Vagabond

The first year at the University of Glamorgan, probably late 2002. I only attended 3 lectures or so my entire career, preferring instead to plumb the depths of my soul and examine my mind from both micro and macro viewpoints, like a man standing between 2 parallel mirrors. After doing something that tends to keep you awake for too long, then doing it again, again, & then again. A marathon. 3 days later and still no sleep, a spider absailed down the curtains in my Halls cell-like box room. For some reason this produced an intense few hours of nightmarish arachnids lurking on ceiliings, chasing me down corridors, webs thick across the common room. God knows what I looked like, tearing wild-eyed past the silent doored & slumbering student rooms. Eventually managing to wake Matt, Apprentice Green's drummer, multi-instrumentalist & all round good egg. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the spider invasion had not occurred & I had not, in fact, been whisked off as the Devil's plaything to the caverns of Hell. Even the original rappelling spider was actually a bit of fluff suspended on a thread of curtain material. Ah well. Stay in school kids. 

The song was written a year or so later, morphing through a few forms. Special mention goes to Brummy's loping bassline & Matt's guitar overdubs. All recreated here. I have no idea how I wrote the piano riff. Probably just mashed the keys until it sounded good. Much like I do now.

Apprentice Green

Nightspiders

Mastered by Dean McCarthy (Mechanica Mastering)

Rather Be In Berlin

'Picture of You' revolves around creating an idealised image of somebody based on interactions through a phone screen rather than meeting them in person. The idea of a meet cute is ancient history thanks to various dating apps that have become available.

This song acts as a poignant commentary on how digital platforms have transformed the landscape of romance. While they offer new opportunities for connection, they also challenge us to consider the value of authenticity and genuine human interaction in building meaningful relationships.

Picture of You

Memories

King of the Grass

King Of The Grass

Written by Alexandra Leaving
Produced by Jack O'Hea
Guitars by Morgan Rickman
Drums by Angus Mcintyre

Lyrics: 

I'm the cliche, doomsday, quit that job. 
I'm not ok on this clock
How dare you be real when everything's ironic
The Mad Hatter's tea is quite the tonic.

Can you beat The Wall?
Can you beat The Wall?

I'm kinda happy but I'm kinda broke, 
Trying to make my way in the big fat smoke. 
Dear the big boys, making noise, drop a key
in the wishing well of my fantasy. 

Can you beat The Wall?
Can you beat The Wall?

I'm the freeze frame, no shame, solve the riddle:
Who's right on the edge but from a town in the middle?
No I'm not sorry, I'm not done, 
Blow a big kiss, never miss, flex those guns

Can you beat The Wall?
Can you beat The Wall?
Can you beat The Wall?
Can you beat The Wall?

The Wall

I Want To Win

Afrotrip

Foam Animals

I like the 9 to 5
Putting it all on the hard drive
I like the 6 to 10
I watch a movie and then
I goto bed at 11
Pray to the folks who art in heaven
From midnight till 3
I pray for those in purgatory
From 4 o'clock to 8
I pray for those for whom prayers came too late

24 Hour Clock

Novelty Island’s hook-filled dream pop channels surrealism and Northern melancholy through classic songwriting. The project is led by Liverpool-based songwriter and producer, Tom McConnell who describes it as “Paul McCartney having an argument with Bernard Black”. Eclectic songs inspired by childhood, motorways, trains, old televisions, cowboys, space, birds and balloons form their first two albums, How Are You Coping With This Century? and Wallsend Weekend Television, which received acclaim from Mojo, Shindig, BBC 6 Music, BBC Introducing and Absolute Radio. The psychedelic, papier-mâché-prop-filled Novelty Island live band have performed at Glastonbury and toured the UK extensively as a headline act and support to Sea Power, The Pale White, Scott Lavene and China Crisis.

In 2025, Novelty Island will release a new album Jigsaw Causeway; a darker collection of lo-fi songs inspired by the fuzzy, woozy production of Grandaddy, Beck and Boards of Canada. Novelty Island’s releases feature McConnell’s artwork in a range of styles from papier-mâché sculptures, lo-fi animation and claymation. The new album will be by accompanied by his first exhibition.

Foam Animals

Novelty Island

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