After launching their debut album ‘English Country’ with its anthemic title track, CUSP now amplify anticipation for its release on October 16th by sharing the follow-up single ‘Me And Lily In The Falling Rain’. The album caps the trio’s rise, which has so far seen them earn praise from Noel Gallagher, play shows with Lottery Winners, The Royston Club, The Snuts, DMA’S, Red Rum Club, and collaborate with Tom A. Smith.
‘Me And Lily In The Falling Rain’ is a tender, heartfelt slowburner which captures the band’s accomplished songcraft. Its evocative string arrangement and emotive guitar solo provides a towering, majestic elegance that provides a counterpoint to Dan Stock’s yearning vocals. And despite the scale of the song, his lyrics – about the little things that mean everything – provide a real intimacy too. In short, it’s a song that feels as if you’ve always known it.
Dan Stock says, “This feels like the most ambitious thing we’ve done. It’s my favourite on the album both in terms of the song itself and the way it sounds. We were really inspired by ‘Urban Hymns’ – timeless songwriting but with a really expansive, cinematic sound. I was thinking about Burt Bacharach with the end section but it ended up almost like late Arctic Monkeys. There’s a scale to it but behind all of that, the story is really small. It’s just about how a person can give meaning to an ordinary life.”
The song was written solely by Dan, who performed the song alongside bandmates Adam Webster (bass) and Jack Gooderham (drums). It was produced by Jake Robbins, while strings were arranged by Alex Cornish.
The ‘English Country’ album sees CUSP realise their immense potential with a set that bristles with the vigour and vibrancy of a debut, but with the warmth and familiarity of an old favourite. Its influences reflect the timelessness that they have captured – Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Shack, Oasis, The Verve and Aztec Camera – while its themes explore relatable experiences of young adulthood, maintaining self-belief, and striving for a brighter future.
‘English Country’ is available to pre-order / pre-save HERE. In addition to its digital release, it will be available on blue vinyl and CD.
Recent months have seen CUSP play festivals including The Great Escape, Liverpool Sound City, Here Comes The Sun and Stockton Calling, as well as supporting The Clause. Further festivals follow throughout the summer, before they embark upon a UK headline tour in October. Tickets for the shows, listed below, are available HERE.
JULY
18th – Glastonbury, Godney Gathering
26th – Oxfordshire, Truck Festival (This Feeling stage)
31st – Derbyshire, Y NOT? Festival
AUGUST
20th – Leicester, 110 Above Festival
OCTOBER – HEADLINE TOUR
22nd – Manchester, Deaf Institute Lodge
23rd – Newcastle, Zerox
24th – Glasgow, Audio
NOVEMBER – HEADLINE TOUR
5th – Birmingham, Sunflower Lounge
6th – Sheffield, Arundel Emporium
7th – London, Water Rats
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