Best of Unplucked Stornoway

• 1 Zorbing (Unplucked, 2024 Version) 03:27
• 2 This Must Be the Place (Unplucked, 2024 Version) 03:41
• 3 We Are The Battery Human (Unplucked, 2024 Version) 04:18
• 4 Between the Saltmarsh and the Sea (Unplucked) 04:31
• 5 Trouble with the Green (Unplucked, 2024 Version) 03:49
• 6 The Bigger Picture (Unplucked, 2024 Version) 04:01
• 7 On the Rocks (4AD Session) 05:01
• 8 Enjoy the Silence (Unplucked, 2024 Version) 03:08
• 9 Get Low (Unplucked) 03:50
• 10 Farewell Appalachia (Unplucked, 2024 Version) 04:16
• 11 Fuel Up (Unplucked, 2024 Version) 04:24
• 12 Bag in the Wind (Unplucked, 2024 Version) 03:16
• 13 The Only Way Is Up (Unplucked) 04:24
• 14 Watching Birds (4AD Session) 04:12
• Total Runtime 56:18

Info for Best of Unplucked

After landing a #7 spot in the UK Physical Artist Albums Chart with ‘Dig The Mountain!’, selling out a 10-date UK tour and performing at Glastonbury 2024, Stornoway now release the ‘Best of Unplucked’ - featuring hand-picked versions of their much loved ‘unplucked’ recordings from their career to date.

Featuring brand new versions of favourites including ’Zorbing’ and ‘Farewell Appalachia’, as well as Talking Heads’ ‘This Must Be The Place’ and Depeche Mode’s ‘Enjoy The Silence’, plus recordings from the 4AD vault (‘Beachcombers Windowsill’ and Tales From Terra Firma’), live favourite ‘The Only Way Is Up’ (‘Bonxie Unplucked’), and ‘Dig The Mountain!’ Shed Sessions, this is Stornoway in their most natural form, and perhaps their most beautiful.

Letter from the band: “We have been fortunate to have the chance to perform and record in some unforgettable locations over the years, from boats to bird reserves, caves to cathedrals. The only way to make this possible has often been to play completely unamplified, or ‘unplucked’ as we like to call it, which has meant creating special arrangements of our songs using acoustic instruments. We are passionate about enjoying and protecting nature, and by playing unplucked, we have been able to bring people into wild spaces. In the absence of amps or PA systems we have often found that the connection of our audiences to our music, to each other, and to the natural world becomes stronger, and these intimate, often impromptu, performances have resulted in some of our most cherished memories as a band. We hope you enjoy this selection of our favourite ‘unplucked’ recordings over the last 15 years.”

Stornoway

Stornoway
named for a Scottish island but hailing from Oxford, formed in 2006 and quickly started leaving an indelible mark on the indie folk scene.

Their debut album, Beachcomber's Windowsill (2010), unveiled a delightful blend of folk, pop, and whimsy. Led by the captivating voice of frontman Brian Briggs, the album's standout tracks, 'Zorbing' and 'I Saw You Blink', showcased the band's ability to craft infectious hooks that nestled deep into the listener's consciousness.

Stornoway's follow-up release, Tales From Terra Firma, arrived in 2013 and further solidified their status as storytellers. The album showed off a more introspective side, exploring themes of love, loss, and longing with a nuanced touch. Tracks like 'The Great Procrastinator' and 'Farewell Appalachia' landed big, earning Stornoway critical acclaim and a dedicated following as well as chart success.

The band's infectious energy transformed their shows into communal celebrations. Playlisted everywhere, they toured with the likes of Sting, Norah Jones, Jay-Z, and Foo Fighters. Whether they were headlining massive festivals or playing intimate local gigs with an environmental focus, Stornoway fostered a profound connection with their audience. And then everything stopped.

After four studio albums, including the heartfelt Bonxie (2015) and the introspective The Bonxie Unseen (2016), Stornoway announced an indefinite hiatus in 2017. The fans were distraught, but it allowed the band members to follow their own individual paths and recharge their creative batteries.

Reforming for Truck festival in 2020, Stornoway began work on a comeback album. After a 6-year hiatus, the band returned in 2023 with their playful 4th album ‘Dig The Mountain!’, which reached number 7 in the sales charts and saw them further build their dedicated fanbase, with multiple headline sold-out tours in unique venues across the UK and further afield, including a run of their popular outdoor ‘Unplucked’ shows at nature reserves.

This album contains no booklet.