I was having a chat to a lovely work friend today about The Xx. When I’d suggested them to her last year, she wasn’t keen, being even more of a guitar/bass/drums person than I am. Eventually she relented and has been enjoying it; one of the things that struck her was the late night feel of their songs. That 3am feeling, when all is dark and quiet outside and the music can fully envelop you like a warm and cosy duvet, and see you through that long, long night.

You know, like Portishead, or Tindersticks. Elliott Smith, maybe. Which brings me onto Lucy Jane. A singer-songwriter¹ hailing from the North (of England, for you Americans out there), she trades in a smooshed drum and tinkled piano vibe that quite suits sitting up with a friend, drunk, at 3am in the morning, at which point you realise you’ve filled another ashtray and really, really should be going to bed. Except you can’t, because you want to listen to her singing again.

Open? Closed? Only One Way To Sort This Out - FIGHT!

For her voice is a thing of smokey, lovelorn grandeur. If she chose to sing a duet with Stuart Staples, all the romantics in the world would just melt into nothingness with joy. The backing is beautifully judged, delicate and graceful, with just enough clarity to make things interesting.

I’m very much looking forward to the album, ‘The Quicker We Walk, The Faster It Moves Away’, which is out sometime soon. The perfect music for your next late night whiskey, cigs and tears session. Listen to the tracks below and see if I’m wrong.

Mermaid by Lucy Jane by astrogarage

See? Not wrong, am I?

Note: this is a sort-of ongoing series of bands you’ve never heard of, but really should. See Paul Thomas Saunders, Bright Spark Destroyer and Bullets In Madison. Those three really should be topping “Best New Band” lists at the end of the year, but no fucker’s heard of them. But you should.

¹ I have to suppress the Child Of The Punk Wars part of me when writing that, as it threatens to crawl up from the pit of my belly and strange me with my oesophagus. The Punk Wars are over, dammit! I like Dylan now! I play a fucking acoustic guitar!