Beans on Toast returns this Winter with a new studio album: Survival of the Friendliest.
Released on 1st December 2021 via his own BOT Music imprint, it’s a record all about hope, positivity and camaraderie that chooses to celebrate the very best of human nature.
Its first single is A Beautiful Place; a pastoral folk/rock song that finds an artist blown away by the beauty to be seen in humanity, history and our place in the galaxy.
As Beans says:
“A Beautiful Place is hopeful, optimistic and downright happy. A celebration of humanity at large, the beauty of the world and the randomness of our existence.” he says. “It’s fresh, fun and will put a smile across your face.”
With a smouldering, gently epic sound, A Beautiful Place was brought to life by Blaine Harrison of the Mystery Jets, who produced and plays on Survival of the Friendliest.
The song is accompanied by a bespoke lyric video shot on The Street in Whitstable, Kent (where Beans has come to settle in recent times), which captures a rare natural phenomenon of a pathway leading out into the sea at low tide. Directed by Beans and filmed by old school friend Curtis Walsh; with the spirit of collaboration among friends also happens to be something of a recurrent theme throughout his upcoming album.
Written early-on in 2021, Survival of the Friendliest is a direct reaction to the dreariness of those hard Winter months. Sidelining the endless negativity of social media, Beans turned back to nature and began to focus squarely on the brighter-sides and silver-linings of life, from a time when they seemed few and far between. The result is a record that finds the long-established protest singer changing his tune to one of eternal hope and optimism, peace and possibilities.
With every fibre made with a little help from his friends, the cover art for the album is by London based painter Georgie Mason, a pal who Beans met at Glastonbury a few years back; whereas its stunning visual accompaniments (to be revealed in due course) were made by old school friend and wildlife photographer: Curt Walsh.
An album about friendship, about creativity and humanity and about why those three things are important, Survival of the Friendliest is exactly what the world needs now.
In support of the new album, Beans on Toast will be touring some of the UK’s finest independent venues with his brand new live band, which will feature many of the artists who contributed to the record. Split into two runs, tickets go on sale Friday 24th September and support comes from Camden’s finest KITTY LIV. He will perform at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds on February 25th, The Leadmill in Sheffield on February 27th and Social in Hull on March 1st.