The Bookshop Band are Beth Porter and Ben Please, musicians and composers based in Scotland's Book Town, Wigtown. It began in 2010 as an artistic collaboration with award winning independent book, Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights, writing songs inspired by the books of the visiting authors.
It has grown from performing in the room above the shop to the author and a small audience, to tour around the bookshops of the world. They have since worked with hundreds of authors, and released 13 studio albums. Their work together has received Oscar, BAFTA and Ivor Novello nominations.
EMERGE, RETURN is the band's 14th studio album, with songs inspired by authors Margaret Atwood, Philip Pullman, Robert Macfarlane, Shaun Bythell, Yann Martel, Carol Birch, Barney Norris, Aldous Huxley, Charlotte Brontë and Emily Brontë.
It is produced by Pete Townshend (The Who), who also features as a guest musician on each track. The cover art is originally by Stanley Donwood, from his Modern Landscapes exhibition.
“I am enchanted, such variation and delicacy… such latent power, really great work. It reminded me of my days listening to Sandy Denny and Fairport [Convention] and The Incredible String Band… - a great discovery and inspiration.” PETE TOWNSHEND
The album will be released on June 28th 2024, during Independent Bookshop Week in the UK, and will be touring from the early summer.