Gabby Young and Other Animals


BRAND NEW ALBUM ‘ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER’ OUT 28 APRIL 2014

Previous praise:

 

She has the power, clarity and precision of an opera diva” 4*s The Guardian

 

Gabby Young is distinctive” MOJO

A sense of a second-hand jumble worked up into something vital and new is matched in the tapestry of their sound.” THE SUNDAY TIMES

Gabby’s voice exudes a sense of genuine quality4*s The Fly

 

Completely irresistible” Tom Robinson, BBC 6

 

  • The follow up to the critically acclaimed albums, ‘We’re All In This Together’ and ‘The Band Called Out For More.’

  • Includes the new single ‘I’ve Improved’ out February 24.

  • Returning to SXSW this March

  • Live at Under The Bridge, February 7, with full UK tour dates coming soon.

On the 28th April 2014, the exquisite Gabby Young & Other Animals return, with their anticipated third album, ‘One Foot In Front of The Other’ out on Gift of the Gab Records.

‘It’s definitely a step up from the last album,’ says Gabby. ‘I think I’m maturing with each record. This one is more introspective and it’s definitely the most vulnerable I’ve been. I’ve put everything into it.’

One Foot In Front of the Other’ still covers the musical styles her fans will be accustomed to, and like her previous two albums, continues to defy labels, effortlessly moving between moments of jazz, opera, folk and cabaret. However, the production has never sounded better – overflowing with lush instrumentation it feels like her most polished work to date, thanks to stellar production by fellow Animal Stephen Ellis, engineered by Dave Moore (The Laurel Collective/ Empirical) Jake Gordon (Naughty Boy/Professor Green). The moment the album opens with the swooning romance of ‘Sur La Lune (A French Ditty)’ translated as ‘Over The Moon,’ it feels like this is indeed a step up from the last.

‘The songs are very personal. There are some things I’m singing about here I wouldn’t talk about to my closest friends, which I know is silly, as I’m telling everyone...’

Take ‘Fear of Flying,’ a hands-down future classic in the same vein as Gabby’s ‘We’re All In This Together’ – a fan favourite from her 2010 debut album. It’s one of the album’s more simple songs, yet thanks to beautiful melody and Gabby’s delicate vocals, the song slowly builds with the help of some clever percussion into a soaring torch song, becoming perhaps the album’s finest moment.

‘It’s about being so fiercely independent. I used to refuse to let people get involved in my career and life, but I am so thankful I got over that and let people in. Those people have made my life so much better. They help me conquer my fears, which I have too many of – including the fear that I might be scared of flying, which is crazy.’

Other highlights? The haunting seascape ‘Another Ship,’ an epic lament on longing to go home – featuring keys from Bill Laurence (from 2014 Grammy winning band Snarky Puppy). Then there’s the perfect love song ‘Saviour’ written with and about partner and producer, Stephen Ellis, followed by the ever pretty ‘Smile,’ showcasing Gabby’s continually impressive vocal range over ukulele, toy piano and muted drums, a song she’s confident sums up her whole goal in life. ‘I want to make everyone smile, it’s the main reason I write songs and perform, so this is a pinnacle song for me.’

‘I never want to write purely sad music,’ says Gabby. ‘All my songs have to have hope in them. With this album I’d written the majority and realised it was mainly downbeat. But I always strive for the right amount of light and shade, so I worked on adding more upbeat songs.’

So fear not, the ‘circus swing’ (Clive Anderson BBC Radio 2) moments are still here, with the Animal’s brass section still being put through their paces. There’s the infectious ‘I’ve Improved,’ the vibrant first single out 24 February, written after a moment of enlightenment on the band’s Middle Eastern tour, plus tracks like the Balkan-flavoured ‘Time’ and ‘The Devil Has Moved In’ both complete with wild trumpets, keys and percussion aplomb.

And don’t miss the album’s final track, ‘Back Where We Started.’ Written with Stephen Ellis at the helm, it’s the most exuberant 4 minutes on the album. A fury of calypso inspired beats and brass, it’s everything you want from a Gabby Young song, complete with a sing-along chorus, steel drums and tropical tambourines.

‘I was over the moon when Stephen said he’d written it for us. I’m aware our fans come to see us live to have a good time, and I don’t ever want to change that. The fun tracks are the most enjoyable to perform too – there will never be an Animals album without them.’

Gabby Young and Other Animals have been working nonstop since 2012’s ‘The Band Called Out For More.’ Touring the world, including trips to the Middle East, they’ve also spent a huge amount of time in Germany, who’ve taken their unique brand of circus swing to their hearts. Early last summer they started working on the new album whilst also raising funds through crowd-funding website Kickstarter. ‘We were amazed at the level of support this time. I was worried it was too soon to ask for our fan’s support again, but we ended up getting double the amount we set out to raise.’

As a result everyone who invested has been part of the whole album process. They were invited into the studio during the recording via Skype, they’ve been sent demos and even finished songs, long before anyone else will ever hear them. ‘We kept them in the loop the whole way through. Our fans believe in us so much they’re willing to help fund our albums, so we make sure they are as involved as they can be.’

‘One Foot In Front of The Other’ is the follow up to the critically acclaimed 2012 album, ‘The Band Called Out For More.’ This saw Gabby featured everywhere from The Metro and The Independent, to a page interview and 4-star review in The Sun’s Something For The Weekend, with further 4-star reviews in the likes of The Guardian, FT and Mirror. The band’s first album, ‘We’re All In This Together’ was equally as lauded. On its release in 2010 it won over most of the UK’s major newspapers, including The Guardian, The Sunday Times and the Evening Standard.

‘Both of our previous albums have been so well received by critics and fans alike’ says Gabby. ‘I really hope this one achieves the same reaction. I see the three of them as a collective, but there’s something about this one - I’ve fallen in love with every song on it, and I couldn’t say that about our previous albums.’

‘I just really hope our fans will connect with it in the same way. The ones that have got to know us since the beginning, and have supported us throughout, they’re the ones we really want to reach.’

One Foot In Front Of The Other’ is out April 28, through Gift of the Gab Records, sales Active Media via Universal Music Operations.

February 24, 2014 1:05pm ET by Emms Publicity  

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