‘Knock You Down’ is a coming of age anthem, which finds Ferris & Sylvester using Mellotron flutes and cellos to inject a wistful psychedelic touch into their unique blend of folk, blues and Americana. The nostalgic accompanying video sees the band recording the song in their home studio. Shot on film, it captures their creative process, including Archie tracking drums in the living room and Issy dancing through her vocal take.
Regarding the song Ferris & Sylvester say, “We are so excited to have this song out in the world. We decided to take this somewhere different, away from anything we have done before. For us it feels like the most personal song from the collection, referencing our own childhood nostalgia, like learning about Vikings and pink icing on Fridays.
“There’s such a pressure on people to reach their goals and dreams as quickly as possible. It can make you feel older than you are, wishing that you could be younger, braver and more free. Making this one was a lot of fun and we hope it awakens the confident, daring child inside the listener.”
‘Knock You Down’ follows the release of the EP’s lead single and title track ‘I Should Be On A Train’ earlier this month. The explosive blues ballad was quick to draw great praise, including strong support from Bob Harris on his Radio 2 show, while it led BBC Introducing South West to feature the band as their ‘Artist Of The Week’. Ferris & Sylvester were featured as ‘Legends Of The Future’ by Sunday People and the song has continued to receive critical praise from the likes of American Songwriter, Maverick Magazine and many more.
The forthcoming I Should Be On A Train EP also features the previously released single ‘Everyone Is Home’, described by Clash Magazine as“the duo’s very own isolation anthem”, as well the brand new song ‘Good Man’ with its groove-laden riffs and Ravi Shankar influences. The EP closes with a cover of The Beatles’ ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’, inspired by their lockdown livestreams where they shared a new cover every week with their fans and also raised money to help local venues stay in business via the Music Venue Trust, of which they are patrons.
The I Should Be On A TrainEP finds Ferris & Sylvester thriving in the world’s state of transition, taking the opportunity to explore new territories, spurred on by the success of the past and looking forward to the future.
Ferris & Sylvester have made a distinct mark on the live scene both in the UK and across the Atlantic. This is set to continue in 2021 as they have announced their largest headline shows for next year. The band will tour the UK throughout February and March, with a London headline show at Lafayette on March 1st. The band will then head off for a six date tour across the US and Canada. Tickets are available here and full tour dates can be found below:
UK HEADLINE TOUR DATES
FEBRUARY
25th– Exeter, Cavern
26th– Nottingham, Metronome
28th– Brighton, Green Door Store
MARCH
1st– London, Lafayette
3rd– Manchester, Night & Day
4th– Leeds, Hyde Park Book Club
6th– Glasgow, King Tuts
7th– Bristol, The Exchange
US & CANADA HEADLINE TOUR DATES
MARCH
25th– Los Angeles, Hotel Café
27th– Chicago, Martyr’s
30th– Nashville, High Watt
APRIL
1st– Washington DC, Songbyrd
2nd– New York City, Rockwood Music Hall
3rd– Toronto, Drake Hotel
I SHOULD BE ON A TRAIN EP TRACK LISTING
- I Should Be On A Train
- Knock You Down
- Everyone Is Home
- Good Man
- With A Little Help From My Friends
ACCLAIM FOR FERRIS & SYLVESTER
“A rich and fully realised sound that leaves you pining for a full length”
Rolling Stone
“A masterpiece of Brit Folk that should already have made them household names”
MOJO
“Rage-ridden brilliance. One of the best songs of the last five years”
Sarah Gosling, BBC Introducing
“Alt Simon & Garfunkel… dreamy pop with spikey sentiments”
The Guardian
"A great band, with lovely harmonies who opened for us last year. I’m sure they’ll continue to go from strength to strength"
Robert Plant
“Amazing band”
Frank Turner
“From bluesy guitars that storm and shimmer to unison vocals that build to a massive group sing-along. It heads straight for the brain's joy receptors, and damned if it doesn't hit its target”
NPR
“Their contagious blend of country and rambunctious rockabilly is beautifully delivered”
The Independent
“Sluicing together Americana-leanings with elements of blues, soul, and even a dash of pop, the pair seemed to tap into something primal”
Clash
“Pure, furious and carnal bluesy rock'n'roll”
Gigwise
“A major new talent.”
Richard Madeley, Radio 2
“Something very special indeed”
Ricky Ross, BBC Radio Scotland
