*METAL ODA EXCLUSIVE*
Today, I want to take a closer look at Unbelievable Truth, an English rock band that has always resonated deeply with me.
Formed in 1993 in Oxford, England, the band is led by Andy Yorke, joined by Nigel Powell, Jason Moulster, and Jim Crosskey. The name of the band is inspired by Hal Hartley movie “The Unbelievable Truth”, a proper reference for a band making music with a profound emotional weight.
In 1998, they released “Almost Here”, an album that remains my personal favorite. More than just a defining work in their discography, it earned them widespread recognition. With deeply emotive tracks like “Solved” and “Higher Than Reason”, it stands as a true embodiment of melancholy in music.
Following its success, they released “Sorrythankyou” (2000) and “Misc. Music” (2001). However, later that same year, they disbanded, altering the trajectory of their musical journey. Though they briefly reunited over the years, these were only short-lived comebacks. For a long time, fans were left to cherish their past works—until 2023, when Unbelievable Truth reactivated their social media accounts and reunited to celebrate their 25th anniversary. After reigniting excitement with a few live performances, they officially marked their return with the release of a brand-new single, ““Citizens Band.”
Take your time to listen, and you’ll discover that Unbelievable Truth is truly ahead of its time—a band with remarkable emotional depth, capable of evoking feelings you may not have even known existed.
And to introduce Metal Oda readers to Unbelievable Truth and celebrate their long-awaited return, I had the privilege of interviewing the band. I sincerely thank them for their time, as well as their candid and thoughtful answers.
Enjoy the read!
Duru Uzay Aktaş / Metal Oda
“I think the key word to Unbelievable Truth is subtle.” Nigel Powell
Let’s start with the basics—what first inspired you to get into music?
Andy: My first exposure to music was through listening to what my brother, who is 3-4 years older than me, was listening to. His tastes were very advanced so it was some pretty great stuff, It was the early-mid 80s so we’re talking about things like David Bowie “Let’s Dance”, Joe Jackson, Japan, The Smiths. And ok some less cool things like ELO. I really enjoyed singing along, realised I was good at it and could mimic people’s singing voices quite well, so that’s how I developed my voice to begin with. But it was meeting Nigel at school, [when was that exactly Nige?], that introduced the idea that I could actually be in a band and write songs. It took me a while to get used to that idea. I suppose I’m still getting used to it.
(Andy Yorke live – Unbelievable Truth)
“We’re kind of an indie band, but subtly not.” Nigel Powell
How would you describe the music you create?
Nigel: I always have trouble describing what we do. I think the key word is subtle. We’re kind of an indie band, but subtly not. We’re kind of folky, but definitely bent in a subtly weird way so we don’t sound like a folk band at all. A lot of the stylistic direction is pushed by me I think, and my opinion is that everything – EVERYTHING – has been done. The interesting approach for me is finding the subtle (that word again) combinations, the twists and cracks, that take what could be familiar and make it something inexplicably distinctive and new.
Can you take us through your creative process?
Andy: I’m not really capable of taking an initial song idea, and crafting it to a finished song with a structure and interesting things happening along the way. But I can come up with some strong melodic ideas and riffs to get the ball rolling, or add a vocal line or some melodic idea on the guitar to someone else’s idea. Part of how and why the band works so well is that Nigel and Jase’s skills are complementary to that.
I write most of the lyrics, this almost always come last once the music is pretty much fully formed. Back in our earlier incarnation, I wrote a lot of stream of consciousness lyrics which I’d kind of knock into some shape and sense once they were on the page. That was easy enough. Then I lost the ability to do that. Writing lyrics for the new songs, I would begin with an empty page and a determination to make the songs About Something. This was like getting blood out of a stone. Then I started building up a scrapbook of lyrical ideas, or just phrases that I read or heard somewhere which sounded cool to me. Now I tend to use something from there as a starting point, and the rest of the lyrics just flow from there. Doing it that way is working better for me, I’m starting to like what I can come up with.
“We’re quite a mutually supportive trio, I’d say.” Andy Yorke
As a band, what are your main sources of inspiration?
Andy: We’re quite a mutually supportive trio, I’d say, we inspire each other to present our ideas to each other and to run with them. I definitely need that supportive environment.
You made a powerful comeback after a long break from music. What was happening during that time, and what motivated you to return?
Nigel: The three of us remained tight friends throughout it all, so in a way it doesn’t feel like that long a break. We’ve done a small number of tiny shows here and there, and made Andy’s 2008 solo album Simple together. Jase has never stopped playing in whatever bands he could, and I kept myself busy with various projects, including Dive Dive and 15 years touring with Frank Turner And The Sleeping Souls.
The new album came about when my daughter asked if we would play her 23rd birthday party. We started rehearsing for that, and almost instantly began writing, without even trying. From there we just followed the tide until we had an album’s worth of songs we were happy with. It was as organic as it is possible for something like that to be, I think.
(Nigel Powell – Unbelievable Truth)
I’ve been listening to your music since I was 13, and the emotions it evokes have never changed. Whenever I need to feel understood on an emotional level, I turn to your songs. Are there any musicians who have the same effect on you?
Andy: When I was younger, it was mainly REM and Kristen Hersh who did that for me. Nowadays, not so much – I’ve lost interest in listening to music for the meaning of lyrics, I suppose – I listen to a lot of instrumental music. But I’ve been a big fan of Sigur Ros, which I definitely connect with emotionally although I don’t understand the words. In fact, I think it helps that I don’t understand them.
Nigel: Andy and I shared a love for REM and Elvis Costello And The Attractions. I come from a slightly more rock side of life though, so I would also get hit in the feels by Genesis, Marillion, IQ and Faith No More. Recently De Staat and English Teacher has totally revived my excitement for what is possible in music.
“Music is a kind of escape and release from some difficult stuff.” Andy Yorke
This one is for Andy. Your brother, Thom Yorke (Radiohead), is also deeply involved in music, and both of you write songs that are emotionally intense. It almost feels like a genetic transfer of melancholy. That makes me wonder—what was your upbringing like? Were there any specific influences that led you to pursue music?
Andy: We grew up in a household where there would have been virtually no music if it weren’t for us, meaning Thom mainly, as it was his drive and excitement about it that filled the place with music and I, as younger brother, kind of followed along. It was not an easy atmosphere at home, and I think it’s that which somehow provided the impetus for my interest in music at least – don’t want to speak for Thom. A kind of escape and release from some difficult stuff. I still find listening to music helps me organise my thoughts and keep me calm and centred.
Among all the songs you’ve written, is there one that holds a particularly special meaning for you?
Andy: I’m enjoying re-discovering old songs – Dune Sea, Nightlight, Roadside no. 2 – songs that I was dismissive and almost embarrassed about back in the day, but now I can hear them without the baggage of the time, as if they were written by someone else, and I think they are great. It’s exciting!
On the new album, the lyrics to the title song Rich Inner Life are about what it was like growing up at home – it’s emotionally intense for me and I think you can hear that in the way I sang this one.
“If you try and make something that appeals to everyone but isn’t quite your thing, the most likely outcome is that it will fail.” Nigel Powell
Do you have any unforgettable concert memories?
Nigel: Any time playing with Unbelievable Truth feels quite special to me. Emotionally, the music represents me better than anything else I do, but just as a player, drumming alongside Jason’s bass playing is my happy place. We have a deep, subconscious understanding of each other’s musical skills that makes for a very special feeling.
If your band had formed today, is there anything you would have done differently?
Andy: Being in a band is weird, when it becomes the thing that you do for a living. I think I’d have thought longer and harder about what’s important, why you’re doing it, what you enjoy about it – and the need to hold on to that when you’re in the industry and odd things are happening to and around you.
Are there any upcoming projects that fans should look forward to?
Nigel: our EP Citizens Band is out 21st March, with an album to follow later in the year. I hope that’s enough to look forward to currently!
Any upcoming concert plans in our country, Turkey?
Nigel: Sadly not. It’s a country I’ve never been to. We would love to go, and hope to, but it is the kind of thing that would require quite a development in our career to make it feasible.
Finally, what advice would you give to young musicians who want to follow a similar path?
Nigel: It’s a tough business, so I would always suggest being absolutely sure you make music that you love and makes you proud. If you try and make something that appeals to everyone but isn’t quite your thing, the most likely outcome is that it will fail, and you’ll have made something you think is a little bit shit. If you please yourself you always come out of a project thinking “at least I made this album that I think is fucking awesome”.
Thank you for taking time to do this interview.
(Unbelievable Truth live)
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