Clitheroe musician's songs make journey from Bowland to Germany

Dan Riley, 34, has been living, working and making music in the city of Dresden since 2014.

Together with musicians and friends, he released his second EP called Walk The Other Way, which is available to download or stream for free - or pay what you feel - online.

The former St Michael and St John’s Primary School and St Augustine’s Secondary school pupil, who went on to study Poetry and Script at Liverpool John Moore’s University, said: “I put a group of musicians together to record an album which I had written whilst still living up at Stocks Reservoir.

“The idea of the band was to have an additional dimension to myself as a singer-songwriter.

“Essentially I always play as Dan Riley, but sometimes with a band behind me.

“The drummer, Steffen Thiede is one of my oldest friends in Germany, and the guitarist Hannes Rackow and bassist Stefan Kurzmann have a band together called Elektrik Farm who are a personal favourite of mine.”

The musician, who works in a barrel makers in Dresden, also plans to release a full length album later in 2018.

Dan’s previous musical endeavours include the former Clitheroe bands Mensch and The Beat Based Conserve.

He also joined Liverpool based Glass Asylum as their frontman, before going solo.

Walk The Other Way is a five track EP which includes the songs Walk The Other Way, Glove Puppet, Places I Should Be, Photos, and Soldiers Song.

It has a delicate, wistful, lo-fi sound with lots of harmonising between the lead and backing vocals.

If you like Paul Simon, The Bees, or Eddie Vedder, it’s well worth a listen.

While Walk The Other Way deals with the age old, stomach wrenching, mind bending results of questioning your relationship with a lover, Glove Puppet is a beautifully written piece lamenting society, and the subsequent effect on the individual, and the empathy that Dan sees is lacking.

Places I Should Be has a more upbeat vibe, with some great guitar parts, while Photos sees a change in vocal pitch, revealing a deeper more gravelly, perhaps more “country” sound.

Soldiers Song is a first person narrative from the point of view of a soldier, questioning the quest for freedom via war.

The backing instruments on all the songs - including percussion, electric guitar and keys – are subtle, allowing the lyrics and songwriting to shine through.

His previous EP Second Hand Man, released in 2015, is also available on Bandcamp.

If you want to hear something new and original check out Dan’s music HERE