Lonely The Brave

Formed in Cambridge in 2009, Lonely The Brave quickly emerged as one of the most exciting new voices in alternative rock. Originally self-releasing their debut Backroads EP in 2010, the band signed to the comparably heavy Hassle Records for a 2013 re-release.

Then comprising vocalist David Jakes, guitarist Mark Trotter, bassist Andrew Bushen and drummer Gavin Edgeley, Lonely The Brave celebrated coveted slots at major UK festivals prior to releasing their debut album. Invited to perform at Reading & Leeds Festival for consecutive years and making a triumphant appearance at Download Festival, their rise was secured through eclectic support slots for the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Deftones.

The band's debut album arrived in 2014. It was decided that the band's epic, atmospheric compositions required an extra pair of hands, providing the catalyst for the addition of second guitarist Ross Smithwick. Still working with Hassle Records, The Day's War saw Lonely The Brave sign an international deal with Columbia Records. Upon release, the album reached No.14 on the official UK album chart, in part due to support from leading tastemakers Zane Lowe and Daniel P Carter. A deluxe reissue followed a year later.

It wasn't long before Lonely The Brave were back in the studio, this time with producer Ross Orton (Artic Monkeys) for the follow-up Things Will Matter. The record saw the band experiment with stronger dynamics, building even further on the orchestral nature of their debut. Reimagined songs with a wider range of instruments formed the basis for the Redux release in 2017.

In 2018, vocalist and principle lyricist David Jakes parted ways with the band, citing a desire to focus on his mental health. "I’m afraid the problems I’ve been having, with touring and playing live, have made things really difficult concerning my mental health side of things," his statement read. "Sorry I couldn’t push on through it."

Later that year, the band announced the addition of new vocalist Jack Bennett. Having made a name for himself under his solo project moniker Grumble Bee, Bennett made his live debut with Lonely The Brave in October 2018. However, it would be two more years until the band emerged with new material. Their Bound single dropped through Easy Life Records in April 2020, previewing the release of their third studio album, The Hope List, in January 2021. The band also announced a headline show at London's Boston Music Rooms for April 2021 to celebrate.