Liz Lochhead and Andrew Wasylyk release a new EP, ‘Still Life, Sweetheart’, on the Blackford Hill label.

It’s the second collaboration between former Makar Lochhead, and the Idlewild and former Hazey Janes guitarist Andrew Mitchell, who goes under this Wasylyk moniker when in SAY-nominated composer mode.

Spanning just under 20 minutes, the five-track EP is available on CD and digitally, and contains five voice and piano tracks – ‘Persimmons’, ‘Nina’s Song’, ‘Coming to Poetry’, ‘Another Wedding Song’, and ‘Epithalamion’.

The EP was recorded early in 2020 following ferry cancellations on the Isle of Mull with producer Gordon Maclean at Tobermory’s An Tobar.

Glasgow-based writer Lochhead published her debut best-selling poetry anthology in 1972, and was Makar – the National Poet of Scotland – from 2011-2016, being awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry 2015.

A prolific playwright, she has also authored more than 20 original works and adaptations for the theatre, while in her musical career she has recently worked with saxophonist Steve Kettley, while collaborating in the past with artists including the late Dundonian singer-songwriter Michael Marra and Glasgow hip-hop group Hector Bizerk.

Lochhead and Wasylyk first worked together with producer Maclean at An Tobar on ‘The Light Comes Back’, a 2016 album by Liz Lochhead with The Hazey Janes and Steve Kettley.

Wasylyk has conceived and contributed to over twenty albums – seven albums as lead vocalist and guitarist with The Hazey Janes, and producing two albums with Art Of The Memory Palace, while his 2019 album, ‘The Paralian’, was shortlisted for Scottish Album Of The Year Award

His next solo record, ‘Fugitive Light And Themes Of Consolation’, will be released on 4th September 2020 through Athens Of The North.

More at www.blackford-hill.co.uk/our-releases/still-life-sweetheart.

Liz Lochhead and Andrew Wasylyk 'Nina's Song' from Blackford Hill on Vimeo.