Just wanted to say thank you to everyone involved with our recent couple of shows at @applestumprecords & @squirepac .
I think they were our best shows yet, and that’s across sixteen years. We’d love to play more but it’s so hard to make it pay and we can’t afford to lose. It does mean that we’re never quite sure what’s going to happen and put all our collective heart and soul into these brief outings. Personally, after all the nerves, I loved every second.
Huge thanks to everyone who came out to witness. Special nod to our friends in Brighton for making the journey, and @e.r.thorpe for her beautiful support slot in Nottingham and taking these photos. More at @emmathorpe_photography .
The band: @huwcostin / Henry Claude / John Thompson / @jeffdavenportdrums / Jim Baron
See you again sometime.
Huw
Today I make my new album available. It’s called Steady Weather, and it’s by my magnificent band @torn_sail . The roots of the songs go back to childhood, just like everything else. The recording process started around a decade ago. Despite my best efforts, they’re all like this - life, as it should, gets in the way - not just for me but for the friends who’ve invested so much time, energy and care in this romance.
This is my favourite line from the press release: “Steady Weather” is a wide-reaching journey through broad and deep musical influences from space music and jazz-fusion to 1970s West Coast virtuosity and classical English introspection, inviting comparisons to post- Castlemorton-era Talk Talk, the introspective complexity of John Martyn, and the cinematic polish of Trevor Horn.”
This is my best work. I’m grateful to @deliarecordings for releasing it as a proper double album. If you’d like to pre-order a copy, listen to a track, or just have a look then you can do so via my bio or the Torn Sail or Delia Recordings Bandcamp.
Sleeve Image by @scott.poulson & @joakim_boren
The band:
@neverendingbirthdays@jeffdavenportdrums@jim_uk15@brown_fang
With:
@pegg.kitchen@pauldeats
Jay Cahill
Production:
@matthorobin
With:
@guyelderfield
Mastering:
@johnpaulbraddock
Lots of @deliarecordings things coming up, starting with Brown Fang at the second Neighbourhood Watch meeting in Sheffield, presented by Curtain Twitcher.
A packed programme with Ayusp, the aforementioned Curtain Twitcher (who shook our last Christmas Happening to the core) AND vinyl DJ sets by Alimakavelli (Wild Medicine) and Jon Downing (Do It Thissen).
Oh, and if that’s not enough, try psychedelic oil projections by the Mad Hatter’s Light Show.
—
Saturday 25 April, 7–11pm (that’s like THIS Saturday)
Mary Street Live
Sheffield
£link in our bio, or bounce to @curtain_twitcher_music
See you there.
With our first club night under our belts we thought we should move into promoting gigs. We really wanted to have our Emma play in Brighton and thought @thefolklorerooms would be the perfect spot. ‘Intimate’ is often the word used to describe the space and it will suit Emma’s acoustic set perfectly.
And the fact we got Huw Costin on the bill as well… it’s a Nottinghamshire new folk explosion. That’s what it is…
Oh and Steve KIW is going to play some music in between… bargain.
Link to tickets in the linktree…
Huw Costin, a fixture of the Nottingham music scene for nearly three decades,
will make his Rotation Garden Party debut with a special live acoustic set.
At heart Costin is a singer-songwriter inspired by the greats - Roy Harper,
John Martyn, Lucinda Williams & Joni Mitchell, but with a bent for sonic
experimentation and a wilful acceptance of a promiscuous muse. He first
gained recognition when between 1988 and 2005 he fronted a band eventually
known as Earth the Californian Love Dream. Costin then moved on to release
two solo albums – Regrets (2009), Something/Nothing (2013) and an EP –
Nutshell (2017), all the while recording with artists from a range of musical
territories, including Mark Lanegan (RIP), Michael Chapman (RIP), Andre
Lodemann, Stubb, Smith & Mudd and BJ Smith. Costin is also a member of
‘geography-folk’ band The Low Drift, plays guitar in JIM (Jim Baron of Crazy
P’s solo venture) and works closely with E.R. Thorpe (also of The Low Drift),
including on her new album “Human Love”
.
His focus now and in recent years has been his band - Torn Sail. Following
the critically acclaimed releases “This Short Sweet Life” (2017) and “Leisure
& Technology” (2020), most recent album “Steady Weather” (2025) presents a
more refined and layered sound, yet still retains the emotive depth and
exploratory spirit that has always defined Torn Sail’s work. Huw Costin will be playing a live acoustic set on Sunday 19th July at Rotation Garden Party 2026
@e.r.thorpe has an album out on Friday.. it’s called Human Love and it’s a wonderful thing. Emma’s singing and songwriting are elemental, as they ever have been, and I’m proud to have helped it along a little - recording at my place, singing, playing along, we do it quite easily.
Emma has contributed to the Torn Sail sound over the years. And Jim aka @ronbasejam aka @jim_uk15 and also by my side in @torn_sail has done a sterling job on the production - heart and soul through some tough times. He built a world around each song, like a stage designer a film set. It’s filmic and epic and intimate at the same time.
Big respect to the musicians involved too @markrolfemusic Kev Bales, Helen Bell, Maddy Leverton, & @simon__paterson .
There’s a Bandcamp listening party tonight. You can listen in for the first time.. it’ll be a lovely 40 mins. Just go to the @e.r.thorpe or the @theviciouscharm Bandcamp to join. It’s at 6pm.
Oh and with @torn_sail at @squirepac tomorrow 26th March & @thewightbear 29th for @noborecs .
Very happy to announce @e.r.thorpe as support for Torn Sail at Nottingham’s @squirepac on the 26th March.
Emma has played several shows with us over the years, and appeared on our albums too. She’s brilliant and will be playing songs from her album - Human Love - out on @theviciouscharm 27th March.
Tickets via the bio / @deliarecordings / squirepac.co.uk/whats-on/torn-sail/
At some point.
After band practice.
Jeff was moving his kit and Jim is in Australia playing massive disco gigs with Chris doing the Crazy P DJ thing.
I may have mentioned that @torn_sail play @squirepac Nottingham 26th March & @applestumprecords Nantwich 28th March. Tickets via the bio / @squirepac / @applestumprecords
@e.r.thorpe plays Nottingham @thegrovenotts this Saturday 7th March. Support from Richard Warren.
@e.r.thorpe plays Nantwich @applestumprecords Sunday 8th March.
@e.r.thorpe plays Styrrup @dovecotgallery Friday 6th March.
Emma has been a constant companion and collaborator of @torn_sail since her vocals graced Ricochets from the first album - This Short Sweet Life alongside @marklanegan (RIP). Her song - Bible - featured on Leisure & Technology album and she also sang on the song Scared of My Heart. Both Huw Costin & Jim Baron of Torn Sail were involved in the crafting of Emma’s first and forthcoming album - Human Love with Huw recording the initial sessions and Jim taking on full production duties, and both Huw and Jim being part of the studio band alongside @simon__paterson & Kev Bales.
Emma sings straight from the heart. Go listen.
Tickets via the bio / @thegrovenotts and more dates @dovecotgallery / @thewightbear / @cafe9 / @thefolklorerooms
Back on the market stall. I have been banging on about it. Needs must. Here is a gritty picture.
A couple of shows with @torn_sail on the way, and I’ve been trying to work out which songs to leave out of the set.
So prey tell - which songs don’t you like, and would be happy to never hear again? Which A / B / C / D side remains dust and scratch free and won’t ever make contact with a stylus again?
A prize for the correct answer. Possibly.
@torn_sail 26th March @squirepac Nottingham.
@torn_sail 28th March @applestumprecords Nantwich.
Tickets via the bio / @squirepac / @applestumprecords
On Steady Weather - the latest album: “Immaculately performed and wonderfully crafted, Torn Sail’s third is perhaps their most affecting and quixotic yet, with frontman Huw Costin’s lush baritone impossibly rich and heartfelt.” Wyndham Wallace (Uncut, Mojo, Classic Pop, The Quietus)
