As vinyl continues its massive comeback, independent artist Elles Bailey is proving that the format’s revival is about more than just nostalgia – it’s about a real connection with the punters. To mark the release of her latest album, Can’t Take My Story Away (out now via Cooking Vinyl and Outlaw Music), Bailey recently visited the Packaged Sounds factory in High Wycombe to personally press a single vinyl copy by hand. After signing and dating the record, she slipped it back into the production run as a surprise for one lucky fan.
That one-in-a-thousand record eventually turned up over 5,000 miles away in Arizona. The fan who bought it had no idea they were holding a unique, artist-made piece of the album’s history until they opened the post. For Bailey, this is what physical music is all about. She reckons that in an age of instant streaming, physical records allow fans to truly stand behind the music while letting artists build their careers on their own terms.
That grassroots approach is clearly working. Can’t Take My Story Away has been smashing the charts, debuting at #1 on both the Record Store Chart and the Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart. It also hit #5 on the Official Album Sales Chart and #14 on the Official Albums Chart overall—a massive result for an independent release driven by physical sales. The record was produced by Luke Potashnick and features a top-tier lineup, including Ethan Johns, resulting in an honest and vulnerable collection of songs that Bailey has been developing for nearly a decade.
The album has already earned four-star reviews from the likes of MOJO, who compared her vocal power to legends like Etta James and Janis Joplin. Following a sold-out run of record store shows and her single “Growing Roots” becoming a staple on BBC Radio 2, Bailey is now preparing to hit the road with her long-standing band for a string of headline dates and festival spots.
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UK Tour Dates:
- Thu 19th March — London, Islington Assembly Hall
- Fri 20th March — Warwick, Arts Centre
- Sat 21st March — Bristol, Electric
- Tue 24th March — Manchester, Band on the Wall
- Wed 25th March — Glasgow, St Luke’s
- Thu 26th March — Gateshead, Glasshouse 2
- Fri 27th March — Holmfirth, Picturedrome
- Sat 16th May — Nantwich Roots Festival
- Sun 24th May — Chipping Sodbury, The Ridings
- Mon 25th May — Sidmouth International Jazz and Blues Festival
- Fri 29th May — Wychwood Festival, Cheltenham Racecourse
- Fri 19th June — Beardy Folk Festival, Shropshire
- Sun 28th June — State Fayre, Essex
- Fri 4th September — British Country Music Festival, Blackpool
- Sun 11th October — Carlisle Blues, Rhythm and Rock Festival
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Header image by Kit Foster
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