Introducing: Henry Grace - new single "Say Something Mean" - for fans of Bon Iver, Hiss Golden Messenger, Big Thief and more

Say Something Mean is the new single from Henry Grace.

It is hard to separate Henry’s music from the American landscape. Moving from the UK to California at 21, Henry played his first shows in the small clubs and bars of LA and San Francisco. There he was introduced to the music of artists like Ray Lamontagne who helped shape his early writing and the songs that would later appear on his debut album Alive In America.

Since the release of Alive In America in 2022, Henry has grown a loyal following in London where he now lives with sold out shows at The Lexington, Omeara and The Jazz Cafe. He was a headliner at the 2024 Great Escape Festival in Brighton and his music has been championed by the likes of Wonderland, Americana UK, Anthem, Mahogany and BBC Introducing with Henry being chosen by Danielle Perry as her self-released artist of the month on Absolute Radio’s Sunday Night Music Club.

Say Something Mean is the first track from a new album co-produced with Blaine Harrison from Mystery Jets. After meeting at a songwriting retreat in Glastonbury organised by Chris Difford of Squeeze, they started working together on a new batch of songs Henry had been writing and soon had the early makings of a new album.

Unlike the stark and sparse arrangements from Alive In America, early demos hinted at a new sound that was more transatlantic and, most noticeably, band-driven with Henry joined by Brian Love on guitar and Toby Evangelou on drums. Rather than rushing to record, Henry invested time in writing and road-testing new songs live to find the album’s ‘missing tracks’.

Say Something Mean was one of those songs.

“The whole thing was really built around the chorus ‘say something mean like it don’t mean a thing’," recalls Henry “and it worked sitting at my kitchen table with just my voice and guitar, but it was not until I took it to the band and Brian started playing the opening riff that the song grew wings. I remember listening back to our set from Jazz Cafe and thinking it could be a single.”

Taking inspiration from bands like Bonny Light Horseman and Hiss Golden Messenger, Say Something Mean brings an edge to the Americana genre and introduces the band Henry has grown around him which also includes Harrison on keys and Tom Holder from The Heavy Heavy on bass.

In October 2024, Henry and band decamped to Middle Farm Studios in Devon to make the record. “Everyone gave everything to making this album” he reflects. “We recorded live and with such intensity. There’s a yearning in the performances which I think we all felt. It was magical at times.”

Say Something Mean comes out on Wednesday 18th June via AWAL, one week before Henry performs on The Acoustic Stage at this year's Glastonbury Festival.