Shearwater tell Jade Wright why a Liverpool appearance is long overdue

INDIE prog folk heavyweights Shearwater will be returning to these shores for a series of dates in November and come to Eric’s this month.

It will be their second foray to Europe since the release of album Animal Joy on Sub Pop way back in February, but their first time in Liverpool.

Hailing from Austin, Texas, they are lead by Jonathan Meiburg who first burst onto the music scene in 2001 with The Dissolving Room.

“We’ve never played in Liverpool, and I’m sorry it’s taken us so long,” says Jonathan, apologetically.

“I’m especially excited to be playing in the home town of our former tourmates, Clinic.

“I’ve just looked up Eric’s history. Wow. I hope we can bring a show equal to it.”

On their latest album they have created an even bigger, more theatrical, more ambitious album.

Jonathan Meiburg, presumably unfamiliar with the adage, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, has opted to ditch an approach that paid huge artistic dividends over his last three Matador albums for a record that seems intensely personal.

He’s no stranger to lush, crafted recordings, but this one sounds like no prior Shearwater incarnation.

“There’s still so much I’d like to do. I’d love to work with Phil Elverum sometime,” he says.

“Or James Blake. Or Tim Friese-Green. Or the musical equivalent of Grace Lee Boggs, whoever that might be.

“I’ve been really lucky in who I’ve got to tour and work with so far, though.”