Paul Buchanan

Paul Buchanan

Paul Buchanan is a singer-songwriter from the United States and is best known as the vocalist and guitarist in The Blue Nile. He forms part of a music scene associated with pop, downtempo and chillout, and his work is closely identified with the band’s atmospheric, reflective sound.

The Blue Nile

Buchanan forms The Blue Nile in 1980 with Robert Bell on bass and Paul Joseph Moore on keyboards, following their time as Glasgow University graduates. The group takes its name from Alan Moorehead’s 1962 book. Buchanan sings and plays guitar in the band, and his voice is often described in relation to the smooth delivery of Bryan Ferry and the melancholy baritone of Scott Walker.

The Blue Nile’s debut album, A Walk Across the Rooftops, appears in 1984 and earns strong critical attention in the UK. The band’s understated public image and decision not to play live leave them relatively anonymous, with the music itself taking centre stage. After the debut, the group records music for the film Goven Ghost Story and the theme for Halfway to Paradise.

There is a long gap before the second album, Hats, then another between that and Peace at Last, which appears in 1996 and reaches the UK Top 20. After the longest interval between albums, the band releases High in 2004, which reaches number 10 on the UK Album Chart, their highest chart position. Its sound retains some acoustic guitar but is more closely related to Hats than to a more overtly changed style.

Solo work

Buchanan releases his debut solo album, Mid Air, in 2012 on his own Newsroom Records.

Other projects

He also appears on a project called Cackling Hen with Bill Moore and Hardy Crisp.