Press

Even For A Shadow Release 03 May 2024

‘Even Like A Shadow’ is the fifth solo album from singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ray Cooper and comes twelve years after leaving Oysterband with whom he spent two decades recording and touring the world.This album has a road theme and features guest appearances from Kathryn Roberts, Ben Paley, Emma Härdelin, Sunniva Bondesson and many others.

Ray says: ‘A journey, and a long one, over forty solo tours in the last twelve years and a lot of time to think. I get many of my song ideas when I am driving; it is also the only time I listen to music.
These songs are my memories, imagined conversations and thoughts.
This album is like a car journey and the kind of radio I would like to hear, but rarely find’

Although Ray recorded most of the instruments himself, using piano, guitars, cello, bass, harmonica, harmonium, mandolin, percussion and kantele, he got support from John Eriksson (Peter Björn and John) on drums, Gustav Andersson on piano, Ben Paley on the fiddle, Anders Peev on the nyckelharpa and Hamburg church musicians on trumpets and trombones. He also recorded vocal duets with three different singers: Emma Härdelin (Garmarna, Triakel), Sunniva Bondesson (Baskery) and Kathryn Roberts (Equation, Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman duo).

After the eight original compositions and three traditional songs newly arranged by Ray, the album ends with the well-known Jimmy Webb song “Adios”.

The album was recorded in Ray’s studio in Sweden. Additional overdubs were added in Devon, Hamburg and Berlin. Al Scott was at the mixing desk in Brighton.

In 2024, Ray Cooper will be touring in the UK in October and in Germany for two tours in May and September.

Biography:

Ray Cooper started playing in bands at the age of sixteen. After studying at Art College in Brighton, he became a member of the punk band Amazorblades, moved to London and began working with other bands and genres. He was already an experienced session musician and had worked with producers such as Steve Lillywhite, Martin Rushent, Phil Chevron, Joe Jackson, Pete Bellotte, Aki Dean, and Edwin Starr when he became a member of 3 Mustaphas 3 in 1982.

He then moved repeatedly between rock, punk, pop and world music, working as a singer, bassist and cellist before joining the Oysterband and embarking on a long journey to his own roots. In 2000, Cooper moved to Sweden, but continued to work with the Oysterband, with whom he performed in 27 countries and recorded many albums. In 2012 the band won three BBC Radio 2 “Folk Awards” for Best Group, Best Album and Best Traditional Track, appeared on the Later with Jools Holland show and were declared one of the three “Icons of Folk” by FROOTS magazine. Despite the great success, Cooper decided to leave the band in 2013 and start a solo career, which he has since successfully pursued with four albums to date. Two of them were nominated for the German Record Critics’ Prize.

Reviews of Ray Cooper’s latest album Even For A Shadow:

Spirit Rocks

‘This album is sure to captivate fans of folk music as well as those who appreciate thoughtful song-writing and masterful musicianship’

Folking.com

“Even For A Shadow is a sublime singer-songwriter album from Ray Cooper, … this music has the always relevant attitude, with many a melody to burn.”

Reviews of Ray Cooper’s fourth album Land Of Heroes:

Maverick magazine

‘Land of Heroes proves to be an exceptional album from an awe-inspiring musician and a must in any music lovers collection’

RnR magazine

‘…it will draw you in, like Scandi noir television, and you’ll keep going back for more’.

The Beat

‘If Leonard Cohen and Jacqueline du Pré had produced a child, they would have named him Ray Cooper…..my new favourite CD’

Albums

2024 CD and 180g vinyl LP ‘Even For A Shadow’

2023 CD single and remixes ‘Falling Like Thunder’

2021  CD and 180g vinyl LP ‘Land of Heroes

2018  CD and Gold Vinyl LP ‘Between The Golden Age And The Promised Land

2015  Songbook:  ‘Ray Cooper Songs

2014  CD ‘Palace Of Tears

2010  CD ‘Tales of Love War and Death by Hanging

Ray Cooper and the Swedish Kitchen Orchestra Info (english/svenska, pdf 31 kb)

Downloads

Posters

Download tour poster A2 (pdf / 21 mb)

Download tour poster A3 (pdf / 20 mb)

Downoad tour poster A4 (pdf / 20 mb)

Press release / biog

English Press release Ray Cooper-Even For A Shadow (pdf, 159 kb)

German Press release Ray Cooper – Even For A Shadow  (pdf, 159 kb)

Photo gallery

To download, click on “Download high res” and save with right mouse click.

Photos by Kerstin Maier