Having joined forces for a one-off show at Celtic Connections in January 2018, Andrew Nicol and Rachel Elliott struck upon a songwriting and live chemistry they both felt would be remiss to ignore - A songwriting partnership was formed and over the subsequent year recording commenced on a first batch of songs.
Debut single Wish You'd Stayed Away was released in March 2019 and was closely followed by Sweet Downfall, both via Legendary Glasgow label Electric Honey. But it was a shift to the innovative Scottish label Last Night From Glasgow that saw an exponential increase in musical output from the prolific pair.
Debut EP My Heart Will Wait was released in January 2020 fearuring 4 brand new songs followed by a contribution to LNFG's Isolation Sessions that summer. As Autumn presented itself, the duo released singles The Storm and Dragging Me Down followed by The Storm EP early in 2021. The restrictive environment of an ongoing pandemic did nothing to slow down Nicol & Elliott's productivity with singles Fade Away and Broken Eyes being released in the summer of 2021 followed by the release of the Broken Eyes EP in September.
Nicol & Elliott announced plans for an LP release of all 3 EPs combined due in November 2021 along with their first live performance in 20 months at The CCA, Glasgow supporting The Gracious Losers.Three EPs highlights the duo's breadth of influences from Southern Gothic to the Blues to Traditional Folk to Country Rock, the pair have always managed to stay within the lines of the Americana label without seemingly being restricted by it. The LP highlights the duo's willingness to explore and navigate dark subject matter like mental health, emotional abuse, or Andrew's previous struggles with alcohol whilst also being able to succumb to the naivety of falling in love and the supernatural.
Something for everyone? Probably not, but for those with even a fleeting interest in the Americana sphere, there is lots to enjoy in the 12 song offering from a refreshingly honest songwriting partnership.Three EPs by Nicol & Elliott is released by Last Night From Glasgow on eco 12 vinyl.
