Skinny Lister are one of those rare bands that never seem to pause. If they’re not on the road, they’re in the studio, always creating, always moving. Which makes it all the more surprising that “Songs From the Yonder” is their first album in two years. The wait, however, has been worth it.
Even by their own high standards, this is a superb record. One that doesn’t just embrace tradition—it wraps itself in it completely, sounding less like it’s from “Yonder” and more like it’s been unearthed from another time entirely.
Take “Yorkshire Belle” for instance: its traditional air and primal, timeless rhythm suggest it might be a cover of some long-lost folk classic. It isn’t, though—and that’s the magic of Skinny Lister. They write songs that feel like they’ve always existed.
That same spirit carries into “Set Us Straight,” which conjures the image of being recorded in a raucous tavern, pints in hand, as voices rise above the din. The band themselves say it best: “half a squillion quid goes up the spout.” That’s the kind of world these songs inhabit—lively, raw, and full of character.
The title track, “Song From the Yonder,” shifts the mood. It plays like the morning after, full of reflection and longing for home. The duet format allows Lorna Thomas’s vocals to take centre stage, adding warmth and vulnerability to the record. There’s a Celtic quality to it all, something timeless that threads through the entire album.
“Plough On” perfectly exemplifies what Skinny Lister do best—bridging folk and punk with gutsy, unshakable optimism. In a world that often feels chaotic and bleak (especially in these Reform UK, Faragian times), this song reminds us that not everything is broken as long as music like this exists.
Elsewhere, “Tumbling Into Something” breezes in like a welcome blast of summer air, while “Bristol Bound” feels tailor-made for their legendary live shows. It captures the essence of the band—unfiltered energy, communal spirit, and the sense that you’re part of something bigger.
“Drinking Song” may playfully acknowledge that “the world don’t need another drinking song,” but it delivers one anyway—and does so with style, raising the flagons once more.
Despite clocking in at just over half an hour, there’s real breadth here. “Everything” is a harmony-laden beauty, followed by the equally heartfelt “Back Into the Battle.” Then there’s “Brave The Waves,” which could ignite a ceilidh dancefloor in a heartbeat.
Skinny Lister have always celebrated the good times, and “Glass To Our Days” is a perfect toast to that ethos. This is classic Skinny Lister: raw, raucous, and riotous. But there’s growth here too—a band evolving, not content to stand still.
Their kinetic energy continues to shine, wherever these songs have come from.
Rating: 8/10
