The Undercover Hippy, also known as Billy Rowan, is set to perform in Glastonbury this weekend.

After a few years off-grid, the artist is returning with a new album release titled "Poor Little England" scheduled for release on April 7th via Uncivil Records.

This album was created over the last six years and has been inspired by the political climate in the UK, with songs covering topics like the Brexit referendum, internet privacy, and the pandemic.

The Undercover Hippy has announced an extensive UK Tour to promote the new album, and tickets are available for purchase now.

The first single from the album, "Hey Boy," is out now and has a catchy ska beat and pop culture-packed lyrics. The song was inspired by Rowan's unhealthy relationship with his phone and how he used it to self-medicate when feeling depressed.

"I wrote this song about my own unhealthy relationship with my phone and how I used it to self-medicate when I was feeling depressed," he said. "I was living alone at the time, and when I was in a negative headspace, I would escape into the world of social media scrolling, only to emerge 2 hours later feeling 10 times worse!

"So I wrote this song to remind myself that the best way to get out of a funk is to get up off the sofa, leave the house and seek out some real face to face interaction with other human beings. I hope it can help other people in the same situation and also help to break down some of the stigmas around mental health and asking for help."

From the downbeat diaries of "Not Paying Attention", a song written back in the barmy days of 2018 when Trump was dominating the headlines, through to The Specials-esque two-tone of "Fool Britannia" which captures the rabid pandemonium that consumed the UK on the eve of its exit from the EU in 2019, and on to the socially distanced satires of 2020-21 like "Greed" (which points the finger at those who profited from the pandemic, with some choice Boris Johnson impersonations to boot) and "Not My Place" (which lampoons the government's efforts to get the public shopping again after lockdown was initially lifted); 'Poor Little England' captures the political turmoil the British public have endured these past few years with a sparky lyrical wit and wry sense of humour.

It seems it was enough to drive even the most optimistic of natures into a downward spiral though. Songs like the affecting "Breathe" and the deceptively bubbly recent single "Hey Boy" offer a sincere and relatable side to the album, with Billy addressing the mental health struggles many faced during that troubled period and opening-up about his own personal battles.

But it's not all doom and gloom by any stretch, with the album peppered with sardonic zingers and blazing brassy sections at every turn. Not to mention tracks of zanier nature too… Take the tie-dye tipped "Hippy Dude", a deliberately cheesy dad-rock number about "a new-age sex-pest" that you'll need a restraining order to get out of your head; or the rippling reggae-driven rumble of "These Days", a song that finds Rowan comically bemoaning the sun setting on his partying days.

"It's a song about the fact I don't get out very much now that I'm middle-aged, which ends with a call to arms for everyone to leave their houses and party…" grins Billy. "No sooner than I had finished writing it, Covid and lockdowns arrived, making the chorus line "I don't get out a lot these days" feel rather ironic!"

Opting for a deliberate back-to-basics approach, longtime listeners across 'Poor Little England' will notably detect the kind of signature flavours that made his 2014 breakthrough album 'Monkey Suit', snap, crackle and pop.

Taking the opportunity to reconnect with some of the acoustic elements that made that former record such a fan favourite, the new album also finds The Undercover Hippy experimenting with a warm array of sounds that lean from reggae to ska, dancehall to dub, hip hop to pop. Featuring acoustic guitar, fiddle, and even a full string section (on tracks like "Breathe" and "Hey Boy"), 'Poor Little England' also sees the return of comrades of old like Andreas Millns (on organ/piano); a man who proved so pivotal to the development of The Undercover Hippy's classic sound these past fifteen years. 

Beaming with light and rhythmic melodies that never cease to shine and time-travelling lyrics that will twist your mind; turn off the news and turn up the tunes, the new record from The Undercover Hippy is one that deserves your full attention. 'Poor Little England' by The Undercover Hippy is out 7 April 2023, via Uncivil Records. 

He's appearing at the Red Brick Building, Glastonbury on Saturday April 15 at 8:00 pm, with support from State of Satta. Get Tickets