Stoney

What is it like to be more than an animal? Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Mark Stoney, attempts to address this inquiry with his new album. More Than Animals was generated by a muse bug that started a little over a decade ago in Sheffield, a city in South Yorkshire, England. Stoney was about eighteen years old when he bravely took his first self-made record to a local music shop. This is where he first caught the bug. And, like most creative bugs, the bug did not go away.

Stoney's first brush with the promise of grandeur happened in the Sheffield's underground music scene, where he shared the stage with the Arctic Monkeys. As well, many musicians and music experts sung praises on Stoney's behalf; the press and radio applauded him. Even Rick Rubin asked Stoney to meet-up with him in LA to perform a private showcase. But all this recognition was as idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean, so he moved on to the other side of the world --Austin, Texas.

Texas may conjure up images of conservative, mainstream energies. But, Stoney set up home with a community of poets and painters where the sun could shine on him. His songs pick up the energy of emigrating not only geographically, but also emotionally. To be more than an animal is to have two sides: one being soft and sensitive and the other dark and edgy. Perhaps what he didn't accomplish in the U.K., he might accomplish in the U.S.

The album, which clocks in about forty-five minutes, is poetic. It cohesively portrays the struggle of fighting off the beast that treads close behind. In addition to the beast -- the Albatross hangs around the neck like a curse.More Than Animals is daunting and ends with the same level of trepidation it begins. The only hope is a good dose of penance that might make way for a path of second chances.

When one is more than an animal, the struggle with the dark side can only be defeated with tenderness. And this is what the album is about, the mellow up against the eerie. Songs like "We Belonged" and "Albatross" are compassionately heartfelt while "Devil On My Back" and "The Score" are devilishly menacing.

Stoney is a musician with grit, striving to be different from the herd. In his voice, one can hear the U.K. and the U.S. Most of all, the album is diverse and worthy of the attention that creative bug so desperately wants. - Huffington Post

“...And I thought baroque pop was dead. Austin-via-Sheffield musician Stoney has created the most grand and courtly record in years, completely unlike anything else being made today...”
— the Big takeover Magazine - The Big Takeover Magazine

Singer-songwriter Stoney recently spent his winter months in Austin, Tex., but wrote, recorded and produced a large batch of songs in small, dark rooms in Sheffield (U.K.) over the last few years. The British singer-songwriter recalls a younger David Bowie with the dapper swagger of The Kinks. He can easily switch between coy rock songs about nightlife and Elliott Smith-inspired bedroom folk. - NPR

Ladies and gentleman, may I present to you the best album of 2014. Yes, you read that right, 2014. The year has just begun, but the album I am about to tell you about is already a strong contender. We receive some great submissions here at Wordkrapht, but this one in particular has me wanting to speak in the first person and risk all credibility with my editor, that’s how good it is. At the end of the album after only one listen I wanted to stand up and applaud (OK, maybe I actually did, or maybe I just did a little dance.) I really love my job.

Stoney’s album, More Than Animals (release date January 14, 2014) is an album that should grace the top of everyone’s “Must Listen” list. Mark Stoney is a brilliant multi-instrumentalist and an even more talented song-writer. Moving from the UK to Texas for some “sunshine and change” proved to be a great move on his part. From his side project/band, Bobby Jealousy, making waves in the Austin scene and beyond it seems like Stoney is well loved where ever he travels. More Than Animals is his first venture back into his solo work since his 2011 release, The Soar Before EP. 12 songs long (and yes you will wish it were longer), this album is filled with larger-than-life arrangements and vivid lyrics so personal you’ll wonder if he’s taking passages straight from his diary. The word-play is extremely impressive as well so if you have the chance, take a look at lyrics as the music plays. It’s easy to get swept up in this emotionally charged journey he is taking us on, and with the subject matter covered in each song relatable it still feels fresh because it’s told in such a unique way. From powerful anthems to gentle ballads, this album has it all (and everything in between).



Stoney’s style of electro folk has been compared to the likes of solo McCartney, Beck, Super Furry Animals and Ed Harcourt. While listening to the theatrics of More Than Animals however, even Queen may come to mind. “Devil On My Back”, “Cock of The Walk” and “Round Here” show off Stoney’s versatility as a song-writer, while tracks like “We Belonged” and “Wanderlust” are simply breathtaking. All in all, the album is a smash hit from beginning to end. This is passionate music from an artist who is being honest with himself and his audience, and it doesn’t get better than that.

Check the links at the bottom for more information and don’t miss out on yet another amazing artist! - Wordkrapht.com

"Texas via New Yorkshire is an unconventional journey. But Croydon-born multi-instrumentalist Mark Stoney isn't afraid to take the scenic route as this gem of a debut shows. Packed with invention, and sounding a bit like Lee Mavers jamming with the Super Furries with Beck on production duties, he ain't no monkey either."
8/10 - NME

The latest addition to the burgeoning ranks of Sheffield's resurgent music scene, Mark Stoney combines streetwise lyrical observations akin to the Arctic Monkeys' ("You saw the red mist/ You were horny and pissed") with a more complex musical approach that prompts comparisons with several generations of UK legends. The results refuse to be corralled by genre on an album where folksy guitar ballads rub shoulders with heavy blues-rock. One moment the gifted lone operator affects the kind of trenchant rock-riff panache associated with the younger Bowie, the next he's rattling off urban nightlife images with the droll elegance of The Kinks, observing how, "Everything runs like clockwork/ It all hangs out when you stop work". Playing virtually everything himself, Stoney+ creates arrangements whose depth and quirky complexity recalls Beck's earlier work, if Beck had been into 1970s psychedelia rather than hip-hop and folk-blues. The single "Soap in a Bathtub" is typically entertaining, with its stealthy verses stomped on by ELO-sized choruses - just one of a myriad idiosyncratic sonic strategies pursued successfully here. **** - The Independent

Singer and multi-instrumentalist Stoney (born Mark Stoney) is well known in his homeland of the U.K., but you might not be familiar with his name quite yet. You have probably heard some of his songs, however, as the musician’s indie/alternative/rock/pop sound has been featured in a variety of television shows and he is a prominent songwriter and performer in England.

After a Stateside performance at the South By Southwest festival a couple years ago, Stoney decided to pack up and move to Austin, TX, where he currently resides. What happens when you move a Brit to the American South? A lot, apparantly. He set up home and set up shop, with a studio where he recorded his latest album.

More Than Animals, released January 14, is going to be a little more sophisticated and dark than his previous albums, so you can expect it to get a little more personal. His sound has been compared to David Bowie and Beck; in fact, NPR called him "a younger David Bowie with the dapper swagger of The Kinks." And who can argue with NPR?

That’s not all that Stoney was doing in Texas -- he also formed a new band upon arrival called Bobby Jealousy that specializes in a “dirt-pop” sound and some super high-energy performances. He toured for a while with the band before switching back to his solo work, which is where we find him now.

The single “We Belonged” off the new album offers a look into the talented instrumental arrangements he specializes in. He can commonly be found on the keyboards and the guitar. The song is one of the more folk-oriented tracks on the album and provides a nice contrast to the more high-energy options. Stoney isn’t really tied down to one genre because, truly, he can make a good song from them all and pull off a complex arrangement that feels familiar but new all at once.



“Devil on My Back” is one of the more alternative rock songs on the album and deals with restless demons in a darker but ultimately catchy way. Stoney has a gentle lift to his voice that works well for lighter songs and evokes thoughts about London history, but then it easily lends itself to full-bodied, more rock-type songs as well. He is a true talent… if we’re lucky, he’ll stick around in the States for a while.

You can stream More Than Animals via Bandcamp and SoundCloud. Keep up with Stoney via Facebook, Twitter, Reverbnation, and his Official Website. - Young Hollywood

“... A concise, brilliantly arranged 12-track effort void of filler. Stoney is back with his strongest and most diverse LP to date..”
— UrB.com - URB.com

Once again to Sheffield, scene of the "New Yorkshire" rock revolution where Mark Stoney has been impressing everyone from super producer
Rick Rubin to Radio 2 DJ Bob Harris. Deservedly so, his album is lyrically sharp but defies classification as he runs the gamut of the best pop over the past 40 years. Bits of Bowie, Syd Barrett, Ray Davies, Beck, even ELO float by and every song is a great new experience.
4/5 CG
- The Sunday Express

Mark Stoney, aka Stoney, is a multi-instrumentalist songwriter whose escalating career has made waves, both in Britain and America. His first full length album, The Scene & The Unseen, gained column inches in major British newspapers and airplay on BBC Radio. Stoney has played at such iconic festivals as Glastonbury, Leeds/Reading and Austin’s SXSW and toured with big names such as the Arctic Monkeys, Athlete and Laura Marling. Some of his previous songs have even appeared in UK and US films and TV programmes. So does his latest release, More Than Animals (January 14th, 2014) live up to expectations? Thankfully, yes.

Stoney plays almost all instruments on More Than Animals and produces too. He has been likened to many artists and genres, but his style is not easily distilled. What shines through is an ear for a rollicking good rhythm, crisp vocals and some of the most expressive, inventive lyrics I’ve ever come across.

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He certainly straddles the Atlantic, having originally come from a London suburb, moved to Sheffield, that hotbed of original talent, and finally relocated to Austin, Texas. Whatever he’s soaked up on the way, More Than Animals emerges as his original take.

Some songs have an epic, theatrical quality, with soaring choruses that, for me, rekindled 1980s sounds, as on Sweet Release and The Score, the latter a worthy nod to Gary Numan. There’s even a hint of musical theatre in terms of melody, albeit with a rock sensibility. But Stoney can be softly delicate too, on the slower, sparser acoustic tracks such as We Belonged, Albatross and Wanderlust. Bittersweet melancholy is part of his DNA.

Devil On My Back is a prime example of his talent for a driving rhythm, this one enhanced by dark lyrics narrating a spiral into despair. Also destined to bring out the beast in you is Round Here, a quiet bit of bluesy slide guitar kicking into hillbilly aggression. Cock of the Walk’s rhythm carries a rant against conforming to mediocrity. Stoney has been compared to David Bowie and The Kinks and that isn’t wide of the mark. However, House of Mirrors reminded me of Steve Marriott channelling his Artful Dodger persona. - thedailyopinion.co.uk

For fans of the UK underground music scene, Mark Stoney is a familiar name. He's known for his distinctive songwriting talent of the critically acclaimed and somewhat enigmatic multi-instrumentalist has been held in high regard among many in the know on both sides of the Atlantic for some time now, and his long awaited return with new album "More Than Animals" demonstrates Stoney's natural British pop sensibilities refined with profoundly intimate lyrics and soaring melodic arrangements that burst with passion, personality, and depth.

The album starts off strong and continues to deliver throughout. There is definitely a pop/rock presence in addition to commanding vocals by Stoney and bandmates. It's a strong and pleasantly overwhelming sound in each track that keeps the listener engaged. Each track has it's own sound but consistent of the theme of the album.

The track "We Belonged" quickly reminds you that this still has a British influence, and that's a welcomed sound for this genre in the US as at times bands begin to sound alike. Stoney has a unique sound and in this particular track, his vocals are soothing and relaxing. Two tracks later, with "House of Mirrors", the sound takes a huge elevated leap back to what the album started with. And then mellows back out with "Bedpost".

It's an interesting roller coaster of sound that is delivered with "More Than Animals". It has the consistency of superb vocals and a kick-ass band to back them up.

Now a transplant in Austin, Texas, Stoney was raised the son of a preacher in the UK's South London suburbs before drifting up north to Sheffield, where in his musical infancy he became a key figure as a performer and producer in the Steel City's blossoming music scene, later labelled as the "New Yorkshire Movement" by the NME. Stoney's keen ear for classic pop melody combined with a sharp lyrical potency and rare ability to effectively blend genres from folk to soaring rock to trip-hoppy-electronica earned him a loyal following in the city that spawned such acts as Pulp, The Human League and Arctic Monkeys to name a few.

Despite his growing success, Stoney, true to form, cut an elusive path and decided to up-sticks and cross the pond to Texas, following a performance at the world renowned SXSW festival. Citing a need for "sunshine and change" he set up home and studio with a small community of "quirky poet and painter friends" in an old creaky house in Austin to work on new material.

More than Animals is the title of Stoney's new full length album released Jan 14, 2014 via digital download and Ltd edition C.D, supported by full band live appearances to be announced shortly. - Huffington Post

It’s 11:15 a.m., and I’m sitting at Austin’s Tequila Mockingbird Studios, where Nic Harcourt, the voice of KCRW’s splendid alternative music radio show Morning Becomes Eclectic is holding court during SXSW (the show usually tapes out in Cali). This morning’s guest is a young British musician named Stoney, who’s making his stateside debut on the today’s broadcast and is currently soundchecking on the other side of the studio glass. I’m gonna listen in while I write about what I saw last night, and try to make this into some sort of really splendid pastiche of liveblogging and passionate memories. Or something. I’ll probably end up posting this mid- or after-show, so I guess it’s technically not live. But here’s an idea: If you missed the broadcast, it’s available in the KCRW archives.
addCredit(“Stoney: Meg Griffiths”)
After listening to the engineers check the levels on the drums for a while (boom. boom. boom. chik. chik. boom.), I wandered in to talk to Nic. Sadly, his iTunes had crashed, and he was having to do everything manually. "Should I get out of here?" I asked. "No, no, you can hang out," he said, and we had a lovely conversation about some of the artists he’s had a hand in breaking, like Damien Rice, Sigur Ros, and Norah Jones. Then he noticed the song he was playing had stopped. "Oops. LA just got some dead air," he said, casually tossing the Sounds Eclectic Covers Project in a CD player and punching play. "Yeah, so, I wouldn’t say you feel pride [in breaking artists]," he continued, without missing (much of) a beat. "It’s more a feeling of gratification." I left him to his buttons and dials… and came out to the sound booth, where his producer was on the cell phone with someone who was clearly freaking out about the little oops of dead air.
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Sorry, Los Angeles. That’s my bad.
Stoney is playing through a track in the other room now, a spooky, bluesy number. And as much as musicians keep yelling at me not to always be comparing them to other artists, I’m not sure how else to convey this information in an expedient fashion: Stoney reminds me, just a little, of Two Gallants, or Jack White, if he was British. These Brits do know how to make the music. Like my coworker Michael Endelman, I was at Lily Allen last night, and despite nearly being crushed to death by the throngs of people who seem convinced she’s going to save us all, I really enjoyed her short-but-sweet set, especially my personal fave, "LDN," which I think is just one of the best songs, merengue or otherwise, that I’ve heard in ages. (It is also a song that, unlike "Smile," does not "bore" her. Yet.)
After she and her cig bopped offstage and three-quarters of the crowd headed for the exits, I headed for the bar, for there was Shiner to be drank, and two more bands to see: Razorlight and The Bravery. Interesting to have these two bands — both Next Big Things that kind of fizzled, at least here in the US — on the same bill. When their first albums were released back in 2004, I can remember being one of few who genuinely liked each of them, especially Razorlight’s Up All Night (rock ‘n’ roll LIES), but I didn’t buy the Razors’ second album and kind of forgot the Bravery existed. This is because I am a bad person and easily distracted by shiny things.
Given the snarky commentary from much of the online music community surrounding that whole flock of bands that hit at the same time (like the Kaiser Chiefs and the Zutons and Franz Ferdinand and whatnot) I found it curious that Razorlight would choose to walk out to the tune of "Jenny Was A Friend of Mine." That is, as I’m sure you know, a song by the Killers, who are by far the most successful, if not the best, of those 2004 bands. Should one invite such competition up on the stage right before one plays?
Good news, Razorlight: You most certainly should. I thought their set was killer, pun intended. Johnny Borrell glammed around in a white V-neck tee and tight, Iggy-Pop-low white pants, covering every inch of stage, leaning out into the crowd, clapping, running in circles. The songs from the second album, which I dismissed, are just a blast live, and had the fist-pumping crowd all amped up (and, it should be said, doing way more dancing than I saw during Lily Allen). My favorite was "Before I Fall To Pieces" and its great, sunny guitar riff, like a cross between "Good Lovin’" and that Social Distortion song off the Reality Bites soundtrack. Everyone joined Johnny in clapping as he stretched his scrawny torso — shirtless by that time — out over the monitors and sweated on them, and then the steamroller of a set was over. And they didn’t play a single damn song off the album I own. Jerks.
Ooh! Stoney has just started up another song in the other room, which will help me procrastinate from writing about the Bravery. What I’m loving the very most about his stuff is the addition of some very unexpected — dare I use the word "eclectic"? — keyboard effects. Bleeps and bloops and videogame noises get layered over the pleasantly mournful songwriting, and it is making my little puppydog ears perk up.
Anyhoo. Can’t put it off any longer: The Bravery. Um, they do not get a SXSW thumbs up. Granted, it was 1:15am or so before they came on, and the sound at Stubb’s was all of a sudden a) wretched and b) WAY too loud, but after their opening number, "Fearless," I completely lost all interest. Part of the problem — okay, all of the problem — was the new stuff they played, which struck me as strikingly unoriginal, and completely devoid of that kicky disco backbeat that made their debut so much fun. A track called "Believe" sounded very much like you’d think: heavy bass going duh-nuh-nuh-nuh under softish verses, and then a loud faux-inspirational chorus about begging to be given something to believe. Not good, the Bravery. You can do better. You have done better. I suppose I shall thank you for getting me home at a semi-reasonable hour.
One last Stoney song before I go, this one a softer, plaintive vocal over thudding bass and a sort of carnival keyboard line. His voice really is something lovely — a high tenor with a hint of an accent — and as his sad eyes peek out from under scraggly indie-boy bangs, I can already see him two years down the road, melting the hearts of all those sweet American girls who are far too susceptible to the sensitive poetry of a scraggly indie-boy. Good luck, Stoney!
And… that’s that! Things are still rolling here at Morning Becomes Eclectic, but I gotta jet — I hear there’s an Emmylou Harris show happening somewhere, and I gotta go pick up a pass from Endelman. Ah, SXSW. Will your wonders never cease? - Entertainment Weekly

Check out the track Skyline by Mark Stoney.

He had a buzz a few years back and it’s starting again. He spent most of his time in the UK but decided to make move to Austin, recording new songs with
producer/mixer/engineer CJ Eiriksson (U2, Jack’s Mannequin,The Rocket Summer).

His song Jailbird released a few years back is a Kings favorite. Check out the video here.

Mark Stoney has shared the stage with the Magic Numbers, Arctic Monkeys, Jamie T, Athlete and Feeder. - Kings of A&R

Stoney. I know. I was frightened at first too. But I don't think that this guy is really into smoking the dope. Unlike most stoners, he's versatile, articulate, coherent and seems to know how to express his feelings. He's got an impressive set of vocal chords on him that can serenade on songs like 'Ghost,' creep you out to the point of falling in love (Soap in a Bathtub), but also lead a rock chorus anthem (Jailbird). And he's got some cool, equally upbeat and creepy riffs to accompany his vocal skills. Stoney is one of those freaks that can play every instrument in the book and is good enough at all of them that he prefers to record albums all by his lonesome. The band he played with at SXSW didn't sound like some temp group though -- they played the songs as if they had been part of the writing process. Check into Stoney if you're yearning for some Elliott Smith; he won't fill the void, but will stimulate some of the same emotions that exist between conflicting feelings of yearning, love, pain and addiction. His sound is just optimistic enough to keep you away from the dragon's tail, but dark enough to make you look at Reynold's Wrap with certain nostalgia. - NY2LON

Without even realising it, I’ve been listening to Stoney’s new album The Scene and the Unseen at work for the past couple of weeks. Each and every time, I’ve almost enquired about the identity of the artist responsible for such a wonderful and diverse collection of songs. Little did I realise the talent in question resides within the confines of Sheffield’s seven hills, and would be officially launching said record this very evening.
How on earth Mark Stoney’s face isn’t already plastered all over national music magazines is a mystery to me, but with the new record receiving some notable press plaudits that could change sooner rather than later. What’s certain is that this young multi-instrumentalist oozes star appeal, and, for once, possesses enough talent to back up the bravado.
Bouncing around the stage like an overexcited puppy, Stoney is the sort of
performer you watch for the entire set just to see if he’s going to do something remarkable. Tonight, we’re treated to a glimpse of his ‘S’ branded, Superman style y-fronts [presumably for the ladies, though not his mother, he tells us, is in the crowd] but the most noteworthy aspect of this set is how good the songs sound despite having only had a few days’ practise with the musicians up there with him.
Recording the album and playing all the instruments on his own, Stoney’s band tonight compromises of musicians from various bands and locations who’ve had barely 24-hours to learn the songs – but you wouldn’t know it. The sublime ‘Jailbird’ bubbles with melody beneath a La’s-esque vocal and some electronic wizardry, last years single ‘Soap In A Bathtub’ sounds positively huge live, an anthem in the waiting, and new song ‘Devil’ [title TBC], hinting at a heavier direction, goes down a storm.
The Stoney sound is tricky to pin down, though there’s plenty of guitar this isn’t guitar music per se, and with a discernable groove it often crosses into electronic territory. There’s something of an Englishness about the choruses, skyscraping and anthemic in the classic Kinks/Bowie sense, yet the verses often take a thoroughly modern spoken/sung format. Like Beck and Super Furry Animals, Stoney hops genres with consummate ease but still manages to put his own stamp on the end product. In twelve months’ time, there’s a very good chance the music of this Croyden native will be discussed with similar reverence.

Stoney: 9/10


- Drowned in Sound