Ned Roberts is an acoustic finger-picker and singer-songwriter based in London. Raised in a musical family (his father is renowned classical pianist Paul Roberts), Ned first started gigging when living up in York, playing old folk covers and the odd Dylan tune. Not long after writing his first songs, he was discovered by producer Luther Russell (Folks, Richmond Fontaine, Noah & The Whale) and brought to Los Angeles to record. The first single culled from these fruitful sessions was "Red Sun", which featured frequently on BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio Scotland and even Radio 3 in Spain. On the heels of this comes Ned's second single "Blues #6", featuring vocals by acclaimed songstress Sarabeth Tucek. Look for Ned's debut record in early 2014.

Officially released on 16th December, with B-side Down In Lines, it will be available on 7" vinyl and download.

NED ROBERTS - Blues #6

Winter Sky is taken from Ned Roberts' self-titled debut album, released 3rd November 2014. 

Pre-order the record here: http://bit.ly/1CZUxtJ

Produced by Luther Russell
Recorded live to tape by Jason Hiller at Electrosound Studios, L.A, CA



Winter Sky

The first single from Ned Roberts' second album Outside My Mind, due for release 24th March on Aveline Records.

Lights On The River

In honour of the 400 year Shakespeare anniversary here's a free download from my debut record. Music written by my brother Barney Roberts, words from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Performed by myself and Pial Hossain on tabla.

Produced and mixed by Luther Russell
Recorded by Jason Hiller at Electrosound Studios, L.A., CA
Mastered by John Fischbach

Where The Wild Thyme Blows

Third single from Ned Roberts' third album, Dream Sweetheart, recorded in Electrosound Studios, LA, CA, with producer Luther Russell.

The Arbour

Not so long ago
The whiskey and wine
I saw you dancing colours round the room

You were my eyes of the open road
Where the red kites fly
The crimson sun goes down as the night comes in

We went south to the sea
To find the way
The restless night gave in to the asking


The sail billows black
At the edge of the sea
A storm coming on
Adrift and unseen

Lain on the grass
Beneath a reeling sky
We did not seem to see the falling

For now the cold wind just blows
Our love away
We’ve got nothing, nowhere and no one to hang on to

The sail billows black
Where the sea meets the sky
I'm not coming back
I’d be a fool to try

Maybe I love you still
I always will
A refuge and regret to know each day

I’ll head north to San Jose
With the road stretched out
The stars will sing to sleep the aching

The sail billows black
At the edge of the sea
The wind cries out
For the miles between

Miles Between

“The genesis of Wrong Side Of You began on the road in Germany as a gentle fingerpicked song. It’s about travelling to escape – yet your mind is still inexorably drawn back home. The song sat around for quite a while, and it was only after a breakup that its meaning began to crystallise. It’s strange how your relation to your own songs can change significantly and mould to a new set of circumstances and feelings. There’s a yearning for the West Coast in there too. It’s where I always record, the sun always shines, and I feel creatively alive. It all came together in the studio when we had a great drummer come in, Ben Lecourt, and Luther, my producer, added a sweet twelve-string jangle. My first time playing the banjo too. Listen out for the bells on the chorus.”

Wrong Side of You

The second single from Ned Roberts' forthcoming album 'Dream Sweetheart', released on Aveline Records, 7th Feb. 
"A song of memory and loss – about how shared experiences can be remembered differently, in a different light. Each verse is a call and response, one fragment of memory answering another. It’s only in the final verse when the memories coalesce.”

Do you remember how we met in the depths
The morning mist always rose
Oh I remember how we sang and we danced
The night held its head in its hands

The stage was set
To make fools of lovers
Tyrants of thinkers yet

Do you remember the white lines of the road
Heading somewhere nobody knows
Oh I remember when you said do you doubt
Would you have the strength to let go

The stage was set
To make fools of lovers
Stories half told, half met

Do you remember the nightingale's flight
Its song took the night unawares
Oh I remember how the songbird declined
To lend us a sign in the dark

The stage was set
To make fools of lovers
Tyrants of thinkers yet

Do you remember when the sky hammered down
The morning hung heavy as a storm
Yes I remember how we clawed in the dark
The warmth of a spark lifting away

The stage was set
To make fools of lovers
Stories half told, half met

The Songbird

Red Sun is the debut 45 single from Ned Roberts' debut album, recorded and produced in L.A by Luther Russell (Sarabeth Tucek, Laura Marling, Richmond Fontaine). The B-side is Bound To Fall. Go to nedroberts.bandcamp.com/ for the free download and to buy the 7" vinyl.


NED ROBERTS - Red Sun (A-side)

Ned Roberts is an acoustic singer-songwriter based in London. Not long after writing his first songs, he was discovered by producer Luther Russell (Sarabeth Tucek, Richmond Fontaine, Noah & The Whale) and brought to Los Angeles to record. The pair have since developed a close creative partnership.
 
The first single culled from these fruitful sessions was "Red Sun", which featured frequently on BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio Scotland, and Radio 3 in Spain. On the heels of this came the single "Blues #6", featuring vocals by acclaimed songstress Sarabeth Tucek. The track was championed by Lauren Laverne, Jo Whiley, Gideon Coe, and Huey Morgan on BBC Radio. His debut self-titled album was released to great acclaim in 2014, garnering significant national press, notably from the Guardian and Uncut magazine. Live sessions for BBC Radio London and Bob Harris' Radio 2 show soon followed.
​
No stranger to the road, Ned has toured the UK extensively. He attained a much sought after support tour with celebrated US songwriter Anais Mitchell, and has also supported the likes of Joe Pug, Micah P. Hinson, The Delines and Sarabeth Tucek. He has also toured the West Coast of the US, embarked on a 14-date tour of Germany, as well as gigs in France, Spain and Italy.
 
In 2015, Ned returned to Los Angeles to record, once again with producer Luther Russell at the helm. The resulting album, Outside My Mind – expertly mastered by John Fischbach (Stevie Wonder, Carole King) – is striking, showcasing a greater confidence in both his material and voice, adding an Americana expanse to the folk foundations of his eponymous debut. Delivered with a poetic turn of phrase, excellent musicianship and a perfectly judged vocal sensibility, these songs sit comfortably amongst the classics of the Laurel Canyon era. Outside My Mind was released on Aveline Records in March 2017. 

In May 2018, Ned recorded his third album. Watch this space.

Ned Roberts

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