Ahead of the release of their new album The Great White Sea Eagle, James Yorkston, Nina Persson and The Second Hand Orchestra have shared the single “The Harmony.” Yorkston’s and Persson’s voices intertwine over delicate plucking of cello and violin as they sing: “But harmony, it has escaped me, and the world becomes too fast”.

Yorkston and Persson’s favorite song from the record, Yorkston says of “The Harmony”: “This is a duet love song that we recorded one evening, after most of the Second Hand Orchestra had left for home. It has that beautiful woozy sound music has when everything is just working together perfectly. It’s intimate, and a favourite.”

The Great White Sea Eagle follows The Wide, Wide River by James Yorkston and The Second Hand Orchestra. The new record began life in early 2021 when Yorkston starting writing songs on the piano for the first time as he gazed upon the sea outside his Cellardyke studio window.

After sending the first five or six songs to Karl-Jonas Winqvist (the ringleader/conductor of TSHO), they began to discuss working on the music together. With Yorkston’s shift from guitar to piano, they thought about what other changes they could make to their process which led to the involvement of a guest singer and the legendary Nina Persson (The Cardigans) was brought into the fold.

Whilst there is a lightness in sound to The Great White Sea Eagle, there is a dark humour throughout and the album conveys a rich message about life and grief, family and nature. The Great White Sea Eagle follows the release of Yorkston’s second novel The Book of the Gaels, recently declared Book of the Month in The Times.

James Yorkston, Nina Persson and members of The Second Hand Orchestra will be heading out on UK tour next February, additionally Yorkston has a string of solo dates and two Scandinavian shows with Nina Persson to round out the year.

James Yorkston, Nina Persson and members of The Second Hand Orchestra 2023 Tour dates

February 1 – The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen ~
February 3 – Summerhall, Edinburgh ~
February 4 – Celtic Connections, Glasgow ~
February 5 – Future Yard, Birkenhead ~
February 6 – Jazz Café, London ~
February 7 – YES, Manchester ~
February 8 – The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge ~ (sold out)
February 9 – Warwick Arts Centre, Warwick ~
February 10 – Louisiana, Bristol ~
February 11 – St Stephens in the High Street, Exeter ~
February 12 – Komedia Theatre, Brighton ~

Purchase tickets for James Yorkston, Nina Persson and The Second Hand Orchestra HERE

Purchase The Great White Sea Eagle, James Yorkston, Nina Persson and The Second Hand Orchestra HERE