Formed by vocalist and guitarist Andy Yorke, bassist Jason Moulster and drummer Nigel Powell, Unbelievable Truth crafted an album that stood apart from the late-Britpop rush with a sound that was intimate, melodic and emotionally direct. Songs such as "Solved," "Higher Than Reason" and "Angel" showcase Yorke's plaintive vocal delivery and the band's gift for dynamic build-ups, moving from hushed reflection to soaring climaxes without losing their understated core. Critically noted for its cohesion and lyrical sincerity, ‘Almost Here’ established Unbelievable Truth as a thoughtful counterpoint to the era's louder guitar bands, and it garnered the band a passionate fanbase both at home and abroad, particularly in Japan.

‘Almost Here’ was recorded at Great Linford Manor in Buckinghamshire, with Powell producing and Jeremy Wheatley co-producing and engineering the sessions. Powell recalls, “Despite being 25 and never having produced an album before, I was chosen by Virgin Records and our lovely A&R people Joanne McCormack and Paul Kinder to produce the album, based on my work on the demos, alongside amazing co-producer-engineer-mixer Jeremy Wheatley.

“The main studio space was the ballroom of the manor house and looked very little like a recording studio, which was perfect,” he continues. “It just seemed to be the perfect environment, and a time of peaceful and focused creativity. It is one of my best memories in life.”

“Most of the songs had been written in a 3-bed semi we had rented together in Didcot,” adds Yorke. “Or in Nigel’s town-centre flat in Abingdon which I shared with him for a while, which was where we did most of the demos. So going from those pretty modest settings to this beautiful residential studio, and having never done anything of the kind before, I felt completely out of my depth to begin with but that soon passed. It was such a peaceful place and a really unthreatening, family-like atmosphere.”

“I’ll never forget hearing the album played back at full volume in the studio once we’d finished recording,” Andy continues. “It was just us with one or two friends and our A&R Paul. I was overwhelmed by how beautiful it sounded, and just beginning to comprehend that we had made something really special.”

28 years later, ‘Almost Here’ remains a remarkably focused, atmospheric debut that rewards close listening and highlights a band confident in mood, melody and craft. “In terms of the atmosphere and the statement of intent, it still seems powerful and timeless to me,” reflects Nigel. “I feel like I know much more now as a musician and producer, and have vastly more experience, but there’s moments on that record that I almost can’t imagine how we achieved.”

Unbelievable Truth originally split in 2000 following their second album ‘Sorrythankyou’, and it was ‘Almost Here’ that brought the band back together, when they reunited in 2023 for some gigs to celebrate the album’s 25th anniversary. Were the band surprised that the album still meant so much to their fans?

“I know it sounds immodest, but if anything, I think it deserves to be recognised more widely than it has,” says Andy. “It's among my favourite records from the late 90s and it has aged very gracefully. The surprising bit is that we made it!”

“We toured last year and meeting people at gigs who have really taken it into their hearts is such a profound validation that we made something really special,” concludes Nigel.

Last year Unbelievable Truth released their long-awaited third album ‘Rich Inner Life’, which was warmly received by the critics ((★★★★ Mojo, ★★★★ Record Collector), and the band are currently working on their fourth album. “There’s a bit of a sense of urgency to it I guess,” says Andy. “We have lots of ideas coming and a 25 year gap to make up for.”