Salt Dog (Howing For You)

God Damn My Soul is frustration, fear and failure over taking you. When you are stuck in the mindset of right and wrong. Good and bad. Constantly judging yourself and others against a critical moral compass. It’s loneliness. Written during a sleepless night on an old nylon acoustic. God Damn My Soul is a scream for release. A scream for self acceptance. The end of the line where boundaries begin and change is possible.

God Damn My Soul (CLEAN VERSION)

Digging deep into the internal psych, holding to account your actions and those of others around you. Putting your energy where it is valued, and respected. Don’t let the self deprecating internal beast take control, or that of another. Learn to love, firstly to yourself then it will flow to others. Be honest, a lie will only unravel itself, leaving the brutal truth of what it tries to hide. And when you have made mistakes, learn from them, it will make you stronger. Creep closer to the calm of a setting sun, letting love, sex and vulnerability bathe on you, accept loss, don't fight it, embrace it, take the vulgar nauseating pulse of pain, hold it by the scruff, take the weight and the woe, reassemble the parts to form a brighter you, a stronger us. Understand that we all wear multiple masks, don't forget who is beneath.
credits
releases March 18, 2022

All Songs Written and Arranged by True Strays.
Recorded at Crossleaze Studios, Bath
New Cut Studios, Bristol
Produced by Thomas Benjamin Cooper
Engineered by Charles Grimsdale
Mixed & Mastered by George Perks
Artwork & Design by Patch D Keyes
Logo by Lewis Kay Thatcher

True Strays are:
James Cameron - Vocals & Guitars
Joe James - Vocals, Bass & Guitars

Additional Musicians:
Matt Cooke - Drums, Percussion and Vocals
Tom Cooper - Guitars and Vocals
Robert Grist - Keyboards
Jonny Henderson - Hammond Organ
Jonny Lawes - Saxophone
Kanti Qena - Quena Flute
Jeanette Rojas - Zampoñas

Kickstarter Vocals - Let Your Heart Lead The Way
Katalina Thoms
Anouska Streets

Additional Vocals - Campesina
Natali Martinez Riobo
Marta Gonzalez

Heart Of The Matter

In Your Hands

Colours In Between

Rosalea

Golden Age

This Is An Emergency

Conflict

War Cry

Let Your Heart Lead The Way

Campesina

Since I Was A Boy

Take What You Want From Me, a sentiment that reverberates through our lives. Whether it’s said endearingly in offer of hope to a friend, or the angst of being drained of all you have to give. A swaggering verse of roots rock groove sets the scene, mirroring the depths of despair felt through these modern times,‘Nothing left to give, gave it all away, bent out of shape, got to catch a break’. The bridge picks up pace and there's hope that you can ‘Turn it around’ and as it explodes into the anthemic rock and rolling chorus of ‘Take what you want from me, take it for free, you won’t get what you need’ the band take full flight and the intensity dial is ramped up to the red.

Taken from the forthcoming debut album ‘Heart of the Matter’, an album that was on the brink of collapse. With the band's biggest and first fully ticketed tour to date, and some of their most prestigious festival appearances all being cancelled with the impact of Covid-19, it wasn’t looking like it could be finished. Reaching out to their fans to help complete the album, a kickstarter campaign was started and an incredible amount of funds were raised. Just over £9k. This act of community kindness and belief from their fanbase instilled hope and drive to complete the album, and this is the first release from the album sessions.

Take What You Want From Me

True Strays are longtime friends and songwriters Joseph James and James Cameron from Bristol, England who are fast carving out a niche of their own in the UK Americana scene. Their music is a cathartic celebration of alternative roots americana and blues rock. 
Their songs focus on the dirt that life throws at you and how struggle can be transformed into something better. Like all good music, True Strays tap deep in what’s real and create sounds for winding road trips and the promise of the horizon. The prolific songwriting duo draw influences from Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Fleetwood Mac and modern retro inspired acts like Alabama Shakes, Gary Clark Jr and the Black Keys. 
From the rock and roll circumstances of their first meeting in a sand pit in playgroup 30 odd years ago, they have completed countless UK tours, supported bands as diverse as My Baby and Elles Bailey, been jump started by Keith Allen, played by BBC Introducing and BBC Radio, played their first European dates,  survived 70+ festival shows at prestigious festivals like Green Man, Boom Town, Larmer Tree and Shambala and have been featured on the Spotify’s Nu-Blue and Modern Blues Rock playlists.
2021 sees a year's hard work behind the scenes coming to fruition. A recent invite to showcase at the prestigious UK AmericanaFest, a debut album titled ‘Heart of the Matter’ recorded and a main stage slot at Black Deer Festival all on the horizon. With or without live shows, True Strays have a bounty of new music to release this year. 
2020 was going to be their biggest year yet. But it was all washed away by the lockdowns. Their first headline tour cancelled, their first main stage festival slots postponed and their income disappeared. 
Rather than sitting at home feeling disheartened, core members Joe James and James Cameron cooked up a risky plan. Their debut album was written and ready to go but the loss of shows wiped out all their income. With the bank balance at 0, they decided to reach out to their growing fanbase for help. They launched a kickstarter and asked for £4500 to help fund half their album. They hit that target in 5 days. Blown away and humbled by the belief of their fans and friends the debut album was saved. In 31 days, the ‘save our debut album’ kickstarter raised just over £9000.

True Strays

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