Shelleyan Orphan

So begins the story of Shelleyan Orphan. Their name, taken in homage to the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley is what brought Caroline Crawley and Jem Tayle together at first, forming the band in 1983 in Bournemouth. eventually signing to Rough Trade records in 1985.
Combining their love of all musical genres the duo created an unusual blend of pop on their debut Helleborine, utilising a full range of classical instruments, including some obscure ones, like the Strumento da Porca and tamboura. Their influences were diverse as well, as anything from Joy Division to Sparks, Barry White and Delius ebbed and flowed through their ethereal and pulsating sound. Yet above all, Shellyan Orphan is a vocal band. This was illuminated with their next album, 1989s brilliant and critically acclaimed Century Flower, produced by Dave Allen (The Cure, Human League). Following the release, the band toured supporting The Cure throughout Europe and America gaining a wider fan base.
The third album, 1992’s Humroot once again found the duo implementing their love of musical combinations. It found its way to their fanbase and enabled them to continue playing for a few years. Caroline and Jem took a long break from the music industry working on solo projects, coming together occasionally but not as Shelleyan Orphan until now.
They return with their first new recordings in seventeen years, a loving collection entitled We Have Everything We Need. Recording the album at Riverside Studios in Bath with Steve Evans (Siouxsie, Robert Plant and the Proclaimers), while the strings and woodwind were recorded in Budapest with the Hungarian National Radio Orchestra. The album blends a unique use of strings, woodwind and the unusual (in typical Shelleyan Orphan fashion like the Hurdy Gurdy and Celeste) with the rhythms of Boris Williams (The Cure) and Charlie Jones (Goldfrapp, Robert Plant)
In We Have Everything We Need, Caroline and Jem’s voices come together beautifully once more, but more the sound is more calculated, mature and patient. Space is left for the singers to explore, reinvigorate their sound and revisit past melodies, harmonies and fantasies. It’s a jubilant listen, timeless as always, fitting with the rest of Shelleyan Orphan’s canon. In addition, a 4CD/DVD box set is due out in 2009 featuring all four albums, a bonus disc of unreleased music and a DVD.