A misleadingly bleak headline. Mister Harvey is certainly not all doom and gloom, and wishes everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR. Despite a more time-intensive recovery from a Christmas Eve hernia repair (and subsequent infection) than initially expected, he is most wobbly with satisfaction at the year concluded, and trembles in anticipation of the year before him.

In the manner of the vast majority of years that preceded it, 2015 has passed. It saw the release of numerous records of note to Mister Harvey, and – whilst not pursued – it is always nice to see notice taken by those with ears of their own. Best Girl Athlete’s Carve Every Word (strings arranged by Mister Harvey, performed by the Pumpkinseeds, and recorded at Pumpkinfield), appeared in, amongst others, the Scottish Fiction top 20 albums, the Podcart Favourite Albums, The National’s Top 20 Albums, and Netsounds stuck the track Hills up on their 50 tracks of 2015. The Herald Top 50 Albums slapped BGA right next to Paul Vickers and the Leg’s The Greengrocer (recorded and mixed at Pumpkinfield), which also appeared pretty high up in the Jockrock top 50. Iain Morrison’s album Eas (featuring some of Mister Harvey’s cello noodling) was BBC Radio’s Roddy Hart’s album of the year, and turned up in the Herald’s list too. Not too bad for a relatively quiet year.

Since The Bells, and during his restoration to full health, Mister Harvey has managed a gentle gig with BEAM in Edinburgh’s Scot:lands festival, and another with Emily Scott and the Fell Down Trio at a house in Glasgow (where he had the delight of performing another wee set with BEAM to boot). His commitments at Cetic Connections are mercifully light this year, aiding his recouperation, but have thus far included a blistering show with Iain Morrison at Oran Mhor (followed by a late night slot at the festival cub), and will see him play with Perthshire’s own Hannah Fisher on the 27th at the O2 ABC.