Savage Demos by Matt Hill

Savage Pilgrims was released in July 2020 and was my attempt at a British Americana. To celebrate 5 years since its release I've uploaded the demos I made during the pre-production phase of that album.

'Savage Demos' includes 9 of the songs from Savage Pilgrims along with 5 unreleased songs that never made the final cut. The demos were recorded in Wales with Mike Harries in 2016. This was the same year I was 'Songwriter-in-residence' at The People's History Museum. I was in the studio making The Battle For the Ballot album, but niggling away at the back of my head were these songs, starting to feel like they might be another album.

It would be another 4 years before it saw the light of day but the album got a great reception. Americana UK said it was my best yet and gave it 9/10. Northern Sky magazine said it was "a rare example of Anglo/American sensibilities merging like honey" - which was exactly what I was shooting for.

Here are the songs unadorned in their early stages plus a few that never got their moment.

Matt Hill (July 2025)

Tracklist

1.	Stone And Bone (Demo 2016)	3:36

2.	Save Your Pity (Demo 2016)	3:05

3.	The Exile of DH Lawrence (Demo 2016)	4:15

4.	Gary Gilmore's Last Request (Demo 2016)	4:19

5.	If Love Should Rise (Demo 2016)	3:49

6.	Chains (Demo 2016)	2:59

7.	Bendigo (Demo 2016)	4:13

8.	Stand Tall (Demo 2016)	2:00

9.	Roll Me Out (Demo 2016)	3:06

10.	Words Won't Be Undone (Demo 2016)	3:26

11.	Down the Dusty Tracks (Demo 2016)	4:03

12.	Anna And Bombay (Demo 2016)	5:20

13.	Even Elvis Presley (Demo 2016)	3:07

14.	Goodnight Comrade (Demo 2016)	3:30

Credits

released July 3, 2025

CREDITS
Matt Hill : Acoustic Guitar and Vocals
Recorded by Mike Harries at Electric Caveman Studios, Bwlch, Cymru, July 2016
All Songs written by Matt Hill except Bendigo written by Matt Hill with words adapted from the poem 'Bendy's Sermon' by Arthur Conan Doyle 1912.
Cover Photo : Nicola Davison-Reed
Cover Art based on original Artwork by Jacob Kirk

This release (C) Quiet Loner Records 2025

License