“Things Found In Books,” the new collaborative album by Yvonne Lyon and Boo Hewerdine, is a beautiful exploration of life’s forgotten moments. Set to release on March 7th, 2025, this album draws inspiration from the lost and discarded fragments found in a second-hand bookshop in Culzean Castle, Scotland. Notes, postcards, old receipts, and photographs left behind by strangers are transformed into the lyrics of this evocative collection. The songs in ''Things Found In Books” tap into the magic of ordinary lives, offering a poignant reflection on nostalgia, longing, and human connection.
At its core, “Things Found In Books” celebrates those small, seemingly insignificant items that often tell the most profound stories. The album’s tracks echo with a sense of intimacy and mystery, reflecting on the emotions these forgotten treasures evoke. Opening with the title track, “The Things You Found In Books,” Lyon and Hewerdine immediately invite listeners into a world where past lives, lost stories, and hidden memories intertwine. The gentle melodies and reflective lyrics draw the listener into a quiet reverie, as if flipping through the pages of a dusty journal from someone else’s past.
The storytelling continues with tracks like “Marion And Sydney,” which evokes the characters of an old photograph or the letters wrapped in the scent of time. There’s a sense of wistfulness and yearning in Lyon’s voice, complemented by Hewerdine’s masterful instrumentation. The two artists bring the characters to life with their vivid songwriting, illustrating how music can give a voice to forgotten lives. In “Salvador Dali And Me,” Lyon and Hewerdine delve into the surreal, blending personal reflection with art history, creating a space where the boundaries between the two are beautifully blurred.
Musically, “Things Found In Books” is an exquisite blend of folk, Americana, and Celtic influences. Tracks like “Viennese Horses” and “Down By The Harbour” transport the listener to a simpler time, offering lush, atmospheric sounds that evoke images of coastal towns and winding streets. The arrangements are tender and rich, and the understated instrumentation allows Lyon’s haunting voice and Hewerdine’s delicate guitar work to take center stage. Each note seems to have a story of its own, adding layers of depth to the album’s themes of memory, place, and the passage of time.
The album’s emotional resonance is enhanced in songs like “Cabbage White” and “Navy Cut,” where themes of love, loss, and personal reflection come to the forefront. Lyon’s lyrics offer a delicate balance between vulnerability and strength, while Hewerdine’s production imbues the tracks with an air of quiet sophistication. The track “Baby Blue” feels like a lullaby, with a soothing melody and introspective lyrics that wrap the listener in a blanket of nostalgia and warmth.
In “Things Found In Books,” Lyon and Hewerdine also delve into the larger questions of life, as seen in tracks like “A Letter From The King” and “Hieroglyphics.” These songs are more expansive, shifting from the personal to the universal, exploring the nature of human existence and the fleeting nature of our memories. The album’s closing tracks, “Kate And The Missing Trees” and the “Hieroglyphics Reprise,” echo with a sense of quiet reflection and resolution, bringing the listener full circle on a journey of emotional discovery.
The album’s physical release is a true testament to the care and attention to detail that Lyon and Hewerdine have poured into the project. The bespoke hardback CD book is an extension of the music itself. As listeners leaf through its pages, they are invited to experience the stories behind the songs, diving deeper into the world that Lyon and Hewerdine have created. The tactile nature of the album serves as a perfect complement to the nostalgic and intimate feel of the music.
Both Yvonne Lyon and Boo Hewerdine bring a wealth of experience and artistry to “Things Found In Books.” Hewerdine, an Ivor Novello Award-nominated artist with a storied career that includes working with Eddi Reader and crafting timeless songs like “Patience of Angels,” lends his expertise as a producer and songwriter to the album. Lyon, known for her deeply poetic lyrics and emotionally resonant vocals, has built a reputation as one of the UK’s finest singer-songwriters. Their partnership is a natural one, as they each bring a unique voice to the album while also complementing each other in the creative process. Together, they have crafted a collection of songs that feels like a quiet treasure chest, filled with forgotten yet deeply meaningful memories.
“Things Found In Books” is a remarkable album that invites listeners to slow down, reflect, and rediscover the beauty in life’s most fleeting moments. It’s a journey through memory, loss, and connection, wrapped in the warmth of finely crafted melodies and evocative lyrics. This album is something to be felt, cherished, and experienced like the found objects that inspired it.
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