June 2014

  • Sentimentalists supporting The Fall in London on June 11th. At 'Under The Bridge' at Chelsea FC.
  • Sentimentalists playing Beacons Festival. Thursday 7th to 10th August. Sentimentalists will appear on Saturday 9th.
  • Really hope that you can make it to The Milnsbridge Red & Green Club on 7th June. It's the longest running socialist club in the country and the new co-operatively run executive are battling to keep it that way. Delighted that Maria Francis, in the guise of VERY MARIA, will be playing with us.

April 2014

  • RECORD STORE DAY THIS SATURDAY (19th April). SENTIMENTALISTS ARE PLAYING AT JUMBO RECORDS IN LEEDS ALONGSIDE CUD AND THE UKRAINIANS. 10:30 till 5.
  • Sentimentalists announced for Liverpool's Sound City Festival. Thursday 1st May, 10:30pm at Studio 2, Parr Street.
  • Extra date snuck in on the "Tour Of The Roses". It's at The Union Exchange Hotel, Colne. They sell themselves as "we have Themed nights, Karaoke, disco at weekends." It'll be great.
  • It's spring and after some lovely Yorkshire shows ("warm and aggressive" - Lester Noel, Beats International), Sentimentalists look westward and head to Colne, Waterfoot, Liverpool and Manchester (with a Leeds detour to play at Jumbo Records for Record Store Day). See our live page for details.
  • For a chance to win a copy of the vinyl album "The Hare and The Bull" (featuring Sentimentalists' "The Next Three Floors") click through to this competition on BCB. It's a tough question and we know the answer; email poppa@sentimentalists if you need to cheat.

March 2014

  • Nice article by Sharon Dale in Yorkshire Post. "I sat in the car park so I could hear it through to the end". "Like The Smiths and The Beautiful South, its 13 tracks are a perfectly mis-matched blend of edgy lyrics and upbeat melodies".
  • "King Joe" album gets a 4 star review in R2 from Andrew Darlington. "An affectionate bruise of an album". "Depth, gravitas and passion, verve with wit and subtext". "Persuasively eloquent, evocative, and sometimes beautifully battered".
  • Writer and broadcaster Nick Toczek on Sentimentalists: "I love it. It's not like anybody else and that's the biggest compliment I can ever pay a band".
  • "Next Three Floors" is included on Sound Shack compilation "The Hare & The Bull", out now on vinyl. 
  • Playing Hebden Bridge Little Theatre, 28th March. Buy tickets here on our tickets page. Will Lenton will be playing Saxophone.
  • Show at Leeds 7Arts will be featuring the regular 6 piece (Phil, Daniel, Tony, John, Matt and Wendy) and also our beloved additional players Caroline Steer on Cello, Cordelia Prescott on Viola, Will Lenton on saxophone, Hebe James on Clarinet and Kim Atkinson on flute. That's a lot of quality. You also get the marvellous Dakota Suite doing a set and readings from by Jane Steele, Katey Massey, Adam Lowe, Jamal Gerald. All proceeds to SI Leeds Literary Prize for unpublished fiction by Black and Asian Women resident in UK.
  • A new weekly night of music opening in Bradford. It's at Glyde House, opposite the ice-skating rink and Media Museum. Sentimentalists head the opening night on Saturday 15th March. 
  • Playing at The Headingley Music Festival - 13th June
  • Playing Bradford's Threadfest - 23rd May
  • Lots of dates coming in in Yorks and Lancs. Colne, Barnoldswick, Bradford, Waterfoot, Hebden Bridge, Colne, Leeds, Winewall. They'll appear on our live page.
  • Sentimentalists feature on Soundshack vinyl compilation album "The Hare and The Bull", due out this month. Details to follow.

February 2014

  • Very astute review of the 'King Joe' album in this month's "Maverick" magazine. We struggle to describe what Sentimentalists are so it's nice to see it well articulated. Read it at the bottom of our reviews page.
  • "Truly marvellous" says Mark Radcliffe.
  • Double page spread in this month's Northern Life magazine. Phil particularly likes: "On stage, wearing a suit and tie, with his neat haircut he looks anything but subversive - which makes him all the more subversive.

January 2014

  • 'Old Sod' is on the cover disk of this month's "R2" magazine. Editorial describes it "frames a striking vignette in a gloriously dramatic arrangement to considerable effect".
  • Snuck in an extra warm-up show on 30th January. It's at The Three Wise Monkeys in Todmorden. Favourite Facebook comment after the show: "Great band innit...seem like a "normal" band until you actually listen to the lyrics."
  • First show of the year is at BareArts in Todmorden. A warm up show for Clitheroe, it'll be (mainly) acoustic and will be the debut for our marvelous new violin player Wendy Ross. 
  • Starting to book dates for 2014. Looking for the usual variety of venues in which to show us in our different musical forms.
  • Phil is guesting on Dave Higginson's 'Themes For Dreamers' radio show on PhoenixFM. Sunday 5th January. They'll be playing tracks relating to Dave's chosen theme. Phil's contributions will include and Cherry Ghost, Buzzcocks, Gracie Fields and George Formby.

November 2013

  • Venue for our show on 28th November has changed. We're now at The Cotton Mill in Todmorden.
  • Maria Francis is joining us for The Take-Outs duet at Jim's Cafe in Colne on Thursday 28th November. She's also singing some songs with her band.
  • Playing a 45 minute live set BCB radio. 106.6fm. 22nd November 10pm. 
  • Album released today (11th). Thanks for lovely messages of support and postings. Sorry that we kind of got The Fall drummer Keiron into bother - he mistakenly messaged (a bit spammy) the release to all his friends when he meant to post (much less in your face). And thanks to Keith in Glasgow for an evocative message: "Love my Sentimentalists CD which arrived through the post on a rainy windswept Saturday to me here in Glasgow. Been playing it almost non stop ever since ( apart from when I went to work today). First heard you from Mark Coles shed so hope to see you guys live sometime."
  • Mark Coles plays 'I Wouldn't drown Myself Today' for the second time on his 'The Shed' radio show. "it's a lovely track"

October 2013

  • On his marvelous 'The Shed' radio show, BBC radio 3 presenter Mark Coles describes 'King Joe' as "Beautiful (in a miserable kind of way)".

September 2013

  • Playing the Cavern in Liverpool on October 7th. John's 1965 silver sparkle Gretsch drumkit and Phil's 1964 Epiphone Texan will be right at home. That very Epiphone will have been played at the Cavern 49 years ago when in the possession of The Fourmost.
  • The 5th October show in Leeds is looking a bit special. The 5 piece will be augmented by a String quartet, cornet, saxophone, clarinet and flute. 13 of us in all
  • Phil is guesting on Dave Higginson's 'Themes For Dreamers' radio show on PhoenixFM. Sunday 15th September. They'll be talking about the new album and playing tracks relating to Dave's chosen theme.

August 2013

  • Playing at Colne Blues Festival, 2pm Sunday 25th August. The Duke Of Lancaster, then at Jim's Cafe at 5pm.
  • Sentimentalists are playing at The Black Bull in Haworth - the very pub in which Branwell Bronte drank his health away, and still the home of the very chair that he sat in. It's also home to the ghost of a girl who gives out sweets and the ghost of a man 'dressed in beige'. See our live page for more details.
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The album - King Joe - is complete and due a late October release. Buy a pre-release copy on our buy page.

If you want a free mp3 song, please enter email address below and submit. We'll also keep you up to date with the odd bit of news but won't pass your details on.

July 2013

  • Phil is guesting on The Round Table discussion show on BCB. Friday 12th July 12 noon till 1pm.  It'll be live and Phil will be part of a panel "discussing the issues of the day". Oh dear.
  • The album is having to be re-pressed. Slight track-listing issue and controversial artwork.

June 2013

  • Phil is guesting on Nick Toczek's radio show on BCB. This Sunday evening (23rd June), 8pm till 9pm, and the following week, same slot. Listen to the show to hear tracks from the album.
  • Playing in Bradford on Saturday 15th. It's the pre-Shuttle Shuffle event at Factory Street Studios, Unit 9, Factory Street, Bradford BD4 9NW. Kelter, Kascarade, and One Stop Railway are also playing. Go to eBay to bid for a dedication when we sing 'Old Sod'.
  • Album update. Close to the final mix. Scheduled for an October release.

May 2013

  • Playing at the Red Shed in Wakefield (18 Vicarage Street South, WF1 1QX) on Sunday 2nd June. A recession challenging £3. Plus support. 8pm

April 2013

  • Bid for a dedication and a message of your choice when we play Bradford on 19th April. We'll read out the winning bidders message.

March 2013

  • Bid for a dedication and a message of your choice when we play Colne on 23rd March. Go to eBay, search for Sentimentalists Colne. We'll read out the winning bidders message. Don't pay too much, we wouldn't want the tax avoiding eBay to make any money. 
  • When we were booked to play The Black Swan, Bradford on 19th April, Henry's Radio we're also booked. It's been decided that we'll all honour the commitment, making it a fantastic evening of interesting music.
  • Victoria Huntriss from Sleeping Thieves will be dueting with us on The Take-Outs when we play Chop Chop in Colne on 23rd March.
  • "There's nobody can be so bitterly hard as a sentimentalist. It belongs to the head, not the heart. I've buried my heart for the minute. It's under the water holes in the mud at ' Colne- side,' I think. I can get on without it, and if you turn me down, I shan't want it again." Eden Phillpotts, 1917, "The Banks of Colne (The Nusery)" 

February 2013

  • Recording has started on the album; at Hilltown Studios. Sounding great.
  • We're playing at Keighley Civic Centre on Saturday 16th. Do come and see us - it's free. Our brilliant new drummer John Shepherd will be making his debut with us, and Will Lenton will be joining us on saxophone.

January 2013

  • Phil is guesting on David Higginson's 'Theme For Dreamers' radio show on PhoenixFM. The theme is revealed on the show, and Phil is planning to include Mick Ronson, Jake Thackray, Sir John Betjeman and Kiki Dee.
  • Possible Sentimentalists album? Recording may start in February for a Planet Records release.

December 2012

  • Sentimentalists come in at number 4 on Simon Ashberry's show on BCB. 'i'm for every Woman I've Ever Known' is Simon's chosen track.

November 2012

  • We're going back to Jim's cafe in Colne on Thursday 13th December. It'll be a great evening with Sleeping Thieves playing as well. £3. 19-21 New Market Street, Colne BB8 9BJ
  • We're back at the Red Shed in Wakefield (18 Vicarage Street South, WF1 1QX) on Saturday 17th November. A recession challenging £3. Support is Bob Ryan's Express.
  • Doing a Green Party benefit at Jim's Vegetarian Cafe, 19-21 New Market Street, Colne BB8 9BJ. Thursday 15th November.
  • Launch party for the new single 'Apricots' at on Saturday 24th November. The Cotton Mill, Water Street, Todmorden. You are all invited. We'll be playing some songs. Our favourite stand-up Alex Mettrick will be performing, as will Maddy Brooks, and it's freel.  9pm.

October 2012

  • New single coming out soon - promise. 4 track EP. Apricots, All I Need, I'm Beat, I'm Beat (demo).

September 2012

  • Back at The Actors Workshop in Halifax on Saturday 6th October. 8pm. £5/£4. Stephen Drimkwater and Linda Davidson will be making their live debuts for Sentimentalists. Line-up is Phil, Daniel, Tony, Graham, Caroline, Cordelia, Robert, Hebe, Linda and Stephen.
  • Playing at The Swarthmore Centre in Leeds on Saturday 20th October.
  • Phil guesting on Nick Toczeck's show on BCB. Played almost finished versions of 'I'm Beat' and 'Apricots'. If you want to hear them pre-release, the show will be broadcast on 23rd October, 9pm.
  • In the studio recording 'Apricots', 'I'm Beat' and 'All I Need'. Full band including violin, cello, clarinet and cornet. Lovely experience working with Steve Fenton at Calder Recordings.
  • Phil's appearance on David Higginson's 'Theme's For Dreamers' being broadcast on 16th September. 2pm till 4pm. PhoenixFM 96.7.

August 2013

  • Phil is back guesting on David Higginson's radio show 'Themes For Dreamers' on Phoenixfm 96.7fm. 4pm till 6pm Sunday 19th August. Phil will be chatting with David about upcoming stuff and suggesting a few songs sympathetic to the (secret) theme of the day. Expect to hear Throbbing Gristle, Ivor Cutler, Marvin Gaye, Scott Walker, Sly Stone, and new Sentimentalists recording 'I'm Beat'.
  • Buy everything we've ever done and more from Sound Shack Records. There's an 11 track studio compilation, two EPs and two live albums now on CD. Also avalable is a CD box set of the entire back catalogue of Sound Shack releases. 18CDs in a handmade box for £30. Contact Nagbea on 07977 781877 or at [email protected]

July 2012

Reviews from Halifax:
  • 'Brilliant!'
  • 'Exceptionally talented'
  • 'Lyrics shocked, made you smile, and took you by surprise with their absurdity, all at the same time'
  • 'A recurring theme of unexpectedly deep sadness, charm and surprise tugged at our subconscious throughout'
  • 'Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht would have thoroughly approved'
Many thanks to Caroline Steer, Robert Jaggar and Hebe James for making us sound exactly as we should at our Halifax show.

Our Halifax show on Saturday 14th is looking a bit special. We are joined again by Caroline Steer (Halle Orchestera) on Cello, Robert Jaggar (Brighouse & Rastrick, Black Dyke) on Cornet, and Hebe James on Clarinet, who is going to surpass us all.

Go to our listen page to hear songs from our recent live radio sessions. 

July shows:
  • Buxton Barrel Room on Wednesday 4th July. 8:45pm. Old Hall Hotel, Buxton, SK17 6BD.  £7/£6
  • Oddy's Bar in Halifax on Saturday 7th. 9pm. Haugh Shaw Road, Halifax HX1 3AH
  • Buxton Barrel Room on Monday 9th July. 8:45pm. Old Hall Hotel, Buxton, SK17 6BD.  £7/£6
  • The Workshop, Halifax on Saturday 14th July. 7-9 St. James St., Halifax HX1 5SU. 7:30pm. £9/£7.
  • Buxton Barrel Room on Wednesday 18th July. 7:15pm. Old Hall Hotel, Buxton, SK17 6BD.  £7/£6