Brilliant Harrogate musician who made it big in Poland wins rave reviews for new album Stories Save Our Lives

Released by Krakow-based label Loose Wire Records, Stories Save Our Lives is Karl Culley’s sixth solo album since his early days in Harrogate bands as a young musician.

Previously compared to British acoustic folk-blues legends such as Bert Jansch, John Martyn and Nick Drake, his haunting new album has already been hailed by British-based Folk Radio website as his best to date.

Culley himself, who played with Harrogate indie bands The Mindermasts in the late 1990s, then the rootsy Las Sangras in the early Noughties, is delighted by the reaction to his new songs so far.

"The new album was produced by the brilliant Daniel Webster, who also furnished the tracks with impeccably tasteful embellishments.

"We're really rather proud of it. "

Culley moved to Kraków in Poland more than a decade ago and has built a strong reputation in the music scene of this culturally rich city.

Before moving abroad, his early albums recorded in the UK made an impression thanks to dazzling finger-picking on guitar, melodic flair and an intimate, brooding atmosphere.

His second offering, The Owl, released in 2011, received four stars by The Sunday Express who compared Culley to both Tim Buckley and José González.

Now Stories Save Our Lives sees the talented Harrogate man with the boyish charm take another leap forward.

His most intense and, in a way, darkest album is also quietly his most tender, most melodic and most spellbinding.

The supreme songcraft, the energy of Culley’s guitar playing which lifts even the bleakest moments and the subtle splashes of instrumental colour by producer Daniel Webster, leave a wake in their trail, particularly Real Champagne which hypnotises with its honesty.

Inspired by Culley’s own recent life-changing OCD diagnosis and personal heartbreak, the mood is also lightened by London-based singer Lettie, whose sweet voice compliments Culley’s vocals on three tracks.

The end result may still be as heavy as Leonard Cohen but, like Cohen, these songs stay with you.

Stories Save Our Lives can be streamed on all the platforms (Spotify, etc) and bought on physical CD from Norman Records in the UK at www.normanrecords.com or from Karl Culley's Bandcamp page www.karlculley.bandcamp.com