SINCE signing to a US label and achieving success in the States, not least with an appearance on the Jay Leno Show, The Dunwells have gained a reputation as a band with an Americana sound.

But, says Joe Dunwell, who shares lead vocals with his brother, a new EP released this month marks a shift in direction for the Guiseley four-piece.

The EP, Show Me Emotion, is being showcased on a UK tour which included a homecoming gig in Leeds earlier this month.

“We’re doing mostly new stuff, ending with crowd favourites like I Could Be King,” says Joe.

“This new EP marks a massive leap forward. With the first album, we were chucked in the studio; we didn’t really know what we were doing. But now we’ve come into our own, with a new sound.

“We’ve been working on another album which will be out early next year.”

Inspired by Irish rockers Kodaline’s album High Hopes, produced by Steve Harris, the band set out to track him down. After a gig in Seattle, the lads heard they’d missed Harris by just a few hours but eventually it emerged he lived in Yorkshire – and after hearing their demos he was on board.

The collaboration has resulted in “an incredibly emotional set of songs, heartfelt lyrics and four-part harmonies to melt the hardest of hearts”.

“Steve got the best out of us,” says Joe of the top producer, who has also worked with Kaiser Chiefs. “We wanted to get away from the Americana sound we’d been labelled with, stripping back the acoustic guitars, going deeper, and Steve seemed like the perfect man for the job.

“We got the American label on the back of I Could Be King, it’s not a bad label to have but it was time to step away from it a bit.”

Debut album, Blind Sighted Faith, was recorded in Willie Nelson’s studio. In contrast, Show Me Emotion was recorded in Bridlington in winter.

“People say they can hear the ‘Yorkshireness’ in the new songs,” says Joe.

The four-piece – Guiseley brothers Joseph and David Dunwell and cousins Robert Clayton and Jonny Lamb from Yeadon – have been making music together since school. Joe and David started out as solo acts before recruiting childhood friends Jonny and Lee Dawson. When a booking agent heard them play an open mic together, she insisted on booking them as a group. They started recording in 2009 and Rob – who went to St Mary’s School in Menston with Joe and David – later took Lee’s place as bass player.

For more about The Dunwells, the new EP and the September tour, go to thedunwells.com.