Blacklands is Al Murphy & his revolving roster of musicians: James Knowles (guitar, engineering), Ed Shipley (Bass), Jamie Bridson (Drums), Jonny Ogle (Vocals and harmonica) and Tom Syson (guitar). Al has been making music on the side since 2000 whilst carving out an incredibly successful career as an illustrator.

Under their former moniker Murphy Kid & The Bad Luck Band they shared the same bill as Bob Dylan, Athlete, and Tunng. On re-launching as Blacklands last year they played a triumphant come back show with Sons of Noel and Adrian, to be followed by more live shows in the upcoming months with artists including Alessi’s Ark and Birdengine amongst others.

Traditionally Al would self-record in the garden shed of his sister’s house. These new tracks, however, were written in Berlin (where Al went for 3 months and came back a year later) and recorded on the North Yorkshire Moors, in an old farmhouse where Al got to live out his American Werewolf In London fantasies. He appropriately titled this collection of tracks ‘Beware The Moon’. Ever the nomad, Al is soon to be packing up and roaming again, this time returning to New York to pedal his wears and sing for his supper.