Pocketbooks are a pop group from London, combining melodic harmonies, spiralling guitars and descriptive storytelling. The band members are Andy Hudson, Daniel Chapman, Emma Hall, Ian Cowen and Jonny Tansey.
They first introduced themselves to the world by appearing on the 2006 compilation 'The Kids At The Club' (How Does It Feel To Be Loved?) alongside indiepop favourites such as Voxtrot, I'm From Barcelona and Lucky Soul.
Since then, they've played gigs across the country, including headlining the first ever Indietracks event on a 1950s steam railway in Derbyshire in April 2007. This event has now turned into an annual two-day festival each July, which several of the band now help to organise. They've played shows with some fantastic bands, including The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, God Help The Girl, Art Brut, Fanfarlo, The Wedding Present, Darren Hayman and Monica Queen.
In 2008 they hit the summer festivals, including the Rip It Up festival (Sweden), Offset festival, The Mix festival in London, and a return to the Indietracks festival.
Their debut single, Cross The Line (Atomic Beat Records, 2007) was described by Simon Armitage as “pure snowshaker pop, and more dressing table than kitchen sink”. This was followed by an EP, Waking UP (Make Do And Mend Records, 2008), which Losing Today described as “Spring-ushering tinglesome guitars, softly shy eyed lilting melodies and hopelessly lovelorn boy / girl harmonies.”
Their debut album, Flight Paths, was released on 13 July 2009 on the How Does It Feel To Be Loved? label. This was preceeded by a single, Footsteps, on 15 June. Songs from the album picked up radio play from Huw Stephens (BBC Radio 1), Kissy Sell Out (BBC Radio 1), Gideon Coe (BBC 6Music) and John Kennedy (Xfm). The album contains the single Footsteps and the track Fleeting Moments, which appears on the Rough Trade Shops Indiepop '09 compilation.
Their second album, Carousel, was released on 19 September 2011 on Odd Box Records, following the release of the single Promises, Promises in July 2011. The band were joined for the album recording by violin players from A Little Orchestra. Songs from the album picked up radio play from Gideon Coe (BBC 6Music). Gary Crowley (BBC London) and Rocker (Dandelion Radio).
Pocketbooks have played live shows across the UK, Europe and the United States, including festival appearances at Lemon Pop, Offset, Indietracks and Rip It Up, and popfests in London, Edinburgh, New York and San Francisco.
