Introducing: Pavey Ark

Hull-based folk collective Pavey Ark return with their stunning second album More Time, More Speed (out 21 Nov), a widescreen alt-folk odyssey shaped by shifting seasons, analogue tape, and the strange elasticity of time. Fresh from standout sets at Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival and four official showcases at SXSW 2025, the band are hitting a new creative stride. We caught up with them to dig into the album’s concept, its fractured-era themes, and the unique recording process that took place in a converted farm building just outside Hull.

1) Andrew Bird – “Manifest”

I discovered Andrew Bird in 2020, and I was blown away by his album My Finest Work Yet. It’s truly beautiful. “Manifest” is one of the standout tracks for me — a perfect balance of joy and sorrow, with incredible musicianship. It made me want to dig deeper into how they recorded the album.

The album was produced by Paul Butler, the frontman of English indie band The Bees. They recorded it live, with no tracking, using analogue equipment. I actually ended up approaching Paul Butler to mix our new album on the strength of that Andrew Bird record. It genuinely shaped our sound.

2) Michael Chapman – “Postcards of Scarborough”

Johnny, who plays bass in the band, gave me Michael Chapman’s album Fully Qualified Survivor as a gift. It was one of those albums I instantly loved and played over and over. A massive added bonus is that a young Mick Ronson plays lead guitar on it — before joining David Bowie and the Spiders From Mars. He’s a Hull lad, so definitely a local hero. His lead guitar parts on the album are incredible.

I especially love the track “Postcards of Scarborough.” Is it just me, or did some of the melodies in this song inspire Paranoid Android by Radiohead? The strings on this track are also wonderful.

3) Laura Marling – “The Valley”

I’ve always loved Laura Marling, but it was two of her later albums — Semper Femina and Song for Our Daughter — that I really fell for. The strings on those albums are so full and rich. I remember chatting with Chris Heron, who writes most of the string compositions for Pavey Ark, about it. “The Valley” is a real standout track from Semper Femina. It’s absolutely beautiful.

4) Love – “Alone Again Or”

This has been one of my favourite tracks for as long as I can remember. The songwriting is perfect, but it’s the string and horn parts that get me every time. I often had this song in mind while working on songs for the new album. The dynamics are wonderful — shifting from full band with brass back to simple picked acoustic guitar. It’s only 3:13 long, but so much is packed into those three minutes. It’s an epic track.

5) Aldous Harding – “Stop Your Tears”

Every now and then I hear a song that completely floors me on first listen — one I have to play again as soon as it ends, then again and again. For me, that song was “Stop Your Tears” by Aldous Harding. It’s haunting and beautiful, and above all it’s her voice — the intensity of it — that blows me away. The song feels like it’s from another era. I’ve seen her live, and her performance was incredibly intense. She’s a truly unique artist.