They’re from Edinburgh, capital city of Scotland. They have an EP, We Know Not What We Do, set for release on June 7th. And they’re ready to take the world by storm.
Shooting Stansfield is an indie folk band influenced by such groups as Frightened Rabbit (also based in Scotland), Bright Eyes, and The National. Their lineup consists of Stewart Douglas (guitar and vocals), Stephen Whipp (lead guitar and backing vocals), Craig Robertson (bass and backing vocals), and David Steel (drums and percussion).
The band came together in late 2009, growing from an open mic night on Lothian Road in Edinburgh. They continued to come into their own as musicians over the next year before putting out their first EP, Human Static, in 2010. Then, in 2011, the title track of their sophomore EP, Endeavour, soundtracked a feature film. Their journey next took them to a five day stop in a cottage on the banks of Loch Fyne in the Scottish Highlands; here they put together The Cottage Sessions and, by extension, their newest EP, We Know Not What We Do.
Shooting Stansfield’s music offers something for everyone. Some of their tunes, like No Greater Truths (video embedded), are entirely acoustic; others, such as Greater or Lesser (straight from We Know Not What We Do), feature a full four-piece contribution to the folk style. It always seems as if you can feel the emotion and drive Shooting Stansfield puts into their music throughout every riff and lyric. Perhaps their own website suffices this sentiment best: “We write melodic, guitar driven tunes with melody and purpose.”
As far as the future is concerned, Shooting Stansfield is presently working on their first studio album, which they may release as early as the end of this year. They are also planning a tour across the UK—and possibly even farther afield—in the coming months. Until then, check out shootingstansfield.com—they have plenty of samples of their music online, and you can learn more about and get in touch with the band. And who knows…with their drive and passion, don’t be surprised if Shooting Stansifeld has established themselves as the next big thing by the time you’re done.