Alex Highton was brought up in Liverpool and is now based in Cambridgeshire and the diverse nature of these areas and the changing landscape seems to have imprinted itself on his second solo album, 'Nobody Knows Anything' which is full of changes of style and pace throughout the 13 songs on the record.
Sweet guitar and strings and an even sweeter voice the music is very engaging. An accomplished singer-songwriter, much in the vein of a Guy Guvey or Dan Michaelson (Alex himself cites Sufjan Stevens, Here We Go Magic & Joni Mitchell as big influences) there is a story to every song and the album certainly grows with each play. Songs of relationships that however dark, are delivered with the brightness of summer day music wise.
Alex's debut, 'Woodditton Wives Club' received airtime from BBC6 Music & BBC Introducing and his subsequent tour included our favourite festival, SXSW in Austin so there was plenty of experience to hand for that difficult second album. For the new album Alex is joined by what seems a cast of thousands which includes his long-time cohorts double-bass-player Jonny Bridgwood and drummer Howard Monk, producer David “Bear” Dobson, Signer/songwriter, Laura J Martin, Bonnie Dobson, Jonathan “Tall Tree Six Foot Man” Czerwik, Nancy Wallace (of The Memory Band and The Owl Service), John Howard and Robert Rotifer all make appearances, next to “my wife, my kids, the dentist who lives next door and loads of others”.
Both of Alex’s albums are available via Bandcamp so you can have a listen for yourself HERE
Pete
9/11
