Held By Trees Recruit Verra Cruz's Marc James For New Song 'Belong'

09-13-2026

(Glass Onyon) Held By Trees release a second single 'Belong', ahead of new album 'The Call of Home' on 2 October 2026. On this classic, heart-string-pulling, mid-tempo, 80s influenced love song, Held By Trees once again welcome a guest vocalist, this time in the form of Marc James, frontman of rock trio Verra Cruz.

Taking its cues from Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and more recent Americana such as The War on Drugs, 'Belong' describes the yearning for a loved one to return home, and the welcome when they do.

Held By Trees' founder and songwriter, David Joseph says of the song... "This could be my favourite song on the new album. Julian Kindred nailed the mix first time, on my birthday as well which was the perfect gift! I am over the moon with Marc's vocal on it, he's really made it his own. We debuted the song live back in the spring and I adore playing it with the band. It's just one of those deeply satisfying songs to write, record and perform."

'The Call of Home' is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed 'Hinterland' and finds the band exploring very different territory, with the album featuring nine tracks with vocals bookended with two more familiar instrumental takes, including for the first time on vinyl, Lay Your Troubles Down with Martin Smith. The album will be released by Tweed Jacket Music / Low Port Music on vinyl, CD and digital formats - but will be initially absent from streaming platforms as each track is released as singles. The striking original artwork, so important to Held By Trees, has been originated by @BlankEmbrace.

'The Call of Home' sees a broadening of personnel, with new musical collaborators with backgrounds as diverse as Radiohead and Primal Scream, to Wet Wet Wet and Delirious [Clive Deamer, Simone Marie, Graeme Duffin, and Martin Smith/Stu Garrard respectively]. With David Joseph once again are the core band of Robbie McIntosh, Laurence Pendrous, and Andy Panayi with their shared history with Mark Hollis and Talk Talk, among many others. Still at his side are James Grant and Grant Howard, continuing a friendship and musical partnership spanning over two decades now in various forms. David's key musical mentors Martin Smith, Jason Upton and Eric Bibb take the vocal mic alongside Simone Marie and Marc James and, in a departure, David even sings a few himself.

David Joseph said, "I've made an album of songs with some of our friends singing. It's a love letter to the music of the 80s and 90s, when I was a youngster falling in love with music through my parent's records and cassettes, and what I heard on the radio and on Top of the Pops. It's on the theme of coming home; to reunion, redemption and the warming of the heart through sounds and stories.

This album is a labour of love on many levels, a branching out of what this project is and can be. Over nine songs, bookended with two instrumentals, I hope all who listen find their way home to an embrace that this music can offer the soul."

Held By Trees is a journey in itself and 'The Call of Home' offers new sonic vistas to explore, whilst retaining the heart and hearth of what makes this band special.