The Lake Poets
Sunderland, England, United Kingdom | INDIE
Music
Press
The Lake Poets, aka Martin Longstaff, a (mostly) solo artist who is currently doing a pretty decent job of hauling himself up the North East gigging hierarchy. These days it’s treacherously easy for acoustic singer-songwriters to tumble irredeemably into the ever-expanding sea of non-descript one-man/woman projects who forget to write actual songs, but so far Longstaff’s work has kept him a safe distance from the ocean of drips. The combination of his timorous, vulnerable vocal and his gently soaring songs, the scale of which become more apparent when he is joined late in the set by his backing band, illustrate pretty succinctly just why his popularity is increasing so steadily. - Muso's Guide
The Lake Poets are just flawless as a band ~ With a power that few acoustic acts can harness, The Lake Poets are one of the few bands that can have you dancing & weeping to the same note - Narc Magazine
The nom de plume of mostly acoustic troubadour Martin Longstaff, a young chap who’s doing a good job of proving that there’s still legs left in the hoary old concept of singer-songwriterdom. - Drowned in Sound
The music from The Lake Poets provides everything you could ever want from an acoustic musician. The songs are laden with fabulous lyrics, subtle finger plucked guitar melodies and tender vocals - Amazing Radio
The reverential tones of a completely silent audience at a gig is testament to the effect he has on those who hear him. Look out for him before he pops up on Jools Holland and you never get the chance. - The Northern Line
[Martin's] rich, spacious sound, room-filling guitar style, and softly-Geordie, clear, sweet voice are so shockingly note-perfect. The tracks he plays ripple with wistful sadness and sharply observed lyrics. The images and lives he creates feel immensely personal and are just restrained enough to not be either mawkish or brash. - For Folk's Sake
Discography
The Lake Poets EP (Sept 2010)
1 Windowsill
2 Friends
3 How Do You Love Me?
4 Retrograde Mercury Notwithstanding
Alter (May 2011)
1 Short Term, Long Term
2 Leaving Do
3 Windowsill (Young Liar Remix)
City by the Sea (Tiny Lights Recordings, April 2012)
1 City by the Sea
2 Dead Tree
Photos
Bio
Despite only forming in April 2010, The Lake Poets has seen Martin already share the stage with some of the cream of the U.K and U.S. Indie/Folk/Acoustic scene including Willy Mason, Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly, Ben Howard, Withered Hand, & Cattle & Cane as well as Indie acts such as The Futureheads and Hyde & Beast.
By combining heartfelt & haunting lyrics with an astonishing voice The Lake Poets have quickly amassed a legion of fans in a short space of time around the North East region, as well as further afield.
Having played a number of prestigious venues across the North East and the UK to stunned silences followed by rapturous applause, a triumphant set to a filled out tent at Sunderland’s flagship music festival ‘Split Festival’ in September 2011 solidified The Lake Poets’ position as an act to watch closely in the Indie/Folk genre.
The music of the Lake Poets has been described as “stunningly affecting & haunting, regularly bringing members of silent audiences to tears with its combination of delicate finger-picked guitar & beautiful melodies tinged with moving & thought-provoking lyricism” as well as “honest & beautiful, with the power to have you dancing & weeping to the same note”.
With a UK wide tour which included dates at the London, Liverpool & Glasgow O2 Academies as well as performances at Glastonbury, Kendal Calling and Evolution Festival already under his belt Martin seeks to continue the stratospheric rise of The Lake Poets in 2012 with a debut single set for release Spring 2012.
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