2015 sees a welcome return for Stornoway, first with single The Road You Didn’t Take on February 16th, followed in April by a new album, Bonxie.

Bonxie, as I’m sure you all know, is another name for the Great Skua, a seabird native to The Faeroe Islands. You’ll also find them breeding in Scotland, and preying on smaller birds. Nature, eh?

The album’s themes and songs have come from singer (and Dr. of Ornithology) Brian Briggs’ move to a wild and no doubt - as tradition and cliche dictate - windswept corner of Britain. “I wanted a shake up and I wanted to feel more connected to the outdoors – I wanted to feel small.” He probably didn’t want to be clawed at and regurgitated on by Skuas, but I’m told that happens if you linger too long in some of these wild corners.

Bonxie tracklisting

  1. Between The Saltmarsh and the Sea
  2. Get Low
  3. Man on Wire
  4. The Road You Didn’t Take
  5. Lost Youth
  6. Sing With Our Senses
  7. When We Were Giants
  8. When You’re Feeling Gentle
  9. Heart of the Great Alone
  10. Josephine
  11. Love Song of the Beta Male