New Release • Country / Soul / Blues
Recorded straight to tape in Newcastle, the double A-side follows casual love from its first bright illusion to the cold space left after it disappears.
Tommy Arch’s new double A-side works like a two-scene story. “Lovehearts” catches attraction while possibility is still open; “The Cold Side of the Bed” lives with what remains after the relationship has gone.
A country duet and a slow blues
“Lovehearts” draws on the spirit of classic country-soul duets and features Newcastle singer-songwriter Hels Pattison. Her presence turns the song into a conversation, allowing two perspectives on casual love to occupy the same performance.
Its companion takes a heavier route. “The Cold Side of the Bed” unfolds as a dramatic 6/8 blues, using the space and tension of the form to address loss without crowding the emotion.
Recorded for performance, not perfection
Both songs were written by Arch and recorded at Polestar Studios in Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne. Arch co-produced with Alex Blamire, using tape and a large analogue desk while keeping computer involvement to a minimum until the final mix.
The value of that process is not nostalgia for its own sake. Recording to tape changes the behavior in the room: musicians commit to takes, accept useful imperfections and preserve the chemistry of the first performance.
Years on the road move to center stage
Before building his solo work, Arch spent more than a decade touring the UK and Europe as a drummer, bassist and guitarist. He played with Holy Moly and the Crackers, Ruth Lyon and The Buffalo Skinners while continuing to write his own songs on the road.
That history explains the ease with which these tracks move through country, soul, folk and blues. The references are clear, but the project is ultimately about a working musician placing his own voice at the front of the arrangement.
“Lovehearts” and “The Cold Side of the Bed” are available now as a two-track release.