After nearly twenty five years and counting as a member of elbow and one of the UK’s most recognised and celebrated musicians and lyricists, Guy Garvey is setting off alone for the first time. On October 30th he releases his debut solo album, ‘Courting the Squall’.

Recorded initially at Real World Studios near Bath and completed at Blueprint Studios in Salford, ‘Courting the Squall’ features a band created by Guy from his ‘favourite musicians outside elbow’ and was driven by spontaneity and experimentation amongst the assembled players with Guy firmly and exclusively in the driving seat. The band ‘moved fast and drank a lot’, focusing on live recording with minimal overdubs to create the songs. Unlike elbow, where democracy has always ruled, this is an album where Guy embraced the freedom to do exactly what he felt throughout.

The album features Pete Jobson, long time friend and bass player from I Am Kloot, as lead guitarist and Nathan Sudders from The Whip on bass, bringing an indie sensibility that was at the heart of Guy’s thinking for certain songs. Keyboards are marshalled by old V2 labelmate Ben Christophers and drums are filled by Alex Reeves. elbow’s brass section add to selected tracks whilst Rachael Gladwin, a steadying contrast to the party vibe of the team due her being pregnant, plays the harp and kora.

‘Courting the Squall’ is powered by influences and ideas that ‘don’t fit the elbow template’. Some tracks, notably ‘Angela’s Eyes’, ‘Harder Edges’ and ‘Belly of the Whale’, come completely from groove, finding a sweet spot between Manchester’s baggy past, long term love Tom Waits and Bowie’s mid-70’s albums, particularly ‘Sound and Vision’. This change of type engendered a change of vocal approach, a clipped and more direct Garvey voice coming across, a hark back to his early days writing lyrics influenced by his listening to hip-hop where short delivery carries rhythm alongside meaning.