Smoke Fairies is the third studio album by English duo Smoke Fairies. It was released in April 2014 on the Full Time Hobby label.
In an interview with For Folk's Sake magazine, when asked about the inspiration behind the album, the band replied, "The main inspiration was how we were doubting ourselves, and what it means to have dedicated yourself to something which is so unreliable for so long. And also about our relationship â weâÂÂve been friends since we were 11 and I think a lot of the songs are us writing about each other, the things you might not have been able to say but youâÂÂll write a song aboutâ¦"
In The Line of Best Fit's review of the album, Chris Jones writes, "Album opener âÂÂWeâÂÂve Seen Birdsâ gifts an instant lift, taking allegorical flight after a wink at âÂÂSadness is a Blessingâ in the opening bars. A celebration of motorway raptor-spotting during touring, Daviesâ lyrics deftly combine self-deprecation with wide-eyed appreciation, alluding to the duoâÂÂs highs and history as much as to majestic birds of prey. These musings are coupled, and touching: âÂÂWeâÂÂve seen birds/Golden sunlight catching their wings/WeâÂÂve been here since we were kids/Did you think we could exist like this?â If Davies and bandmate Katherine Blamire had seen Smoke Fairies flash before them during that briefest of hiatuses, here is a catchy avowal that this music is a worthy end, âÂÂeven if it means weâÂÂre screwing up the rest of our livesâÂÂ.
Smoke Fairies was debuted at a one-off performance at Madame Jojo's in Soho, London, on 7 April 2014.
The album was made available on several formats, including a twin CD, standard black vinyl, limited edition blue vinyl, and a numbered deluxe box set.
Smoke Fairies reached the following chart positions:
All personnel credits adapted from Smoke Fairies sleeve notes.