After a lively topsy turvey post punk fuelled journey with promising Hebden Bridge based band The Lounge Society; a ride that has taken him and his best friends from their mid teens to stages large and small across the UK and beyond, Herbie May is now taking a side move to carve a solo path.

May’s debut double A-side, Bleeding/Shoelaces, marks the emergence of a fresh and introspective singer-songwriter.

Over the past 18 months, Herbie has stepped back from that hedonistic rock and roll lifestyle to embrace a quieter, more reflective pace. The result is a body of work that’s stripped down and personal, capturing the emotional highs and lows of life.

In a world that often rushes us forward without reflection, Herbie exhorts us to slow down and to sniff the scent in the air — to notice the intricate details we might otherwise miss or deliberately try to ignore.

May cites The The’s Matt Johnson as a key influence—an artist known for his own reflective pause from the industry treadmill. Having spoken with Herbie a little over the past five years and tuned into the band’s Instagram live streams, this thoughtful turn feels both authentic and inevitable. Herbie is often the one explaining or questioning.

May also draws inspiration from Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile’s collaborative album Lotta Sea Lice—artists who speak to and for their listeners with quiet honesty.

Bleeding opens with a tender hesitancy, gradually building into a cathartic, singalong chorus. In style, it beautifully captures the nervous energy of stepping into something new. Lyrically it feels like we access casual musings, thoughts and emotions that unguardedly drift into a conversation. There’s a heartfelt wish to feel good all the time; who could wish for more?

Shoelaces, meanwhile, carries something of a subtle UK country vibe, with to my ears faint echoes of early hippy Bolan shimmering through its arrangement. The song for me, points out there is no need to sweat the small stuff.

It’s noteworthy that the image accompanying the release; someone holding a starling, is an image Herbie has seen everyday in his kitchen since childhood. Familiar, everyday, grounded and safe.

Following the single release on the newly formed Red Licorice record label, Herbie joins seasoned punk veterans Gen X for a string of support gigs, signaling a new chapter in his musical evolution.

Pop on over to Herbie’s socials for gig dates and to grab a copy of this debut single. There’s a launch event at Tod’s Fat Fingers this evening (November 6th) amongst a number of chances to catch Herbie’s new material. Oh go on then, here’s the link to Red Licorice Records.

*words – tiggerligger
*images – the artist’s social media