An Ocean Full of Islands

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We didn’t really have a proper chance to tour with the last album when it was fresh because it came out in May 2020,” Gus explains. “You want to get out there when the album comes out, get people when they’re really excited about it.”

Rivers in the Light was released in July 2022 as new material from the planned third studio album, again self-produced and recorded at the group's own studio. Written in the Scars was released in September 2022. In fact, Tiree Musical Festival was the band’s first ever gig. A crowd of two and a half thousand people is not a bad place to start!What Tide Lines gained in dramatic scale didn’t compromise the intimacy and honesty of Robertson’s lyrics. The new single ‘Written In The Scars’ shows how his voice truly conveys the meaning of his words. Life charges relentlessly forwards, and you rarely have the time to see how your experiences influence who you are. But just like a long forgotten scar, the impact of those moments may fade but they never fully disappear. That said, they only really had one song (‘Far Side of the World’) so the sets proved to be slightly challenging and included mainly cover songs. By the time they released their second album, they had a better strategy. Their second album, Eye of the Storm, was released in May 2020 and debuted at #12 in the Official UK Album Charts. Eye of the Storm also topped both the Scottish and independent album charts on the week of its release. [4]

The four lads (Robert, Gus, Ross Wilson and Alasdair Turner) met in Glasgow where they were all living, working and studying at the time. Their roots, however, are spread far and wide. In fact, Robert is talking to me from his home in Fort William while Gus is zooming in from Glasgow. Ross (keyboard) originates from Mull, and Alasdair (electric guitar and bagpipes) was born in Easter Ross in the Highlands. Tide Linestoday release their eagerly anticipated new album‘An Ocean Full of Islands’featuring the Radio 2 playlisted single‘Written In The Scars’,plus‘These Days’and‘Rivers in the Light’.Next weekthey embark on a tour of the UK and Ireland, which includes a long sold-out show atEdinburgh’s 2800-capacityUsher Hall,as well as their biggestLondongig to date at theElectric Ballroom. Also confirmed as headliners atThe Gathering Festival,Tide Linesrecently announced their biggest ever headline show, a6,000-capacitybig top festival-style show atGlasgow’s Queen’s Park. The band's first studio album Dreams We Never Lost was released in June 2017 following the release of their first single Far Side Of The World some months earlier. The album is a mix of English and Gaelic songs as well as the Piob Mhor Pipe set. Two further singles Fortunes of the Fearless and The Young and The Restless were also released as singles from this album. An Ocean Full of Islands’ is available HERE. The band’s official store offers a range of bundles, which include signed CDs and vinyl, and a new t-shirt. A turquoise vinyl edition is also available via retail. It’s good,” he says, referring to their live gigs. “We bridge that gap. It’s always a lively crowd. We definitely have a young following but it’s not like we’ve left behind the older generation, they can be part of it as well. It feels like a pretty inclusive experience when you see our audience, which is nice. I don’t think you’d find anyone that would feel out of place.”I’m excited to see how it goes. It will be nice to get out there and drop the new songs. It’s the first chance we’ve had with the band more established to give people more material and see how excited they are about it.” We wanted to chart it,” says Robert, referring to ‘Eye of the Storm’ which did actually chart at number 12 in the UK in the first week and made it to number one in Scotland. You are set to release your new album An Ocean Full of Islandson February 24th 2023, how long have you been working on the release and how have you chosen which songs will feature on it? In the meantime, while Robert is listening to Bruce Springsteen up in Fort William, Gus will no doubt be playing his drums in Glasgow. For those that haven’t heard your music, can you tell us about each band member and how would you describe your sound?

The third album, however, is already causing a buzz among fans both old and new, aided by BBC Radio 2 who included the single ‘Written in the Scars’ on its playlist. That audience, Robert confirms, is multi-generational and includes everything from 16-year-olds to 85-year-olds. I’m absolutely fascinated by drums,” he says, unashamedly. “I don’t really do golfing or cycling… or archery. To be honest, I just play drums.”

A welcome for pilgrims

Tide Lines (two words) is a Scottish four-piece folk/pop band, not to be confused with Tidelines (one word), the annual Book Festival held in North Ayrshire. Tide Lines launch the album alongside its brand new single ‘Written In the Scars’. Listen HERE. Today they also reveal details of a major UK tour set for March 2023, which will see them play some of their biggest headline shows to date including Edinburgh’s Usher Hall and London’s Electric Ballroom.

What are some of your stand-out highlights from performing this year, which has seen you be part of the National Lottery’s Revive Live Tour and your sold-out Town Hall Tour of Scotland? An Ocean Full of Islands’is available HERE. The band’s official store offers a range of bundles, which include signed CDs and vinyl, and a new t-shirt. A turquoise vinyl edition is also available via retail. The band’s 2023 tour is, Gus tells me, their most extensive UK tour so far. Understandably, they’re all looking forward – with nervous anticipation – to getting started. Having narrowly missed theTop 10with their previous record‘Eye of the Storm’and established a dedicated following in the live arena,Tide Linesnow look to step up another level with a collection of songs that are infused with rousing hooks, spine-tingling emotions and widespread, expansive ambition. It achieves all of that without losing sight of their roots, with the album recorded in their studio and rehearsal space in a former Baptist church on theIsle of Mull. The band’s keyboardistRoss Wilsonled the record’s production process. In March 2023, the band released their third studio album An Ocean Full of Islands and announced a tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland. [5] Members [ edit ]

An Ocean full of Islands

After their recent return with the single ‘Rivers In The Light’, Tide Lines can now announce that their new album ‘An Ocean Full Of Islands’ will be released on February 24th. The album is the follow-up to the successful DIY release ‘Eye of the Storm’, which entered the charts at #12 in 2020 and only missed the Top 10 by a handful of sales. Most of the drummers that I like are actually songwriters like Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters, or Prince or Stevie Wonder. I think the hardest thing to do is to approach the drums from the mindset of a songwriter. When you hear a songwriter playing drums to their own songs… it’s obviously the perfect drum part for the song because it’s coming from the same mind as the person who wrote the chords and the lyrics. I always try and be more inspired by that and not by the guys with the biggest drum kits and the most cymbals.” A collection of pop songs that are catchy… built around the idea that people can relate to them straight away, sing along with them and would be good live. It’s at times reflective, at times uplifting, but it’s pretty upbeat throughout. That’s always been the aim of it.” What are you most looking forward to for the release of An Ocean Full of Islands and touring with new songs?