Clivey MacDougall releases a new EP, ‘Hardtimes Soft Petals’.

Available as a pay-what-you-want download, the five tracks follow up another EP ‘Diversion Ends‘ from earlier this year.

Written and produced “during the height (I hope) of the pandemic”, the singer-songwriter describes the release as “basically my mandatory slice of apocalyptic doom ridden issue”, adding “I sincerely hope not.”

“The title refers to one of the positive side effects of the local council not cutting back the green areas,” he continues, “which resulted in wonderful meadows of wild flowers appearing over the city.

“There are also allusions to the weird creepy nature of travelling alone through the centre of Edinburgh on foot and public transport during lockdown.”

As well as seeing the Leith-based musician’s catalogue grow following his 2019, 18-track long-player ‘Thoughts of Leith‘, lockdown has, it seems, inspired the five new songs – the title track plus ‘CrisisMadnessPanic’, ‘Teddys Blue’,’Fools Paradise’, and ‘Kitty’s Surfboard Lesson’.

MacDougall says: “I found this whole thing difficult to write positively and without being overly judgemental about the early panic buying and hoarding, but truth told working in the Booze Aisle had its advantage.”