Artist Spotlight on HMS Beckett 'greyhound | fern | swallowtail | apple tree' Album Review

HMS Beckett carries us through Heartbreak, Hope, and Human Connection in greyhound | fern | swallowtail | apple tree

Beckett's album, greyhound | fern | swallowtail | apple tree, is a breath of fresh air in the music world. It’s sparse, reflective, and grounded in the beauty of the natural world, capturing that delicate balance between awe and sorrow. There’s a sense of wonder woven through every track, even as it acknowledges the reality that so much of what we love is at risk.

This album was born from a creative spark that just couldn’t be ignored. After stepping away from the guitar for years, HMS Beckett was drawn back in by the energy of an Extinction Rebellion open mic and the raw emotion of songs about the end of the world. What started as a casual idea quickly turned into something urgent and necessary. For Beckett, creativity bubbled up until it had to break through, fueled by his deep worries about climate change, exploitation, and the way we treat each other and the planet.

In just 17 days, Beckett wrote 13 songs; many of them late at night after his daughter was asleep. The 14th and title track arrived later, fully formed. That kind of spontaneous creation gives the album a real sense of urgency and honesty. These songs aren’t polished to perfection; they feel found, not forced. That quality is central to the album’s power.

Instead of hitting us with facts or big statements about the climate crisis, Beckett goes straight for the heart. Nature isn’t just a backdrop here; it’s personal, something he’s watched, loved, and worried about. The music is as much about holding on as it is about letting go. Ferns, swallowtails, apple trees, a greyhound; these small, vivid details become touchstones, grounding us in what really matters when the world feels overwhelming.

The stripped-back songwriting fits perfectly. There’s space to breathe, to think, and to really feel every moment. The arrangements are intentionally simple, letting the emotion shine through. This is music that invites you to pause and listen, not just move on to the next thing.

Beckett’s story adds another layer to the album’s charm. He used to play in Red Trees with his wife, singer-songwriter Lou Richards, and later put out an EP of bedroom recordings. Now he’s settled in York with his family and their greyhound, Lilly. You can feel that sense of home and everyday life in these songs; they’re made from the inside out, not from afar.

That’s exactly what makes the album’s climate message hit so close to home.

We usually hear about the environmental crisis in huge, overwhelming terms, but greyhound | fern | swallowtail | apple tree flips that script. It brings us back to what really matters: the things we love. Places, animals, trees, people, moments, the everyday world that makes life beautiful. Beckett wants these songs to spark thought, feeling, and real conversations, and you can feel that invitation in every track. This album isn’t here to lecture; it’s here to help us reconnect.

There’s heartbreak in these songs, but never hopelessness. Underneath the worry is a belief that simply appreciating nature can be a powerful, positive act. Paying attention can bring us back to peace, connection, and a sense of who we are.

greyhound | fern | swallowtail | apple tree is gentle but never passive, introspective on deeply important matters, but always personal, and hopeful even as it honors what’s been lost. In a time when the world can feel overwhelming, HMS Beckett gives us something we need most: a reason to care again.

Connect with HMS Beckett

https://hmsbeckett.bandcamp.com

Written by PBG Press Chief Editor, Mary Knoblock