Nothing Age is to be the latest album from Edinburgh indie-americana collective Boulder Fields, following on from the success of their 2024 debut, based around the writing of singer-songwriter and writer of this parish, Cam Fraser. The album was recorded and produced by Graeme Young, with guitarist Jamie Watson sharing the production duties. The lead single Not Concerned is out now, and the album is available from the 27th of September on vinyl, CD and download.
The struggle for validation is a theme that runs through many of the new songs: an estranged father wondering if he can ever grow enough to repair his damaged relationship with the mother of his child; a vulnerable woman’s realization she’s being crushed by an abusive partner; clinging onto your own truth in a relationship built on lies; the futility of living in denial in a failing relationship; the struggle not to become defined by overwhelming grief… Fraser says, “I don’t think these are sad songs… not really. I like to think of them more as songs about existing in an often-saddening world.”
Bass player Aly Barr has been playing Cam’s songs for “longer than either of them would like to admit”, but as well as being good friends, he brings not only bass playing, but also his vocal harmonies. Barr’s additional contributions include persuading Mark Bray to step up and play drums on the album when a late-stage scheduling conflict ruled out the previous incumbent. The shift to the low-key, minimalist approach sought by the producers was a huge challenge for Bray, who had been much more used to playing heavy prog rock, but “he did everything asked of him and more – and apparently even managed to have a great time doing it.”
“Aly also suggested his daughter, Martha Barr, might be willing to help out with some additional vocals. Already an established artist in her own right, Martha (aka Indoor Foxes) arrived the next day with the minimum preparation but maximum energy.” Fraser elaborates, “whilst other fine contributions were Reuben Taylor playing accordion on ‘Outside Hope’ and a special thanks to our old friend, Andrew Tully, for a beautiful and moving piece of spoken word on Secret Is. Early on, while working together with Cam on their respective guitar parts, Jamie suggested that, alongside his invaluable contribution on guitar, he would also like to produce the album.”
He certainly had the credentials, having set up Edinburgh’s Chamber Studio in the 1980s and, from there, produced indie albums for artists such as The Vaselines, The Shop Assistants, Snow Patrol, and many others.
“So, it was never in any doubt that we were going to make the album at Chamber Studio. Jamie had sold the studio a decade and a half before, but he’d remained close friends with the new owner, Graeme Young. I worked with Jamie way back in the early days when I was in The Cateran, my hardcore band.” Fraser continues, “In more recent times, I’d worked with Graeme on two albums before establishing Boulder Fields (The Reference Shelf and Borrowed Books), but despite their friendship and previous history with Chamber, Jamie and Graeme had never worked together to produce an album.”
The final mixes were mastered by Ed Woods and pressed at Scotland’s only pressing plant, Seabass Vinyl. The album cover photography, artwork, and layout were done by Eiko Emersleben. It’s available to preorder here and in the meantime you can listen to the single below.
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