Another bite of the cherry for a record that won't fade until its luck runs dry
Once a song has had its public debut, it takes on a life of its own.. and some just refuse to take things lying down. For faithful Westcountry fans, the tracks of singer songwriter Ruarri Joseph's honest, touching and uplifting album Brother are already old friends.
Enjoying an initial "soft" informal release, the LP – Ruarri's fourth – was officially issued on his homegrown Cornish label, Pip Productions, six months ago, and has been selling online and at shows.
Now it is about to enjoy a UK digital and CD release through Warner Label Services, taking those songs to a much broader audience, backed up by Ruarri's current nationwide solo tour.
A single, Until The Luck Runs Dry – one of the catchiest and prettiest songs on the album – comes out on Monday, a week ahead of the LP. It is accompanied by a terrific video of Newquay artist Tony Plant creating beautiful temporary images in the sand; it has already had more than 100,000 views online.
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It's both strange and wholly understandable, how broader exposure seems to knock at Ruarri's door – especially when the down-to-earth family man rejected the age-old dream ticket of being signed to a major record company.
He walked away from a deal with Atlantic after just 12 months in 2008 to tread his own path in Cornwall with his wife and their three children.
"This is a very different thing altogether; it is under the umbrella of Warner, but a branch with a very independent attitude," says Ruarri.
"I took the record as far as I could and now I am super, super delighted that Brother is getting a second wind, even though we are still keeping it quite low key. With any other record I would have moved on by now, but I don't want to do that with this one. I am much more attached to these songs. Their sentiment meant more to me this time around, and it is not just my story."
It is, indeed, a very special collection, that perfectly showcases Ruarri's strengths as a writer, his rich, buttery voice and boasts some wonderful band arrangements. It is effortlessly melodic, lyrically poetic, intensely personal and inspired and propelled by ideas of friendship, relationships and family.
In particular it marks the loss of Ruarri's close friend, Hayle teacher and musician Matt Upsher who died in a surfing accident in 2010, and the strong sense of community that blossomed out of collective grief.
"He was great guy, and a great songwriter. His death was a wake up call for me; it made me re-evaluate my life and what I wanted. I actually got a bit cross with myself because I realised I'd contained myself into this tiny bubble, and it made me want to get out and reconnect with the world."
Ruarri has been thoroughly enjoying the tour so far, and the crowds have loved him right back.
"I haven't done a solo tour for a long time and I'm really, really, enjoying it. I feel like I have finally found my place; there is nothing I am unsure of any more in terms of being a performer. The only down side is being away from home," he says.
"I've been mixing up the signs and changing the set each night – some oldies, some newbies. It's been crazy. We have had some sell-out nights and people who know all the words to the songs in places I've never been before."
Ruarri Joseph ends his UK solo tour with a show at The Jolly Farmer, Newton Abbot on Friday, March 29. He also headlines a home town show at Newquay's Fistral Beach, with special guest Ash Grunwald, on July 20.
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