As always, to coincide with a recent album release I've put together a blog post to give some added insight into the music or inspiration behind it. For this one I invited my brother Stuart to join me, so we could share the musical influences on our sound as Paper Relics. In the post below we'll take you on a tour through a selection of guitar-based songs that have inspired us. It's fair to say, that many of these tracks have had an influence on us beyond our own song writing. But hopefully as you read through and listen to the playlist, you'll be able to feel some of the references in our new album 'Time To Start'. Or maybe you've not yet heard Time To Start and this is the first time you've heard of Paper Relics; read on and at the end, you'll also be able to hear the album.

You can take a listen to a 2 hour show which plays through in the order of the tracks referenced throughout this blog post and the tracklist itself is at the end of the post. You can visit the Mixcloud page by clicking HERE or via the player below...

Ambient/post rock

HT: I’m probably best known for my taste in Ambient music, given my work running the label and so I think some of the earliest ambient music I enjoyed that crossed over to use discernible guitar was Robin Guthrie’s work with Harold Budd. I remember listening to ;Avenue of Shapes' a lot when walking in the woods, at a time when Stuart and I were both living at home in fact. Then I also discovered post-rock shortly after and I’m sure many will agree, Labradford was a particular stand out from that era. Then Hood’s stuff too of course; I loved how the post-rock sound had lots of repetition, drones and electronic glitches, but with a bit of a sleepy rock feel too. Then over the years, the more recent work of Mute Forest and Foreign Fields’ incredible album ‘Anywhere But Where I Am’ really struck a chord, so had to include these in the playlist.

ST: It’s funny as I listen through Harry’s song selections here, I can really hear a Paper Relics influence. I wouldn’t say I have a strong affinity with any of the tracks specifically, in fact some are new to me here! But I can hear our sound. I can hear guitar tones, swells, slides all those elements that make up the fundamental Paper Relics guitar feel. I wonder how much is a passive influence here.

Americana/Indie

HT: The more I explored Ambient and post-rock, the more I'd dip into cross-over styles such as Americana and Indie music. Coming from a Dance music background myself, Indie was more Stuart's thing at around this time and I wonder whether I was much more open to this style as we started to record together as Paper Relics. I discovered Zelienople through John Twells’ legendary Type label. I could have picked a few tracks but went for the more recent ‘Safer’. Then time for some more conscious vocals and thought I’d go for this classic by Sun Kil Moon for this Americana section - I really love the bass on this track in particular. Then Real Estate’s Days has been one of my absolute favourite records across all genres in the last 20 years and one I still like to put on regularly now after all this time. I've got it on vinyl, CD, download and stream it loads too! Every track is a winner. There are loads I could have chosen, but I went for Younger Than Yesterday.

ST: Yes I’m definitely influenced by Indie bands. Everything is usually written from a place of feeling rather than just trying to manufacture a record or indeed create success from a formula. You can hear that in Carry Me Ohio for example. What I love about the genre, is that it’s all about artist retaining creative license and not selling themselves out.

HT: Yes you're right, by definition, that movement was quietly, or sometimes not so quietly, rebelling against the major labels and doing their own thing. And the people loved it!

Grunge/Garage band/Nineties

HT: I think I discovered this record through Bandcamp’s positioning of the many rabbit holes of genre-browsing and I was struck by the low-slung, LoFi sound of Good Morning. They did an EP in 2014 called ‘Shawcross’ and the track ‘Warned You’ felt like a sort of early 2000s meets 90s grunge track. Then for me a nice follow-on from that is ‘Beautiful Horses’ by Headland. Again, has a lovely retro 90s aesthetic to it but produced at a similar era, in 2010s. Then when I hear this, I tend to think of Mansun, an actual 90s band who made some really good records. My favourites would be Legacy or Wide Open Space, but I ‘I Can Only Disappoint You’ is a track I listened to as a kid, albeit the Trance remix… wonder if it feels familiar Stuart?

ST: There is a familiarity there for sure, but I can’t say I actually recognise that one. You did actually have a massive influence on my musical development really. Don’t get me wrong I didn’t like everything you played, but I recognised the variety. I probably liked the more accessible Pop style versions of things. I had no reference point for music other than our parents, and I guess as the younger brother I wanted to try and be cool. For me though the first music I started to like for myself was in the 90s, and that started with Robbie Williams’ album I’ve Been Expecting You, it started off with the popular tracks, but as I listened to the album tracks I found my favourites, 'Win Some Lose Some' and 'Phoenix from the Flames' still stick with me now. They remind me how I like songs with a pulse, but have a story element. I know people may say goodness it’s such a pop influence, but my word he’s always had a fantastic backing band. I’ve refrained from adding any more to the playlist though here as for me, it’s probably not a Paper Relics influence, plus any music I love from this era is perhaps out-shadowed by my favourite artists' releases at a later time. For me the 90s were more a musical awakening. I can’t really tell you why tracks like Alice Deejays Better Off Alone, still resonate with me for example. It’s more the memory of a feeling. I was on the borderline of my teenage years. It was the start of my musical discovery. I realise looking back I was destined to not be a one genre type of guy!

HT: yes definitely something in that - I think for many the music of their childhood, whatever it was, is likely to carry a fondness into your adult years. That's why I can listen to 90s-dedicated radio shows and enjoy pretty much every song - even if it shouldn't technically be my cup of tea.

Post Millenium

HT: I was heavily into Dance music and on track to begin my very short-lived DJ career back in 2003, so I had no idea about Cat Power at that time. But in the last few years after wandering a long way down the path of musical exploration, I came across her album ‘You Are Free’ and this track is absolutely superb. Then next up, this track is from a really good record by Beach Fossils from 2017 called Somersault. Stuart got married that year and I remember this one being in my car stereo when I went to his stag do. It’s just a short album at 34 minutes, but with the journey taking just over an hour I remember I listened to it on loop that day! Makes it a special record, as it’s now a reminder of that day. Then onto my album of the year in 2012, ‘Shields’ by Grizzly Bear. Every track a winner, it’s a wonderful album that I absolutely played to death in a year where I experienced tough times following redundancy. It became the soundtrack to many an interview that year…well, I ought to say the commute to the interview!

If this is the more modern section of our playlist, then much more recently I had to include something from Loving’s album ‘If I Am Only My Thoughts’. Like a few of these favourites I’m sharing, the best albums are ones where you can listen all the way through and love every single track. Then that same year, the infamous 2020, my album of the year was Bibio’s ‘Sleep On The Wing’ - it soundtracked our sunny post-lockdown family holiday to Cornwall and I’ve some fond memories of ferrying our kids around those narrow coastal streets, with this album playing in the car.

ST: This was probably the time when music began coming alive for me. I was searching out and listening to so much. I got introduced to Feeder and I loved them. They had so much variety they could go all aggressive and in your face, then produce a beautiful piece like 'Dove Grey Sands', which sounds like it’s from a different era. It was at this time that I realised I really had a lot of time for a track with no drums. Now I got ribbed something crazy when friends found out I’d bought Mark Owen’s solo album 'In Your Own Time'. But all these years later I stand by that decision - it’s a fantastic album. The track 'Baby I’m No Good' really spoke to me. I think I’d struggled in my early teenage years with trying to fit in. I struggled a bit with my mental health, and although I’m usually music first over lyrics - this track really resonated with my feeling of not being good enough and always feeling like I had to prove myself to people. Then comes in that beautiful slow ebow solo which I just found so soothing. I can’t tell you how many times I revisited that part of the song. It’s odd to say but it was like a balm at times.

I began realising I loved tracks that I could feel but that also somehow had a strong storytelling element. Emma Gillespie's 'Focus' was a track that captivated me from first listen. The first time I heard it was on a TV show and it was just Emma’s acoustic setting the rhythm and her vocals cutting through everything else. It was a show in front of an audience and there was simply silence as she sang. It just demanded attention. Oddly another track on the playlist I discovered on TV was The Common Linents 'Calm after the Storm'. I was instantly struck by its country feel and gentle rhythm. It’s also got one of my favourite things - a simple solo. Not over done. Just fitting.

I do love more complex guitar compositions. I’m a big fan of John Mayer, pretty much anything he does really. It’s not on the list and it’s very recent but 'Last Train Home (Ballad Version)' is a song I could listen to again and again. I just feel what John plays. 'Slow Dancing in a Burning Room is one of those songs that does exactly that, from the very first note. He really uses his guitar to set a scene and then gradually paints a picture with each section.

HT: Interesting to hear one or two of these tracks Stuart as I'd not heard them before and they flow really nicely with this playlist. I love the violin to 'Focus' and the Feeder track is one of theirs I hadn't heard; definitely feeling the retro aesthetic to that track and it also has a 90s chill-out feel too. The John Mayer track feels very modern and popular, like the sort of thing people are selecting for their Instagram reels and the more I listen to it, I'm most certainly appreciating the detail and complexity in this song.

Oldies

HT: I bought a lot of music through Boomkat in the late 2000s and they were often reissuing, plugging and cross referencing the music of Nick Drake. I was fascinated by the story of his short life, his shyness as he was becoming famous. The year I guess my career in the insurance industry started, 2013, I was away training for my first job in the industry near to Sheffield and I dropped into a HMV after some music to buy for the drive home. I bought all of Nick Drake’s CDs and my pick of the bunch has always been ‘Five Leaves Left’. Hard to pick a track, but gone for one of his most famous ones, ‘Fruit Tree’.

ST: there are many songs from this era that I can lean into here. I’ve got many influences. ELO are a big one, our parents used to listen to them all the time, and I can see why. I love most of their catalogue from the seventies. It’s such a clever mix, Jeff Lynne is a genius. Everything is so well arranged. 'Last Train to London' will always be one of my favourite Bass Lines. I actually met Kelly Groucutt before he passed away; such a friendly guy and very encouraging. But more about ELO later.

Elsewhere I’m a fan of The Eagles, The Beach Boys, Tom Petty and many more. But for me the biggest influence from this era has to be Fleetwood Mac. I could name so many songs that I love. Of course as a Formula One fan and a bass player I loved 'The Chain'. But I also loved 'Songbird'. I grew up listening to them all the time and I’m very thankful for it. I love all that Lindsey Buckingham brought to the band, particularly Landslide. The beautiful Travis Picking and the space given for 'Stevie Nicks' vocals and then that lovely simple solo! It’s probably my favourite Fleetwood Mac song. Again it’s a song you can listen to and feel strangely soothed. The only reason it didn’t make this playlist is 'Albatross' felt a more fitting mention as a Paper Relics influence. I was always fascinated by the song. For all I loved about Fleetwood Mac as artists, this was so different. This track to me is the perfect example of how a song can feel like a story without using words, something we try to do as Paper Relics. It’s a beautiful composition from Peter Green. You’ll hear influences I’m sure as you listen. Those clean bends are beautiful!

HT: When sifting through some older pieces, I remembered ‘Stairway To Heaven’ and whilst it’s probably a track my dad likes, my memories of it are late Saturday evenings underage drinking at a pub me and my mates called our ‘local’! The proper locals would often put this one on the jukebox. I can (somehow) clearly remember the smoke-filled bar, long games of pool and Led Zeppelin playing in the background. Pretty sure we’d sneak you in sometimes Stuart, wearing one of my smart jackets!

ST: I remember that. It was ridiculous too! I’ve always looked young for my age. They were definitely different times! 

Eighties

HT: Ah, so we mentioned Dad in the previous section our parents’ influences are starting to come into the playlist now. This track definitely reminds me of Dad, being one of his favourite tracks. I’ve a real fondness for this Marillion track ‘Easter’. It’s not only a great piece of music, with different passages of the track developing nicely, but I find it very nostalgic.

ST: Now 'Easter' is such a well arranged track. The bass at the end is lovely! Take a listen and it's hard not to appreciate it. 80s influences are there definitely. I loved the collaboration in Travelling Wilburys. You’ll get why I like them I’m sure. Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne etc. what’s not to like. But I love the simplicity of this song with the play-off of different people taking the lead. It’s like they are collectively telling a story.

Now enter Pino Palladino! What a bass player. The sound of 80s bass! I remember the first time I heard Paul Young's 'Wherever I Lay My Hat' and I fell in love with it. The bass takes the lead. It’s got such a good rise and fall. Pino’s fretless just sings to me! It’s one of those bass lines I just had to pick up and learn! It’s interesting if you listen to our EP in 2021 you can hear Pino's influence on 'A Breath of Cold Air for Tired Lungs.

HT: Our parents are massive ELO fans and as kids, I think I developed my fondness for eroded cassette tape textures, from the car stereo chewing up ELO’s Time album. One of the lesser celebrated tracks from the album is this one, ‘Another Heart Breaks’. I had a trance album where there was a track on there I was playing one day, that Mum was about to tell me to turn down, when she pointed out that she recognised the melody… after a while we realised it was a cover/remix of this piece, called ‘Sunrise’ by Golden Sun.

ST: I remember those echoes of turn it down well! It would be rude not to mention another big influence for me, mainly from our Dad. He loved Dire Straits and my goodness me so do I! Mark Knopfler is a genius. I just love how he makes a guitar feel like your close friend. Like Lindsey Buckingham he doesn’t use a pick. That always amazes me. The control over the tone is insane. I could name many tracks here. As a Newcastle United fan I could easily say 'Local Hero', but for me 'Brothers in Arms' has to win it. It’s one of those songs you can feel every note. It’s somehow so weighty! And if you listen closely, the way the bass supports the melody is so clever and yet also so deep and moving.

Tracklist:

1 Robin Guthrie & Harold Budd 'Avenue Of Shapes'
2 Labradford 'David'
3 Foreign Files 'Pillars'
4 Hood 'Houses Tilting Towards The Sea'
5 Mute Forest 'The Wave'
6 Zelienople 'Safer'
7 Sun Kil Moon 'Carry Me Ohio'
8 Real Estate 'Younger Than Yesterday'
9 Good Morning 'Warned You'
10 Headland 'Beautiful Horses'
11 Mansun 'I Can Only Disappoint U'
12 Cat Power 'Speak For Me'
13 Beach Fossils 'Sugar'
14 Grizzly Bear 'Gun-shy'
15 Loving 'Nihilist Kite Flyer'
16 Bibio 'Oakmoss'
17 Mark Owen 'Baby I'm No Good'
18 Feeder 'Dove Grey Sands'
19 Emma's Imagination 'Focus'
20 John Mayer 'Slow Dancing In A Burning Room'
21 The Common Linnets 'Calm After The Storm'
22 Nick Drake 'Fruit Tree'
23 Fleetwood Mac 'Albatross'
24 Led Zeppelin 'Stairway To Heaven'
25 Marillion 'Easter'
26 Travelling Wilburys 'End Of The Line'
27 Paul Young 'Wherever I Lay My Hat'
28 Electric Light Orchestra 'Another Heart Breaks'
29 Dire Straits 'Brothers In Arms'

If you enjoyed reading and listening to this blog post, you might enjoy the Paper Relics album 'Time To Start', which you can check out HERE or by clicking the play button below.