POLICE DOG HOGAN SHARE THE NEW SINGLE 'JUST BREATHE'
- Feb 17
- 3 min read
Police Dog Hogan's ferocious live following is deceptively simple to explain: in an ever-changing world fraught with bleak news, they provide a space where the here-and-now is all that really matters. The heart of their country-pop / bluegrass is big melodies, evocative emotions and timeless musicianship - all qualities which stand tall in the new single 'Just Breathe'. It previews their new album 'The Light At The Top Of The Stairs', which follows on April 10th.
Like its parent album, 'Just Breathe' is an astute, profound meditation on the passing of time. The husky soul of James Studholme's voice ruminates on how everything slowly changes across life's rich tapestry - but regardless of what evolves, the serene joy of escaping into nature never alters, no matter how many decades pass. The song reflects that calm and purity, floating breezily from sparse piano accompaniment into the grander scale of its hook to achieve a mood of low-key transcendence.
James says, "Just Breathe is a reflection on mortality, from the perspective of someone who's got more life behind him than in front of him. But it's also about acceptance; there's always more to say, and never enough time to say it."
'Just Breathe' was written by James Studholme. It was produced by the Grammy-winning George Murphy (Mumford & Sons, The Coronas, Ron Sexsmith).
'Just Breathe' is the third song to preview the album following the road trip Americana of 'Passing Through' and the folk-stomping, biblical flood storytelling of 'Seven Kinds of Rain'. Its stories explore the experiences that come to us all, in time - from grief to lost love - and their visceral emotions are heightened by the band, a collective with plenty of life experience between them.
'The Light At The Top of The Stairs' promises to be the defining masterpiece from the long-established cult favourites. They've achieved so much: selling out the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, playing at Glastonbury, supporting The Beach Boys, being nominated at the UK Americana Award. But there's no real secret to their accomplishments - simply, they battled through the early indifference that all bands experience, and played together for so long that a shared music intuition emerged. The band consists of James Studholme (guitar, vocals),Eddie Bishop (fiddle, mandolin), Tim Dowling (banjo, steel guitar), Emily Norris (trumpet), Shahen Galichian (accordion, piano), Don Bowen (bass) and Alistair Hamer (drums).
Police Dog Hogan will take 'The Light At The Top of The Stairs' on a headline tour from April, leading up to a major London show at the Islington Assembly Hall. They have also confirmed details of their own Hoganberry Weekender festival in Settle on June 12th-13th, where they will be joined by an outstanding bill of like-minded bands and friends. They promise, "A very joyful weekend of music in one of the most beautiful places on God's green earth."
Tickets for all shows are available HERE.
APRIL
16th - South Petherton, The David Hall
17th - Tavistock, The Wharf
18th - Salisbury, Art Centre
23rd - Burton-on-Trent, Deer Barn
24th - Liverpool, The Tung Auditorium
25th - Dorchester, Bishop's Court Farm
30th - Hailsham, Pavilion Theatre
MAY
7th - Gateshead, Glasshouse
8th - Edinburgh, Queen's Hall
9th - Birmingham, The MAC
JUNE
4th - Norwich, Art Centre
5th - Cambridge, The Junction 1
11th - Manchester, Band On The Wall
12th - Settle, Victoria Hall - Police Dog Hogan's Hoganberry Weekender
13th - Settle, Victoria Hall - Police Dog Hogan's Hoganberry Weekender
18th - London, Islington Assembly Hall
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