Having spent the past 30 years balancing a career in bookselling with his sideline as a singer songwriter, Paul Armfield has finally reconciled the two worlds in an album of songs about books and reading. With his intimate baritone and warm stage presence, his renditions of these literate, witty songs, accompanied only by his guitar and musical saw will leave you completely charmed.

About the album ‘Between The Covers - 9 Songs For Bibliophiles’

When veteran bookseller Paul sat down in early 2024 to start writing songs for what would be his 9th release, the first two songs that stumbled out were both about books, something he had not intended, but he went with the flow and wrote three more on the same subject. He said ‘It was surprisingly cathartic, having spent nearly 30 years balancing a career in bookselling with a double life in music, it felt like finally my two worlds were being reconciled.’ Invited by his friend and producer Max Braun to spend 4 days recording with a small ensemble of accomplished jazzmen at the same studio in Stuttgart that produced 2020’s ‘Domestic’, Paul set off to record the five songs along with a selection of other people’s songs about books, the result is an album of 9 very individual songs, Paul’s originals being sandwiched between 4 cover versions, hence the punny title, ‘Between The Covers’.

 

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‘Everything about Up Here is exceptional. Breathtaking’ Simon Holland on Folk Radio

'I love 'YOU'! Best song I have heard in ages' Rolling Stones producer Chris Kimsey

‘Gorgeous..beautiful, positive and amazing. Ace!’ Lauren Laverne BBC 6 Music

‘Exquisite, extraordinary, almost unbearably beautiful’ James McNair in Mojo

'A lovely lyric, a spellbinding song. This is really beautiful' Guy Garvey

‘Heartbreakingly beautiful. An Album to be treasured’ Electric Ghost

‘A voice that could make the Needles crumble’ The Word magazine

‘Spooky, affecting folkish singer-songwriterliness’ Time Out

'As toasty and lovely as Christmas morning' Caitlin Moran

'A Perfect example of English songwriting’ Maverick

‘Lovely, lovelorn songs’ Nigel Williamson in Uncut

‘An incredible collection of songs’ iD magazine

'Your album is the dogs!' Chris Difford

’Distinctively amazing’ Rudimental

‘A revelation’ The Scotsman