Pictish Trail
Reveals Unreleased ‘Lionhead’ Acoustic Track
Pictish Trail – Lionhead (acoustic) audio:
“Glazed with fun and pop and excitement” ★★★★ – Clash
“Delights in roving electronica” ★★★★ – Uncut
“A dark pop album, as joyful as it is unexpected” ★★★★ – Mojo
“Purveyor of the finest space-age disco-wonk-pop” ★★★★ – The Arts Desk
“His voice has never sounded better” ★★★★ – The Scotsman
“Lynch’s voice is consistent, strong and always beautiful” – The Quietus
“A well-crafted collection of songs” – Record Collector
“Confident, spangly pop music” – Q
“A warped myriad of apocalyptic symbolism.. brilliant” – The Guardian
Johnny Lynch on the track:
‘Lionhead’ is about a group of people working together to change something. Burning your idols, setting yourself free from those who have control over you. The main image in the song is that of a Maasai lion killing, a tribe ripping off its mane, and setting fire to the supposed ‘king’ of the jungle, in some bizarre ritual. This was the first song written for Future Echoes, and the version that appears on the album comes from quite a dark, angry place – it was about the end of a friendship, and my feelings were still quite raw, I guess.
The acoustic version feels like it is coming more from a place of acceptance, and is much calmer. I’ve changed a few chords in the second half, so that it sounds a lot more hopeful. My good friend Suse provides backing vocals and a sort of medieval casio keyboard sound, which sounds like an old computer game – like when you’ve reached the end of Zelda (the 1980’s version), and you’re drinking mead with the princess.
Oh, I should say, I started writing ‘Lionhead’ about six years ago, before the film Frozen existed. Any similarities between the chorus of my song, and any other song, is depressingly coincidental.”
After a fervently busy summer which included triumphant appearance at festivals including Field Day, Glastonbury, Green Man and Lost Map’s Howlin’ Fling, and was capped with a shortlisting for the Scottish Album of the Year Award by popular vote, Isle of Eigg-based Scottish DIY electronic folk-tinged croft pop sonic hermit and Lost Map Records founder and director Johnny Lynch AKA Pictish Trail looks ahead to the cold season with the Winter Rewind Acid Reflux Tour in the UK.
Tour Dates
24 Nov: The Studio, Hartlepool, UK
25 Nov: Alternative Peers’ Ball, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh, Scotland (full band)
28 Nov: The Greystones, Sheffield, UK
29 Nov: The Cellar, Oxford, UK
30 Nov: O2 Ritz, Manchester, UK (w/ Jane Weaver)
01 Dec: The Hall, Lancaster, UK
02 Dec: The Taproom, London Fields Brewery, London, UK
04 Dec: Henry Tudor House, Shrewsbury, UK
05 Dec: Gwdihw, Cardiff, Wales
06 Dec: Crofters Rights, Bristol, UK
07 Dec: The Prince Albert, Stroud, UK
08 Dec: Rialto Theatre, Brighton, UK
09 Dec: Union Chapel (Daylight Music), London, UK
09 Dec: Paper Dress Vintage, London, UK – SOLD OUT
10 Dec: Lost Map’s Strange Invitation, Strongroom Bar, London, UK
11 Dec: The Stables 2, Milton Keynes, UK
12 Dec: The Crescent, York, UK
13 Dec: The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge, UK
16 Dec: Xmas Baubles, Lost Map all-day event, Summerhall, Edinburgh
27 Jan: Celtic Connections, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
28 Jan: Celtic Connections, Drygate Brewery, Glasgow, Scotland
Featured Photo Credit : David Galletly
