stream the Song Cycle tunes

The last few remaining Limited Edition prints of the Song Cycle album Artwork by Lotte Tophill are available to order here (along with a complete download of the album, or optional CD).

#1 Listening Place – lyrics by Anthony Cropper. We first met Anthony when we were working with the wonderful Jonathan Davidson on his Live Literature project. Anthony went on to script Talking Birds’ show Wanderlust, part of our 10th anniversary programme, staged in the chilly environs of the South Bay Underground Car Park in Scarborough (formerly Galaland amusements and before that Scarborough Aquarium, designed by the pier builder Eugenius Birch). More recently Anthony worked on our MusGuided Tour for the reopening of Warwick’s Market Hall Museum. His books include Weatherman and Jack and Sal. 🎧 → https://ffm.to/6a9qdqo

#2 Treasures – lyrics by Liz Mytton. We first met Liz through her play Red Snapper at the Belgrade Theatre which was designed by our Co-AD Janet. Since then Liz has scripted a host of Talking Birds shows – The Female Warrior (with Royal Fusiliers Museum), Backstage at the Albany Theatre, Walk With Me #1 & #4 (& lyrics for #2), The Festival of Lost & Found (with Shakespeare Birthplace Trust), Capsule (v. 2020) as well as being writer-in-residence at our Citizens’ Assembly on Arts & Culture and lyricist for We Share This Space (with Coventry Music). 🎧 → https://ffm.to/qq51j5d

#3 Curiosity does not kill the cat – lyrics by lanaire aderemi. Poet, playwright and producer lanaire is committed to amplifying and archiving untold stories. She was the recipient of the 2019 Shoot Festival Artist Development Award and was one of the writers we worked with on the #HumansOfCov project. For this song she has taken the TBs value of curiosity to inspire both the beautiful lyrics and melody. Enjoy! (Photo credit: Ayo Olujembola) 🎧 → https://ffm.to/b49jnob

#4 Build a Garden – lyrics by Katie (Tom) Walters. Lyricist Katie (Tom) Walters is a performance poet who we first met through Talking Birds’ Nest Residency programme, where they developed the play Planet Alex. Katie’s debut poetry collection is about disability, love, and turning into trees. We love their earthy lyrics for this number… 🎧 → https://ffm.to/l27amee

#5 The Story Keeps on Moving, lyrics by Craig Stephens. Craig is probably best known as Associate Director of Stan’s Cafe, where he is a familiar face and voice, not least as one of the anchors of The Commentators. As writer he has created radio dramas for BBC Radio 4, and plays for Ludlow Assembly Rooms and Lichfield Garrick Theatre. Craig is a longtime friend of Talking Birds and played the role of Hans Christian in festive doom drama Trevor Goose. He and Derek have also had an attempt at the Eurovision Song Contest. 🎧 → https://ffm.to/g2g9km4

#6 Collaboration – lyrics by Ian McMillan. Derek & Ian first worked together on a live literature workshop and Ian went on to write & perform ‘Ocean Always There’ as part of Talking Birds’ Radio Daze series. Ian introduced Amy, Derek & Simon for their debut as a trio, (later monikered The Sonoplasts), performing live for BBC Radio 3’s Words & Music in 2021 (an edition recorded in Coventry, called Planes, Trains & Automobiles). We love collaborating with Ian – we’re pretty sure you’ll love Collaboration… 🎧 → https://ffm.to/abx246

#7 Impact – lyrics by John Bernard. John Bernard is a Poet, Rapper & Writer who uses his artistry to inspire, influence and invigorate his listeners with meaningful messages. We met John through his involvement in the Humans of Cov project, and he performs here with The Sonoplasts on the track he wrote for Song Cycle. He has recently become Coventry’s Poet Laureate. 🎧 → https://ffm.to/b8lbdnv

#8 The Imaginary Friend, a short story by Catherine O’Flynn.  Cath is a Birmingham-born novelist whose work includes What Was Lost (which won the Costa prize for first novel), The News Where You Are and Mr Lynch’s Holiday. Her Lori and Max novels for children, based on her own experiences as a child detective, have been shortlisted for Blue Peter and UKLA Book awards. Cath has been described as “the JG Ballard of Birmingham…finding poetry and meaning where others see merely boredom and dereliction.” She has also worked as a postwoman, record shop manager and mystery shopper. 🎧 → https://ffm.to/8o2bxxz

#9 Stuck Inside My Walls, lyrics by Yara Richter. Yara is an artist/mother/intersectional ecofeminist moving in the nexus of sound/movement/voice/text. We met Yara through the #HumansofCov project.  🎧 → https://songwhip.com/thesonoplasts/stuck-inside-my-walls

#10 The Swimmer – lyrics by Peter Cann. Peter is a long-time collaborator with TBs, both as writer, facilitator and director. He directed our operas with Orchestra of the Swan and primary/SEND schools Troy Story & Ant & Cleo – The Musical!; wrote and directed the Asylum Trilogy with Centres for the History of Medicine at University of Warwick & University College, Dublin; as well as Taking Flight (the story of Frank Whittle) and Twin Song (2014). 🎧 → https://ffm.to/vovrqm