Beware of Trains, the symphonic chamber pop ensemble hailing from the picturesque landscapes of Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire , has set the stage ablaze with their latest festive single, Forever Home. With careful precision in mixing and co-production by Darren Allison, this song assures itself as a timeless inclusion in your holiday playlist.
The duo, comprising Yorkshire’s very own singer/songwriter Leighton Jones and the rare soprano talent Marie Claire Breen from Scotland, boasts a musical concoction they affectionately term as “Symphonic chamber pop and Music Hall for hapless romantics, shimmering strings, heavenly harmonies and a dollop of Disney on the side!”.
“Forever Home stands out as a great title to explore that sense of longing and belonging the phrase conjures, at a time of year that is difficult for many people,” explains Jones. ‘Forever Home’ is a bittersweet symphonic festive tale that transports us into a snow globe and whisks us away through snowy Yorkshire fields and skies, revelling in the spirit of homecoming the festive season brings whilst reflecting on the passing years and sadness of saying goodbye to the people and places we love.
The genesis of this enchanting musical collaboration traces back to 2014, a chance meeting in the whimsical setting of an operatic variety show housed within the back of a converted articulated lorry turned touring theatre. Leighton Jones, a seasoned performer known for his melancholic piano ballads, and Marie Claire Breen, heralded by The Daily Mail as a soprano of rare fluency, found common ground in their love for performance, musical theatre, and influences like Kate Bush and The Divine Comedy.
Jones recounts the serendipitous encounter, “I’d been a songwriter and performer in Scotland since 2001, touring as keyboardist for Celtic Fusion act ‘The Peatbog Faeries’, performing in piano bars around Glasgow and playing The Edinburgh Fringe with my folk quartet ‘The Dead Man’s Waltz’. Then all of a sudden I was stunned to land a part in a Scottish Opera show and find myself crammed into the back of a lorry with a cast of pro actors and Opera singers. Then hearing Marie Claire sing ‘Donizetti’ for the first time, I fell in love and didn’t want the show to end…so it didn’t!”
Returning to their Yorkshire roots, Beware of Trains launched into the music scene in 2019 with two soul-stirring singles. However, it was their performance at ‘A Kitmas Concert’ in Bradford Cathedral, alongside members of Leeds Opera North, that truly set the stage for their festive endeavors. Inspired by the Allerton Cat Rescue center’s slogan, the duo crafted Forever Home, a bittersweet symphonic festive tale that delicately explores the themes of longing and belonging during a time of year often filled with mixed emotions.
As the holiday season draws near, Beware of Trains is gearing up for a UK tour spanning December 1st to 3rd, captivating audiences in Halifax, Newcastle, and Glasgow. Accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Laura McIntosh, a lecturer at Leeds Conservatoire, their live shows guarantee an abundance of symphonic chamber pop originals, honoring influential figures such as Kate Bush, Neil Hannon, and Orlando Weeks.
On November 17, Forever Home and its exclusive limited-edition artwork will be available for purchase and download on Bandcamp.
1st December – HALIFAX, Square Chapel Arts
2nd December – NEWCASTLE, The Globe Theatre
3rd December – GLASGOW, The Old Hairdressers
TICKETS bewareoftrains.co.uk
