The masterful follow-up to his universally celebrated 2017 album “50”
Michael Chapman’s “True North” finds the elder statesman of British
songwriting and guitar plumbing an even deeper deep and honing an ever keener
edge to his iconic writing. This authoritative set of predominantly new, and
butterly devastating, songs hews to a more intimate sonic signature – more
atmospheric, textural, and minimalist than “50”, stately and melancholy in
equal measure. Recorded in rural West Wales "True North” unflinchingly surveys
home and horizon, traveling from the Bahamas to Texas to the Leeds of
Chapman's childhood, haunted by the mirages of memory and intimations of
mortality. Joining him on this introspective journey is a cast of old friends
and new disciples: once again Steve Gunn produces and plays guitar, and fellow
UK songwriting hero "Bridget St John” sings, collaborating with cellist
Sarah
Smout and legendary pedal steel player BJ Cole, who has accompanied everyone
from John Cale to Scott Walker, Elton John to Terry Allen, Felt to Bjork to
Brian Eno .
