Nick Cody & The Heartache is at the Crossroads of ‘Sweet Songs and Bitter Truth’ with His Latest LP: An Interview –

Sweet Songs & Bitter Truth is built around two very different emotional and political currents, so when you were shaping the album, what made you want to place tenderness and protest side by side rather than keep them in separate worlds?

From observing world events, I found myself heading into “full Billy Bragg” mode commentary about a lot of the craziness around the globe. In the same way at one point I looked at the live set we were preparing and thought “OMG, people have enough doom and gloom in the news, without me reinforcing all the craziness around the globe!” So I decided some balance would be helpful to offer some optimism. It took me ages to come up with a title that would bring these two very different worlds together, but “Sweet songs and bitter truth” really works well. I also had the terrific Sarah Patrick once again create some great visuals for the album,

The first two singles on the LP, The World’s Richest Man and We Are the Many, take a clear-eyed look at the state of the world, so what was pushing hardest on your mind when those songs were written?

“The World’s Richest Man” was inspired by seeing a particular character with a chainsaw on TV gesticulating about what he was going to do and something flipped and I thought “For f**cks sake, what is this?” The line “The World’s richest man, far right on stage” is of course intentional and I will let the listener decide for themselves how to interpret that line…

“We are the many” was inspired by watching a face off on TV between two groups at an immigration in the UK. One group facing off against a right wing group chanted “We are the many, you are the few” I thought “What a brilliant chorus!” and so the song emerged from that.

The single, Another Thin White Duke, carries a dedication to David Bowie Jnr, which gives it an emotional gravity beyond tribute alone, so what did you most want to preserve about him in that song, the musician, the mischief, or the person behind both?

Dave Bowie Jnr was a dear friend and a brilliant musician. He played with a number of other great artists, including Snake Davis and The Ukulele Orchestra. He was witty, mischievous and would always be polite but speak his mind. He is greatly missed and a huge number of people came from all over to his funeral I included all the aliases of the more famous David Bowie and so the track deliberately references both individuals. Agi my longstanding vocalist does a great job as usual on this track. Later this year, we’ll release a version with the internationally renowned Snake Davis who had Dave in his band for many years.

Liz Hanks’ cello seems to open up a very different sonic palette on this record, so how did her presence shape the emotional temperature of the album?

I met Liz when I hosted her and Martin Simpson mack in 2024 and was amazed by her playing, such an amazing touch, Little wonder she is the go too artist for many greats including The Pet Shop Boys, Liam Gallagher, Richard Hawley, James and many other artists. Her cello adds a wonderful soulful touch to the album, so its sonically very different to any other artist contributing to my material to date.

With Agi, Harry Orme, Liz Hanks, Claire Helm, and Andy Wright all part of this wider musical world, what do you think each person brings that keeps Nick Cody & The Heartache feeling alive rather than fixed?

Clair Helm is a dark horse! She can literally sing the phone book and sing anything from opera to rock to roots. We have started on the “Cody/Helm” project for release in 2027. Andy Wright is a seasoned musician who knows exactly when to play and when not to play. I’m excited to be working with them and we’ll be together live supporting Martin Simpson. Harry Orme is a brilliant guitarist which is rock sold and can play anything I throw at him. Agi is a mind blowing vocalist I have been working with for almost nine years and Liz is as I have said a superb musician with amazing feel. I am delighted to be playing with them and they inspire me to create music that I would never have considered possible.

You’re supporting Martin Simpson at The Old Woollen, which is a huge moment, so what does a slot like that mean to you at this point, especially with Sweet Songs & Bitter Truth freshly out in the world as of May 8th?

I love supporting Martin as he brings a listening audience and as a support act you have to bring your A game. This is a great opportunity and I am grateful to Martin for all his support over the years. These days its tough for original artists to reach a wider audience and these windows of opportunity are truly precious and never to be taken for granted.

Looking ahead, do you feel this album has opened a new lane for your writing, one where social commentary and emotional intimacy can keep rubbing against each other in even sharper ways?

100% YES! I am already working on some more protest songs, including “Epic Love” which has a chorus “No amount of make up, makes up for human worth, the worst of the worst to ever walk this earth” As my good friend Martin Simpson would often say “As you can see, I have no strong feelings aabout this matter…

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Discover more about Nick Cody & The Heartache via their official website. 

Interview by Amelia Vandergast