Times Like These is the 'b-side' for the single version of Go, which will open my upcoming album "Uh-huh..." - released through Earth-Two Records. 

As you might have read, the "Uh-huh..." project is something of me retraining myself and recovering after suffering from some damage to my vocals this past year, as well as various other traumas on top of the lockdowns and whatnot... When writing/recording the works for the project, I wanted to look at my influences and inspirations and write directly with them in mind (as I did when I first started seriously working as a composer in the 90s). So yes, you will hear 'Lou Reed' or 'Bowie' or 'Depeche Mode' or 'Neil Young' or whoever in these works as that was the whole plan... and then sprinkle my fairy dust on top, prepping myself to get back into my usual writing mode for when the band (Luxury Stranger) can continue working! 

Thanks for listening.

Words and music: Simon York
© 2021 SDBsongs
© 2021 Earth-Two Records
℗ 2021 Earth-Two Records

Go (single)

Time Like These

Times Like These ('b-side' for the Go single)

So... work is going well with Luxury Stranger - we're currently working on material for an album that is currently called Above and Below. 

But you know me - always writing and creating work which doesn't always fit in the LS box. So, I've decided to do another solo record. Following on from the great experiment that was "Uh-Huh...", I'm going to release a new record called While You're Waiting... 

Today (21st December) is my birthday and so as a gift, I'm letting you hear the first mix of the opening track for that new solo record. The song is called On The Steps. I hope you'll take as much enjoyment listening to it as I had creating it... 

Words and music: Simon York
Copyright: SDBsong 2021

While You're Waiting...

On The Steps

On The Steps (1st MIX) - Simon York Dec 2021

Tony Morris (8/7/22)

For Mum… (1958 to 2024, forever onwards)

Words and music: Simon York
All voices, instruments and programming: Simon York 
Copyright 2024 SDBsongs

Now We're Apart

Now We're Apart (Simon York writing demo)

So - this song started off on the 24th October as me testing stuff out with my new set-up for writing/recording at Answer. Still got some tech stuff to figure out - but I think I've still got the chops ;-) 

Anyway, new LS song called Plenty... hope you'll enjoy it - it's pencilled in for the tenth Luxury Stranger album! 
 
Words and music: Simon York
All voices, instruments and programming: Simon York 
Recorded at Answer Homestudio, Nottingham 
Copyright 2024 SDBsongs

Plenty

Plenty (Simon York new set-up demo version)

A follow-up to the Christmas single - follow links below for that - this is another ‘experiment’ track while Simon York’s been working with new things. 

Simon says: "I think this song represents me putting things away... Obviously the loss of my mum and a few other things that have occurred in my personal life recently, and things going on behind the scenes for the band as we’ve kept on working and fighting best we can - they’re represented by the style I’m playing / singing on ‘part 1’ of the song. And I think the lullaby (‘part 2’) and soft singing, as if to a newborn, not only represents the new year but also shows a positive and progressive note for what's to come, certainly in terms of Luxury Stranger anyway. The work on the album has been great and pulling the live show together has been inspiring!"

This track is pencilled in as the closing song for what Simon's putting together for Luxury Stranger album number ten (Dec-Elation!). 

Words and music: Simon York 
All voices, instruments and programming: Simon York 

Copyright 2025 SDBsongs 

For the Christmas single, Feeling Ill At Christmas, head to: 
Song - https://luxurystranger.bandcamp.com/album/feeling-ill-at-christmas 

Video - https://youtu.be/FXGqVykvIn8?si=p0m3SCST_VUpZExk

Old Year - New Year

ボサノバテイスト　guitar inst.
My guitar is clumsy, but I will be able to put the Spirits to guitar
Please listen♪

メランコリック　cafe music

office love  /  Infidelity

'Right To Her' is a track written with a particular mood in mind - and a possible exploration into admittance.

Please note: this is a home demo, not the final version of this track. 
All voices, instruments and programming: Simon York

Words and music: Simon York

Copyright: SDBsongs 2018

Spectra

Right To Her

Right To Her (SY demo 2018)

Put your on your headphones... stick in your ear buds... sit in your music chair (like we used to) and listen. 

So, I'm releasing another solo album - which will be preceded by a two track single release. The album is called "Uh-huh..." and the single will be a 'radio cut' of album track Go, and it will be backed with Times Like These (which will not feature on the album). 

This isn't a 'regular' solo project - I've referred to it a 'self-re-education project', and it was me relearning my craft and rebuilding my damaged voice after various personal stresses and traumas (as well as the results of lockdowns and the pandemic) had affected me mentally and physically.  Not wanting to sound like a whiner and I'm sure others will relate, but for someone who's known nothing else, it's quite a blow to say the least to suddenly not be 'you'. 

"Uh-huh..." is the result of the writing of songs and pieces that I'd done when I actually felt I could finally pick up an instrument and write again in December 2020 through to February 2021. I wanted to take myself to a place where I was learning, rather than just jump in where I'd left off, so I decided to write music in a way that I did when I first began original composition about 29 years ago. I've purposely looked at my influences and inspirations and written as though writing with them in mind - you'll probably pick up on some Lou Reed, REM, David Bowie, John Lennon, Pearl Jam, Pete Townsend, Martin L Gore, Eno & Fripp, Bunnymen, Peter Gabriel, U2, Neil Young and others in there as well as taking elements of my classical training as a kid. It was a chance to get those elements out so's to create a blank (or more 'me') canvas ready for when I start writing for Luxury Stranger again... 

My voice is still not 150% but I'm soon to be going back into rehearsals with the band (Luxury Stranger) so that 'singing against the power' will be the last step of regaining my strength and stamina. 

Despite offers of mixing for some important and notable figures, I wanted to keep a 'rough and ready' feel - hopefully capturing the mood or atmosphere of me sat in my new studio space (Answer Studio) - so it's all written, recorded, played and mixed/produced by me, recording using Cubase LE5 on a near dead 15 year old PC laptop. 

I've always believed that limited sounds and ability can be great tools when learning to creating again. 

This particular piece of music, Angered Innocence, is one that I felt didn't belong on "Uh-huh..." but still had enough meaning to me to be released... 

Music: Simon York
© 2021 SDBsongs
© 2021 Earth-Two Records
℗ 2021 Earth-Two Records

Angered Innocence (Instrumental #7215) - non-album track

Formed in 2006 by singer/composer Simon York, Luxury Stranger is a progressive rock / post-punk inspired band... 

The band is currently working on a new record - Above and Below - the follow up to the "masterpiece" album Darkness Falls Upon The Light which is still available on Bandcamp! In the meantime, Simon is in full-on writing mode and has started writing for the tenth LS album... 

For info / booking, contact Lisa (LS Assistant) at info@luxurystranger.net

Plenty (Simon York new set-up demo version)

Luxury Stranger

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