Helvetica by Laurie Shaw

Although Laurie Shaw has lived in Ireland for the last 14 years, he still sounds like he just got off the ferry from Birkenhead. Well, what does he think of the country where he was born? This album is an exploration of just that.

Helvetica eh? The font on a million documents. Sleek and gentrified. But with it comes a cultural sea change and how does this togetherness effect a country so longing to be singular and defined? Just something to think about. Well, put it this way, as far as statistics and voting information are concerned, that little country is all for rejecting togetherness in favour of the good old days and explicit self-definition.

Well, Laurie Shaw doesn't think that's such a great idea. But whatever. He hasn't come here to preach just extract some poetry out of the propaganda. The setting is England. From Albina's first born to the great warring factions of Remain and Leave. All of it, crashing in on itself. World Wars, plagues, fires in the capital city, council calls, mods and rockers on Brighton beach, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and Vaughan Williams. Why not? Now is as good a time as any.

Tracklist

1.	Competitive Jousting	4:15

2.	Knight Of The Realm	3:40

3.	Had To Swerve	3:48

4.	While The Cat's Away	3:31

5.	Drawn & Quartered	2:44

6.	The Black Plague	2:31

7.	Hesket New Market	3:51

8.	Wink Wink	3:10

9.	Peninsula Song	3:28

10.	Foxes	1:37

11.	Call The Council	3:12

12.	A Song For The Holy Land	2:35

13.	But We Don't Want To Give You That	3:27

14.	Bag For Life	3:29

Credits

released October 31, 2019

All songs written, performed and produced by Laurie Shaw
Recorded in his bedroom at his mum and dad's in Kilgarvan, County Kerry

License