Album

I think Martin and myself have almost finished our next album, which we completed last week (probably!). There was a rush of late song writing that produced You and Me Time (Martin) and Beachwalk (Helen) and we just have to put all the songs together and see if they work as a whole idea. It is going to be entitled The Cafe of Tiny Kindnesses, named after a waitress we saw in a cafe in Barcelona who had a gentle and compassionate way of working, making sure that everyone was happy without intruding, and seeming to know how to behave with solitary people sitting nursing one coffee in a cloud of sadness.
It has taken more than a year to record; Martin has had a very productive year (California Star is nearly completed), and I spent most of last summer organising photographs for the book and tracks for The Chefs CD. Sometimes it's good to take a bit of time; songs have to feel right and match up to each other, and we have both rejected a couple of our own songs after writing more suitable ones.
Martin is playing at The King's Head in Crouch End this Friday, his yearly January solo gig. It is always a very special night. Come on down if you want a bit of winter warmth!