Burning Ferns

Hailing from Newport, South Wales, Burning Ferns are a five piece band specialising in finely crafted guitar pop with a healthy side order of Welsh psychedelia.

Formed in 2010, the original line up of songwriter, Tony Gray (guitar/vocals), Nathan Abraham (guitar/vocals), Brychan Todd (bass/keyboards) and Slim Short (drums) honed their craft around the venues of Cardiff and Newport before putting out their debut album, See Saw Seen in 2013. Released on Newport independent label, Country Mile Records, the album met with positive reviews that focussed on the bands perfect harmonies and guitar interplay, leading to extensive play on BBC Radio Wales including selection as one of the station’s artist of the week.

After an extended hiatus, the band returned in 2018 with the release of their second album, Public Mono. Preceded by the AA side single, Bullet Train/Fuses Blow, the album saw an addition to the line up with the arrival of guitarist/vocalist, Dave Corten. Now boasting rich, three part harmonies, the album again was received a hugely positive response with extensive radio play including a live session for Janice Long, as well as shows with Gruff Rhys, Martin Carr and Jon Langford.

The band’s final line up change preceded the demos for the follow up to Public Mono in 2019 with the departure of Slim, and the arrival of assimilated New Yorker, Erik Stams (Darling Buds, Jon Langford & The Men Of Gwent) on drums. Work on the album ran headlong into the Covid pandemic leading the band to resort to remote collaboration with short recording sessions when lockdown restrictions allowed. It was a painstaking process that resulted in a marked change in the band’s sound. The first fruits of this enforced, new approach came in March 2023, with the release of the Town Crier/Nothing To Hide, AA side single which sold out within a week of release. Their perfectly formed third album, World Of The Wars, was released in April 2023. Glowing reviews in both Record Collector and Shingdig Magazine, highlighted the acute song craft, playing and arrangements found on the record invoking comparisons with Steely Dan, Super Furry Animals, XTC and Teenage Fanclub. The album was selected for inclusion on BBC Radio Wales Arts Show receiving glowing praise from panelists, Gary Raymond, Simon Wright and Dr Emily Garside, with Simon succinctly summing things up; “I’m astounded by it. It’s just once great song after another”. Sold out shows followed in the bands home venue, Le Pub, as well as Carmarthen’s Cwrw Bar. World Of The Wars was also included on the longlist for 2023 Welsh Music Prize.

The album will be reissued on vinyl on 29th March 2024.