Four Voices – One Vision.
First Time Flyers are: Vicki Manser, Jake Morrell, Poppy Fardell & Tim Prottey-Jones.
“Bound to Break” was released on September 12 via Lookout Mountain Records. With 15 deeply personal tracks, the record explores themes of heartbreak, healing and transformation delivered through stunning four-part harmonies. The guys have been making some serious waves since 2023 – selling out their first headline tour, opening for Bruce Springsteen and The Chicks at BST Hyde Park, shining at C2C and Long Road Festival and scoring BBC Radio 2 play. The four lead singers and multi-instrumentalists from diverse musical backgrounds – Poppy Fardell, Jake Morrell, Vicki Manser and Tim Prottey-Jones – will also be taking the album on a great headline tour this month.
When First Time Flyers sat down with Rock the Joint Magazine, the excitement around their debut album Bound to Break was clear. “Correct! It is and we are so excited for the release, it’s been a long time coming,” they told us. The band explained that the record takes its title from the idea that “life is made up of these breaking moments that shape our lives, which is what this album is about, and the making of this band is no exception. Sometimes things need to break for better things to bind together and we all feel so grateful to be part of something that feels so special.”
With members who have travelled from the West End, Nashville stages, and solo careers, the group’s strength lies in their differences. “Our combined experience is really a strength of ours, we all come with different life and career experience which helps us look at things from different perspectives and with different ideas.” That eclectic background also feeds into their video work, as seen in their recent clip for Primadonna (connected below).
Vocals are, unsurprisingly, at the heart of the First Time Flyers’ sound. With four lead singers, one might expect competition, but they laugh off the suggestion. “All of us love singing harmonies and finding that rich vocal blend, and we have a lot of fun doing it! Our songs lend themselves to different voices as luckily we have 4! So we like to chop & change who is on the melody/harmonies etc! We are always aiming for all 4 voices to hit in the choruses!”
When it comes to storytelling—the heartbeat of country music—the band doesn’t shy away from honesty. “We love country music for that very reason. It’s storytelling and as artists we are lucky to share our lives through lyrics and songs,” they said, pointing to “Before the Wind Changes” as a particularly personal track. “It’s a really deep one for us. We wrote this together on a retreat and honestly, that’s where our deepest conversations and best songs come along.”
Though some of their writing draws from weddings, trauma, love, and even new parenthood, they don’t set out with a neat narrative in mind. “We never focus on writing about the messy or perfect, just about what’s real and what’s going on in life at any given moment. That’s what our fans connect to.”
As for the live shows? They’re keeping their cards close to their chest. “That would be telling. Come see for yourself at the live show!”
And looking ahead, their ambitions remain refreshingly grounded. “We hope in 5 years’ time we’re still touring & making new memories with our fans. We hope if people talk about us, they say that we’re a great country band. Regardless of where we’re from, U.K. or anywhere else.”
The Review: 15 songs make up this debut album.
“Jump” opens with real positivity and a rolling country dance groove, “Better Love than Never Love at All” -you can tell with this opener why there is so much attention being given to these guys. It’s the melody, the harmony in the vocals, I’m jumping into this one!
“Primadonna” is next up, it was the single for the album and has a video to accompany it (below). It is another killer chorus, positive vibes abound and the bass beat gets you dancing again. Really a very enjoyable listen for a country fan like me.
“Happier” switches between male/female duet vocals and this adds a different flavour to the album early on. It is more an album track than the opening duo, it is a pleasing listen but grabbed me a bit less. It hits its lane.
“Looking Back Now” changed direction a bit as we have a more haunting track for late night listening. It is a dreamy romance and the duetted vocals are very effective. A song about chasing dreams, I liked it.
“Almost” took me toward a Cyndi Lauper feeling, a slower ballad, distinctively delivered. It’s a sad lyric really, that person who was your almost, the one that broke your heart, and maybe still has.
“Walk the Line” was possibly my favourite so far, I really liked the instrumental feeling that underpinned it. It took me toward a cowboy feeling, wild west saloon with a blend of Hank Marvin and The Shadows. A solid track, a very good listen. Get me another drink barman!
“Before the World Changes” slows things down again and returns to a dreamy harmony. This is a song of heartbreak and thoughts of the one who got away.
“Out of Your Mind” is a romp, it’s falling in love and it’s got a clap along section, a chorus that picks up and will keep that live crowd happy!
“Stay” changes direction to a stripped down folk/country sound. This is another that I can see doing great live, it is a song that almost has a live audience built in. The recording appeared immediate and I could easily find myself in a gig having a listen. A live track.
“Do You Remember” is interesting. It’s no mean feat to be hitting song 10 on an album and still getting this reviewer hooked in. This is a country track with a touch of Heart, a good drum beat and a good harmony.
“Trouble” turns into a bit of a rock sound. It plays with a bit of angst and enjoys flirting with the word shit! It is probably the most interesting track musically on the album and it is another that will surely be on the live set, has to be! I liked the rock feel in the vocals too.
“Gold” delivers a rhythm that gets you connected, alongside a chorus brimming with positivity – hitting gold! The different vocals again add texture and depth to the delivery.
“First Dance” starts to bring in the final tracks of the album. It is a stripped back ballad, acoustic, folk, and full of lilting harmony and beauty in the vocal. It’s good, slow it down for that first dance.
“Already Out” is an infectious track, heavy bass and clap along rhythm. It is another one from the live show, it has all the spirit of an uncorked bottle.
“Over the Moon” finishes this very fine album. It is a rock country blend. The final track has a confident strut and is a stylish closer from a ship sailing toward a fresh horizon. In summary I liked this one a lot. It is a very accomplished album squeezing the lemon of success nicely. With “Bound to Break,” First Time Flyers don’t just announce themselves—they arrive fully formed, fearless, and ready to take flight. It’s an album that captures heartbreak and hope in equal measure, stitched together with four voices that feel destined to sing as one. Across its 15 tracks, you hear not only the craft of seasoned musicians but also the spark of something new and unshakably special.
Let’s finish with two quick fire questions that closed the Interview!
Quick-Fire Fun:
You’re heading out on tour with a long road ahead — what’s the one snack that absolutely has to be in the van?
Tim: Jake Morrell
& If First Time Flyers could cover any song totally outside of the country — something wild, like YungBlud, Kiss or Metallica — what would you pick, and who’s taking lead vocals?
First Time Flyers: We’ve been compared to ABBA many times, so I think we’d all take lead on one of their many hits.
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You can stream music from First Time Flyers here
Band Website and Tour Information here
By Lorraine Foley
and
Mark C. Chambers
