An Ocean Full of Islands

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Tide Lines today release their eagerly anticipated new album ‘An Ocean Full of Islands’ featuring the Radio 2 playlisted single ‘Written In The Scars’, plus ‘These Days’ and ‘Rivers in the Light’. Next week they embark on a tour of the UK and Ireland, which includes a long sold-out show at Edinburgh’s 2800-capacity Usher Hall, as well as their biggest London gig to date at the Electric Ballroom. Also confirmed as headliners at The Gathering Festival, Tide Lines recently announced their biggest ever headline show, a 6,000-capacity big top festival-style show at Glasgow’s Queen’s Park. That was a real boost for us moving forward but it came at a strange time… because it was during Covid and we couldn’t take full advantage of its success in terms of turning that into something tangible.” I’m excited to see how it goes. It will be nice to get out there and drop the new songs. It’s the first chance we’ve had with the band more established to give people more material and see how excited they are about it.” Tide Lines (two words) is a Scottish four-piece folk/pop band, not to be confused with Tidelines (one word), the annual Book Festival held in North Ayrshire. Their second album, Eye of the Storm, was released in May 2020 and debuted at #12 in the Official UK Album Charts. Eye of the Storm also topped both the Scottish and independent album charts on the week of its release. [4]

Tide Lines launch the album alongside its brand new single ‘Written In the Scars’. Listen HERE. Today they also reveal details of a major UK tour set for March 2023, which will see them play some of their biggest headline shows to date including Edinburgh’s Usher Hall and London’s Electric Ballroom. We didn’t really have a proper chance to tour with the last album when it was fresh because it came out in May 2020,” Gus explains. “You want to get out there when the album comes out, get people when they’re really excited about it.” An Ocean Full of Islands’is available HERE. The band’s official store offers a range of bundles, which include signed CDs and vinyl, and a new t-shirt. A turquoise vinyl edition is also available via retail.Having narrowly missed the Top 10 with their previous record ‘Eye of the Storm’ and established a dedicated following in the live arena, Tide Lines now look to step up another level with a collection of songs that are infused with rousing hooks, spine-tingling emotions and widespread, expansive ambition. It achieves all of that without losing sight of their roots, with the album recorded in their studio and rehearsal space in a former Baptist church on the Isle of Mull. The band’s keyboardist Ross Wilson led the record’s production process. Yeah, but after that,” says Robert, “we went around the Western Isles. We did a couple of pub gigs in Lewis, Harris, Mull and built it up from there. But we had a wee head start in terms of platforms.” What are some of your stand-out highlights from performing this year, which has seen you be part of the National Lottery’s Revive Live Tour and your sold-out Town Hall Tour of Scotland?

What are you most looking forward to for the release of An Ocean Full of Islands and touring with new songs? The third album, however, is already causing a buzz among fans both old and new, aided by BBC Radio 2 who included the single ‘Written in the Scars’ on its playlist. We wanted to chart it,” says Robert, referring to ‘Eye of the Storm’ which did actually chart at number 12 in the UK in the first week and made it to number one in Scotland.

You are set to release your new album An Ocean Full of Islandson February 24th 2023, how long have you been working on the release and how have you chosen which songs will feature on it? In 2020, you released your second album Eye of the Storm, how did it feel having it enter the Official UK Album Charts at #12? The four lads (Robert, Gus, Ross Wilson and Alasdair Turner) met in Glasgow where they were all living, working and studying at the time. Their roots, however, are spread far and wide. In fact, Robert is talking to me from his home in Fort William while Gus is zooming in from Glasgow. Ross (keyboard) originates from Mull, and Alasdair (electric guitar and bagpipes) was born in Easter Ross in the Highlands.

The band’s 2023 tour is, Gus tells me, their most extensive UK tour so far. Understandably, they’re all looking forward – with nervous anticipation – to getting started. In fact, Tiree Musical Festival was the band’s first ever gig. A crowd of two and a half thousand people is not a bad place to start!After their recent return with the single ‘Rivers In The Light’, Tide Lines can now announce that their new album ‘An Ocean Full Of Islands’ will be released on February 24th. The album is the follow-up to the successful DIY release ‘Eye of the Storm’, which entered the charts at #12 in 2020 and only missed the Top 10 by a handful of sales. In the meantime, while Robert is listening to Bruce Springsteen up in Fort William, Gus will no doubt be playing his drums in Glasgow. It’s good,” he says, referring to their live gigs. “We bridge that gap. It’s always a lively crowd. We definitely have a young following but it’s not like we’ve left behind the older generation, they can be part of it as well. It feels like a pretty inclusive experience when you see our audience, which is nice. I don’t think you’d find anyone that would feel out of place.”

That audience, Robert confirms, is multi-generational and includes everything from 16-year-olds to 85-year-olds. Tide Linestoday release their eagerly anticipated new album‘An Ocean Full of Islands’featuring the Radio 2 playlisted single‘Written In The Scars’,plus‘These Days’and‘Rivers in the Light’.Next weekthey embark on a tour of the UK and Ireland, which includes a long sold-out show atEdinburgh’s 2800-capacityUsher Hall,as well as their biggestLondongig to date at theElectric Ballroom. Also confirmed as headliners atThe Gathering Festival,Tide Linesrecently announced their biggest ever headline show, a6,000-capacitybig top festival-style show atGlasgow’s Queen’s Park. How is it seeing the listeners’ response to your music and what can they expect from your upcoming album? There’s less Gaelic and pipes but it’s still very much the heart of what we do. But certainly, in a live set, the bagpipes have his huge effect. In Scotland it goes down well, but when we go down to England it goes down an absolute storm!”

A welcome for pilgrims

That said, they only really had one song (‘Far Side of the World’) so the sets proved to be slightly challenging and included mainly cover songs. By the time they released their second album, they had a better strategy. I’m absolutely fascinated by drums,” he says, unashamedly. “I don’t really do golfing or cycling… or archery. To be honest, I just play drums.” An Ocean Full of Islands’ is available HERE. The band’s official store offers a range of bundles, which include signed CDs and vinyl, and a new t-shirt. A turquoise vinyl edition is also available via retail. A collection of pop songs that are catchy… built around the idea that people can relate to them straight away, sing along with them and would be good live. It’s at times reflective, at times uplifting, but it’s pretty upbeat throughout. That’s always been the aim of it.” What Tide Lines gained in dramatic scale didn’t compromise the intimacy and honesty of Robertson’s lyrics. The new single ‘Written In The Scars’ shows how his voice truly conveys the meaning of his words. Life charges relentlessly forwards, and you rarely have the time to see how your experiences influence who you are. But just like a long forgotten scar, the impact of those moments may fade but they never fully disappear.