Originally formed in Kilmarnock, Scotland by Ross Leighton (vocals and guitar) and Greg Walkinshaw (drums) in a physics class at school and initially called Energy!, the duo added bassist Marc Strain to its lineup and renamed itself Fatherson. In 2010, Fatherson released their debut EP, Where the Water Meets the Land, and after building a steady reputation with their live shows, they were handpicked by fellow Scottish indie outfit Idlewild to support them on their 100 Broken Windows anniversary tour. Following their change of name in 2010, the group put out their follow-up release, a self-titled EP in 2011, and went on to support the likes of Panic! At the Disco, Frightened Rabbit, and Admiral Fallow. The group's third single, "First Born," was released in 2012 and was followed by "Mine for Me" the following year. Fatherson headed into the studio in 2013 to set about recording their debut album, and that year also saw them recruit additional guitarist Chris Beltran for their line-up. The album, I Am an Island (influenced by the rich heritage of Scottish alternative music), was released early in 2014. The success of their debut encouraged them to return to the studio in 2015. Released in early 2016, their sophomore record, Open Book, showcased a more mature sound. They promoted the record on tour, selling out venues such as the London Scala and Glasgow's Barrowlands, and returned in 2018 with their third full-length effort, Sum of All Your Parts, which featured production work from Claudius Mittendorfer (Weezer, Johnny Marr). Following its release, the album peaked at number three on the Scottish album charts, before the group headed out on tour in support of the album. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Fatherson halted all touring and instead focused on writing and recording. Before any new material was recorded, an acoustic EP appeared that year, which saw them reworking a handful of tracks from their previous albums in a more intimate way, and it was in 2021 that the first fruits of their sessions would appear. Using their time wisely, the three-piece explored new musical territory, adding synths and more electronics into their guitar-driven sound. The singles "End of the World" and "Normal People" heralded their more expansive sound and their fourth album, Normal Fears, followed in early 2022. ~ Rich Wilson