personal backstory - written by Lockley a decade ago during a songwriting course, inspired by people who help lift you from dark places. The Standing Man, penned by Roberts when he was just 17, kept its titular figure shrouded in mystery, adding an intriguing edge.

One of the most poignant moments of the night came with the final EP track (also a single) The Places Where We Godedicated to Lockley and his wife’s beloved dog, Ted, who sadly passed away very recently. This was a really moving moment and the crowd clearly felt the resonance of this. 
The song itself, Lockley introduced as about creativity and dreaming - “We don’t sleep, our bodies do” - and the performance built in crescendo with the primal cries of Lockley and the fierce rhythm of Roberts the expression of joy at the culmination of all the hard work that has gone into producing this EP and show.

The closing song The Last Sea swelled into an anthemic crescendo, the crowd erupting into riotous applause at the finale. There was a lot of love for these two in the room this evening and it was completely deserved.

Overall, the night was a glorious blend of craft and connection - a sold-out and joyful celebration of creativity. And as ever, the musicians highlighted the power of live music and the importance of supporting venues like Sidney and Matilda.

Blackwater Lightship have not only delivered a superb EP but have proved, beyond doubt, that their live presence is every bit as vital. An absolute triumph.


EP LAUNCH SHOW - Bootleg Recording - Sidney & Matilda - 08-08-25

Camera operator and editor by day.
Musician and producer ￼by night.

7. A Beast Of Burden

leonlockley

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