A musician famous for simple songs about complicated subjects is preparing to launch his latest album with a visit to Reading.
The Toothpaste and the Tube will be released in December, and folk artist Beans on Toast will launch it at The Golden Lion in Todmorden in West Yorkshire, as part of a tour that includes Reading’s The Facebar.
He says it delivered unfiltered takes on the environment’s dire straits, the UK political landscape, the ominous rhythm of war drums, and the impending AI revolution.
But, he promises, the album also delves into the lighter side of life, with reflections on parenthood, whimsical creatures, and the sheer bliss of a sea dip.
As part of the preparations, he launched a single called The Golden Lion, a paean to the magic and mythologies to be unearthed in the institution that is the Great British pub.
“The characters in The Golden Lion are real people, as is the bizarre history of the town that the song alludes to,” Beans says.
“I played a show at the pub last year and was so inspired by the town, the pub and its people that I couldn’t help but write a folk song about it.
“As with the town, the song is quintessentially English, mysterious and boozy.”
As for the title of the album, The Toothpaste and the Tube, Beans says it is indebted to that old adage that “you can’t put toothpaste back in the tube” – once something is said or done, it cannot be unsaid or undone, and actions have consequences.
“The title of this album is a fancy pants way of saying – it is what it is, which feels right for this collection of songs,” Beans says.
“Some of them deal with problems we face as humanity, and some of them celebrate family life or the legacy of a good boozer.
“There are also songs about losing a loved one or the joy of swimming in the sea. It feels to me like this record covers a lot of ground and a lot of varied subject matter which is nice, kinda like an old skool Beans on Toast record.”
There are 13 songs on the album, recorded with the help of blues duo Ferris and Sylvester.
Elsewhere, drummer and organ playing extraordinaire Ross Gordon lends his talents to the gospel-tinted grooves of Back Out On The Road and the powerful and touching Send Me A Bird.
There’s even space for a Beans on Toast bagpipes debut, on a heartfelt tribute to Sunny Sunny Scotland.
“We had a ball in the studio,” Beans says. “I think you can feel that when you listen to it. So, enjoy.”
The Toothpaste and the Tube is released on December 1, via BOT Music. The tour comes to The Boileroom in Guildford on Thursday, November 23, The Jerico Tavern in Oxford on Wednesday, December 6, and Tuesday, March 5 at The Facebar in Reading.
For more details, log on to: beansontoastmusic.com
