Shoes & Socks Off - Miles of Mad Water

Vinyl LP pressing. Shoes And Socks Off is the solo project of ex-Meet Me in St. Louis front man, and former Shield Your Eyes bassist, Toby Hayes. The album features a blend of his classic solo acoustic offerings alongside full band recordings. From the delicate opener of 'And No Ones Seen Him Since', through to recent live staple 'Made' to the string-laden 'All Mouth', the album showcases Hayes' ever-continuing growth as a solo writer and weaves together a wide range of influences and new cast of musicians with typical DIY skill. Evolution has been key to the entire project since it's very beginnings, be it the full-band reworking of Hayes' debut album, through to the set expansion from himself and a guitar to a full live band; from his raw, visceral vocals in underground favorites MMISL, through to the heart-on-his-sleeve simplicity of his acoustic ensembles. Yet Miles of Mad Water sees the prolific Hayes' biggest change to date, notably through the reconstructed arrangement of the record's nine tracks.