“Ted Barnes is a craftsman. He is the architect of delicate yet durable works of beauty. He has an ear for fine details and hidden depths; defining that perfect place between melancholy and the sweetest hope you could imagine”

Beth Orton

17 POSTCARDS 
-OUT NOW-

It’s been twelve years since the release of Ted’s last album, Portal Nou, but that doesn’t mean it’s been a fallow time for the UK artist. In fact, it has marked the musical shift from the shackles of “rock-n-roll” to a diverse, be-spoke world of theatre, film, contemporary circus and song-writing partnerships.

Featuring both songs and instrumentals, much of the material has been inspired by these collaborations alongside key events that have marked this period in time, notably the loss of his Clayhill band mate Gavin Clark.

17 Postcards is seventeen snapshots of these memories, often a touching and dark tribute to life’s passing.

Although the album is a strong celebration of where Ted is creatively in his life, it is brought to life by a stellar cast of musicians and vocalists.

Long time co-hort Ali Friend (Red Snapper/ Clayhill) is on double bass, Daisy Palmer (Mesadorm) on drums, Gill Sandell (Emily Barker and the Red Clay halo) on piano and accordion and the string section of Howard Gott and Sarah Willson (Beth Orton/ Tindersticks).

The album features new friendships on vocal duties, Sarah Johns and Kristin McClement, and the vocals of Michael Clark, Gavin’s son on the track ‘Way Beyond This’.

17 Postcards was mixed by Sebastian Rogers. 

“Master craftsman’s first album in 12 years, an exquisite filmic folk odyssey”

MOJO

“A magical melancholy weaves across an album of many hues and shades. I fell in love with this album instantly”

NARC Magazine

“Sometimes discordant and sometimes beautiful, this is substantial music of the heart”

RnR

“Lovely, longing miniatures”

UNCUT

“Barnes writes a melody like Doves, Elbow or even Coldplay at their most widescreen, but it’s never wasted on the obvious payoff, always held back and delivered with elegant understatement, not delivering emotional fireworks but leaving you reeling nonetheless.

It’s a rare record that builds a world and lets you step in, a rarer one still that builds one so complete and consistent that each time you go into it you want to look around and just appreciate the spaces.” ”

JOE MUGGS for THE ARTS DESK

“We’ve been quietly adoring the erm, quietly very adorable work which Ted Barnes has been dropping over the past weeks in the run up to the release of his first album in too long”

BACKSEAT MAFIA

PORTAL NOU

Teds third solo album ‘Portal Nou’ was written during a period of living on the Kent Coast.  Inspired by the birth of his son, it marked a new phase in his personal and musical life.

Although displaying some of the haunting characteristics of his previous work, the album is more optimistic in nature, ‘Portal Nou’ being Spanish for “new gateway”.

Alongside instrumental tracks are guest vocalists Dan Michaelson, Gavin Clark, Beth Orton, Kathryn Williams and Francoiz Breut.

Portal Nou was mixed by Sebastian Rogers and released on Mornington Records in 2008

“The whole thing is just impossibly sad and beautiful and romantic and doomed” WORD

“Displays his gift for sound tracking films yet to be dreamed up” SUBBA-CULTCA.COM

“Barnes is something of a British M. Ward – with all the loveliness that suggests” THE TIMES

Buy Portal Nou direct from Ted's Bandcamp shop

UNDERBELLY

Ted’s second solo album, ‘Underbelly’, came out of developing music for the Shane Meadows film ‘Once Upon a time in the Midlands’.  Although it didn’t become the film’s soundtrack, the work created formed the majority of this album.  Often dark and completely instrumental it received widespread critical acclaim.

Underbelly was produced by Oisin Lunny and released on Sketchbook Records in 2005

“This music is awesome- simple-but awesome” RECORD COLLECTOR

“Deeply poetic without ever uttering a word, his work instantly transfixes you” DAZED AND CONFUSED

“Achingly sad enough to make you wish Nick Drake was still alive to sing on it” INDEPENDENT

Buy Underbelly direct from Ted's Bandcamp shop

SHORT SCENES

Ted’s first solo album, ‘Short Scenes’ marked the beginning of his fascination with evocative, often sinister filmic soundscapes.  Although a mainly instrumental affair, it also featured two songs with Gavin Clark; ‘Glass Harmonica’ and a cover of Carol Kings ‘So Far Away’ as well as a rendition of ‘Teds Waltz’ by Beth Orton.

Short Scenes was produced by Oisin Lunny and released on Narwhal Records in 2002

“His delicate, evocative music weaves a quietly irresistible magic, one of the best albums of the year” UNCUT

“Haunting songs performed perfectly” EVENING STANDARD

“Beautiful, timeless, mostly instrumental gem of a solo record” TIME OUT

Buy Short Scenes direct from Ted's Bandcamp shop