Paul Smith | Photo credit: Ivan Jones
Paul Smith is today sharing new single 'Lay Your Head Down'. It heralds his first solo material in eight years, and his first away from Maxïmo Park since his critically acclaimed outing as Unthank : Smith with Rachel Unthank, a project that earned plaudits from The Guardian (Folk Album of The Month), Mojo, Uncut, and The Wire.
Smith has long marked himself out as a restless creative, seeking to scratch that itch through an exploration of differing styles in his solo work, as comfortable mining his record collection for inspiration within records by Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake or Neil Young as he is The Durutti Column and Slint. What has consistently united his solo catalogue however has been the way he can sculpt a song from some incredibly raw materials, and build worlds that are intimate and reflective, both personal and universal.
With his solo return, recorded here live with Field Music's David Brewis, he performs on acoustic guitar, accompanied by Kathryn Williams on vocals and Ed Cross on violin. Stripped back and candid, and delivering a rare falsetto performance he distils feelings of anxiety and apprehension, in the pursuit of serenity.
Paul Smith comments on the new single:
"Lay Your Head down is a pleading lullaby, written with my daughter in mind, but it applies to anyone who needs some peace of mind. I think it's one of the prettiest songs I've written, but there are a couple of darker moments hinting at disquiet."
Hear new single 'Lay Your Head Down' on streaming services here and share the visualizer on YouTube below.
Listen out for more from Paul Smith in the months to come.
