We're genuinely buzzing to finally announce the vinyl release of our fourth studio album, Long Road — a record that's been quietly finding its way into people's lives for nearly a decade, and one that, from the very beginning, always felt destined for vinyl.
Originally released in a world moving ever faster towards the digital, Long Road has lived its life patiently — passed hand to hand, discovered late at night, picked up by listeners who found something of themselves in its songs. It's a record that never shouted for attention, but instead stayed the course: steadily clocking up streams, finding new ears, and refusing to disappear. Some albums are built for the long haul — this has always been one of them.
The album is now being released on vinyl via Last Night From Glasgow, a label whose belief in physical formats and albums as complete statements mirrors our own. To mark the occasion, we're proud to launch Long Road with two very special shows at Barnoldswick Music & Arts Centre — a venue that has become close to our hearts.
The shows take place on Saturday 6th June (evening performance, doors 7.00pm) and Sunday 7th June (matinee performance, doors 12.30pm). Two shows, one room, all heart. There's something about this place — the closeness, the attention, the way the songs land — that feels completely right for this record and this moment. It's a proper return, and one we've been looking forward to.
The title track Long Road has been part of our live set since its very first outing in Manchester back in April 2015, and it's never left us. Night after night, city after city, it's evolved, stretched its legs, and grown into itself. In many ways, the album followed the same path — slowly becoming what it was meant to be, shaped by time, miles, and listening.
Following the vinyl success of Boogie Woogie — which reached No.37 in the Official UK Vinyl Chart — and after years of people asking us, "When's Long Road coming out on wax?", the moment finally feels right. Dropping the needle on this record now feels less like a reissue and more like a homecoming.
This album is for late nights and long drives. For cracked speakers, worn-out headphones, and the quiet magic of putting a record on and letting it play. It's for anyone who still believes that songs can keep you company, that albums can grow with you, and that sometimes the long way round is the only way worth taking.
Thank you for being part of the journey so far — and for joining us here in Barnoldswick as Long Road finally finds its place on vinyl.
It's a long road to take you where you want to go…
Here we go.
From Colne, Lancashire, The Milltown Brothers first emerged at the tail end of the 1980s and quickly established themselves as one of the most distinctive and melodic bands of their generation. Their rise was swift, their promise widely recognised, and their journey — marked by critical acclaim, major-label success, industry frustration, and eventual independence — has since become a textbook story of British alternative music in transition.
The band's first independent release arrived in 1989 with the Coming From The Mill EP on Big Round Records. Featuring Roses, Something On My Mind and We've Got Time, the EP was named Single of the Week by NME, who tipped The Milltown Brothers for stardom in the 1990s. They were bracketed alongside future household names including The Charlatans, Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine, The Mock Turtles, The Hoovers and New Fast Automatic Daffodils, placing them firmly at the centre of a rapidly shifting UK indie scene.
Their second independent single, Which Way Should I Jump, backed with Silvertown, proved pivotal — triggering a major-label bidding war that culminated in a worldwide deal with A&M Records in 1990.
Re-recorded for its major-label release, Which Way Should I Jump? entered the UK Singles Chart at No.38 and crossed the Atlantic to reach No.10 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Chart, signalling the band's international potential. Their debut album Slinky followed soon after, peaking at No.27 in the UK Albums Chart and earning widespread critical acclaim.
Often mislabelled as part of the so-called "baggy" scene, Slinky firmly rejected that categorisation. Instead, it delivered a sharply focused collection of melodic, punchy songs — perfectly paced, emotionally direct, and rich in harmony. Q Magazine awarded the album a maximum five stars, describing the band as "The Byrds with hard-edged contemporary pop and upfront vocals." For many, Slinky remains a defining British guitar album of its era.
Momentum appeared set to continue with the single Here I Stand, which received heavy support from independent record shops across the UK and was widely predicted to enter the Top 20, alongside a planned Top Of The Pops appearance. However, concerns over sales "weighting" resulted in the single being artificially restricted; it peaked at No.41, missing chart entry and abruptly halting the band's trajectory.
What followed was a difficult period. Despite strong new material being ready, A&M placed the band on the shelf for two years. Their second album Valve, released in 1993 and preceded by Turn Off, failed to match the success of Slinky. With hindsight, it is widely accepted that stronger material existed and that the band's creative direction was compromised. After years of contractual stagnation, under-promoted touring and unwanted single choices, The Milltown Brothers walked away from the label.
A 12-track compilation, The Best Of Milltown Brothers, was released by Spectrum Music in 1997, before the band regrouped a decade later. In March 2004, they released their third studio album Rubberband, issued as a double CD on their own Rubber Band Records label. Critically acclaimed, Record Collector described it as "a faultless third album", with many critics citing it as the band's finest work.
Further recognition followed with a 17-track Best Of on Cherry Red Records in 2009, before later independent albums Long Road (2015) and Stockholm (2020). In 2022, the compilation Tongue-Tied Mesmerised gathered early singles and demos from 1987–1990, offering a deeper insight into the band's formative years.
Now, with the original five members reunited, The Milltown Brothers return to the uniquely intimate surroundings of Barnoldswick Music & Arts Centre, drawing from a catalogue that spans early indie breakthroughs, UK Top 30 success, a five-star debut album, and a fiercely independent later career.
The story continued with Boogie Woogie — recorded by the original line-up and released on vinyl via Last Night From Glasgow. The band's first ever vinyl release, the album reached No.37 in the Official UK Vinyl Chart, a remarkable achievement more than three decades after their NME debut.
Rather than nostalgia, Boogie Woogie stands as confirmation — that the songwriting, the connection, and the audience have travelled the long road together.
A long road, well travelled — and one that continues.
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