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TOUR NEWS: Kirk Brandon announces 2019 dates with Theatre of Hate, Spear of Destiny and The Pack

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LSF Staff Writers
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KIRK BRANDON has confirmed a string of live dates for 2019, including shows with SPEAR OF DESTINY, THEATRE OF HATE and THE PACK.

Spear Of Destiny:

SPEAR OF DESTINY were formed in 1983 after the demise of Kirk Brandon’s post punk iconic rockers THEATRE OF HATE. (Brandon had also, before TOH, been the main man in every punk rockers favourite band of that era The Pack)

The current line up of Spear is the longest serving to date and features Adrian Portas (New Model Army / Sex Gang Children), Craig Adams (Sisters of Mercy / The Cult / The Mission) and Phil Martini (Jim Jones and the Righteous Mind) on drums. Long time Brandon cohort Steve Allan-Jones will be covering the keyboards.

The current live show pulls on songs from all 35+ years of SOD. The classic’s Liberator, Mickey, Rainmaker, The Wheel, Never Take Me Alive etc… are all found sitting closely alongside newer fan favourites such as Sputnik, Suicide God, Judas, Lucky Man & Berlin! Berlin!’.

Theatre Of Hate:

In 1980, Kirk Brandon formed Theatre Of Hate from the ashes of heralded punk band The Pack. Joining Kirk on vocals were notable punk musicians Stan Stammers and Luke Rendall, along with old school friend, Steve Guthrie and Canadian born John “Boy” Lennard, who revolutionised the band’s sound with his haunting sax lines.

Theatre Of Hate’s debut double-A-side single, “Legion”/”Original Sin”, topped the independent chart in 1980, and “Westworld”, their debut album, produced by Mick Jones from The Clash and released in 1982, held the number one position for 21 weeks. The single taken from the album, “Do You Believe In The Westworld?” has become an anthem and is still widely played in clubs and on international radio, as well as featuring on numerous compilation albums.

Kirk, Stan and John will be joined by current Spear Of Destiny band member Adrian Portas (New Model Army) on guitar and Chris Bell(Hugh Cornwall) on drums to pay homage to the iconic TOH sound.

The Pack:

The origins of The Pack started with the original band the Pack of Lies. It consisted of myself Kirk Brandon, John Fuller (An old school friend) and a Scottish drummer called Rab Fae Beith. We rehearsed and got the songs together at John’s uncle’s house in Stanmore.

The Pack itself was formed sometime in 1978 in Clapham, South London amongst the punk anarchist scene set amongst the backdrop of the totalitarian government of Margaret Thatcher – at a time when the country stood at the abyss of total chaos.

Looking back, the lyrics to the songs were simplistic, aggressive, confused, funny and silly – much like myself at the time. Life consisted at the time of trying to survive on the streets and squats of the south London – the whole period was funny, violent, grim and all at the same time, the band mirrored its surroundings – so no excuses made.

All band members myself included, I would describe as a fairly unhinged bunch of people, and what passed for normal, amongst the band and its constant crowd of friends and supporters, did not tie in necessarily with the outside world as a whole. This is a period that only now filmmakers are beginning to see the significance of. With all the violence.. Drugs and with one member of the band becoming religious in the end it had to implode sooner or later.

KIRK BRANDON 2019 LIVE DATES

SPEAR of DESTINY Live!

MAY 2019

Wed 1st MIDDLESBROUGH Westgarth Social Club
Thur 2nd BATHGATE Dreadnought
Fri 3rd HUDDERSFIELD The Parish
Sat 4th NUNEATON Queens Hall
Sat 11th CREWE Westworld Weekend

TICKETS ON SALE NOW – www.kirkbrandon.com/shows

WESTWORLD WEEKEND – XXVII

Friday 10th May 2019 – Theatre of Hate + Special Guests
Saturday 11th May 2019 – Spear of Destiny + Special Guests + Kirk Brandon aKoustiK + Special guest + DJOzey

Earlybird Tickets – SOLD OUT
Remaining Weekend Tickets + Friday Night Only & Saturday All Day Tickets Here: www.kirkbrandon.com/shows

THEATRE of HATE Live!

MAY 2019

Fri 10th CREWE Westworld Weekend
Thur 16th LONDON 229 Club
Fri 17th MANCHESTER Club Academy
Sat 18th NORTHAMPTON Roadmender
Sun 19th SHEFFIELD Greystones

TICKETS www.kirkbrandon.com/shows

THE PACK

JUNE 2019

6th – PAISLEY, Bungalow
7th – NEWCASTLE, University
8th – MANCHESTER, Ritz
9th – YORK, Fulford Arms

Tickets and information: https://kirkbrandon.com/shows

TOUR NEWS: Grace Petrie April/May 2019 dates

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LSF Staff Writers
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Fresh from a successful UK arena tour supporting Frank Turner, Leicester-born protest
singer, LGBTQ+ activist, folk singer, socialist and social commentator Grace Petrie
announces her own headline tour through Spring 2019.

Smart, witty, a talented lyricist and an electrifying live performer, Grace can take the most
hostile room and by the end of the night they will be singing along, ‘Stand up today that we
might save tomorrow!’

Grace has been writing, recording and touring relentlessly, racking up tour supports with
Emmy the Great, Billy Bragg, Frank Turner and more, and has also made her mark in the
comedy scene supporting comedians Robin Ince and Josie Long. She’s appeared at Glastonbury four times at the invitation of Billy Bragg, as well as an eclectic genre-crossing
mix of festivals Latitude, Musicport, Bliss-fields, Shrewsbury Folk Festival, Greenbelt and
more including of course Cambridge Folk Festival. She has collaborated with some of the
most respected names in folk, including Leon Rosselson, Roy Bailey and Peggy Seeger;
quietly becoming one of the most respected songwriters working today.

A frequent guest on BBC Radio 4’s The Now Show, Grace has appeared on Channel 4’s
Random Acts, had plays on BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 2 and has been featured in The
Guardian, The Independent On Sunday’s 2013 Pink List of influential LGBT figures; and
been nominated for Diva Magazine’s 2018 Activist Award.

In May 2018 a Kickstarter campaign for her first full studio album, after five previous
available-at-gig-only albums. She raised £10,000 in just 24 hours and went on to achieve
£18.000 in the two-week campaign. The album, ‘Queer As Folk’, was released in September
2018 and has received acclaim in the UK media, whilst also being named a top 10 Folk
Album of 2018 by Mojo magazine.

Dates

Thursday 11th April – The Spirit Store, Dundalk
Friday 12th April – DC Music Club, Dublin
Saturday 13th April – Accidental Theatre, Belfast
Saturday 20th April – All Hallows Church, Leeds SOLD OUT
Thursday 25th April – The Met, Bury, Greater Manchester
Friday 26th April – The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham SOLD OUT
Saturday 27th April – The Ropewalk, Barton-on-Humber
Tuesday 30th April – The Junction, Cambridge
Wednesday 1st May – South Street Arts Centre, Reading
Thursday 2nd May – Cecil Sharp House, Camden, London
Friday 3rd May – Whitehouse Sessions at Ashburton Arts Centre, Devon
Saturday 4th May – Bristol Folk Festival
Sunday 5th May – May Day Festival of Solidarity, Barnsley
Tuesday 7th May – The Prince Albert, Stroud (in support of Stroud Foodbank)
Thursday 9th May – Black Swan Folk Club, York SOLD OUT
Friday 10th May – Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham
Saturday 11th May – Trelawnyd Memorial Hall, North Wales
Sunday 12th May – The Music Room, Liverpool Philharmonic
Friday 17th May – The Dissection Room, Summerhall, Edinburgh
Saturday 18th May – Oran Mor, Glasgow

BAND NEWS: Purple Thread sign to Monomyth Records, drop live session video

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LSF Staff Writers
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Purple Thread have announced that they’ve signed to Monomyth Records. Monomyth is home to VENUS, Tranqua Lite, Peace Frog and many more. To celebrate their signing the band did a Live From Studio 3 session.

“Live From Studio 3” is a series of live sessions filmed and recorded on location at Leeds Beckett University’s studio 3.

ALBUM REVIEW: Nicolas and the Iceni – ‘Roll Right’

By
Frank
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I probably spend as much time listening to ‘old music’ – where I’m defining old music as music from the late sixties/early seventies and before – as I do new music. Much of that music falls into that folk/Americana influenced style and includes bands and artists such as Nick Drake, Crosby, Stills & Nash and The Incredible String Band (I love ISB – just don’t ever get me started on them, you’ll be in for a long long night). You’d probably jump to the conclusion that I’m a bit of a hippy, and if you were going just on my vinyl collection you’d probably be right – although there’s a whole load of heavy rock, acid rock prog and goth in there.

A slight aside one: One day, if enough people ask, I might write a column about the pre-rock ‘n’ roll output of artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis. I have a whole load of early Sun Records re-issues on heavyweight vinyl that I got when I was just a youth. And I might tell people who are old enough to remember it, where the ‘Can’t Stop Keep Rocking’ stab that Tommy Vance used to use in his Friday Night Rock Show comes from.

A slight aside two: I once actually blacked out with excitement when I found out that Robin Williamson of ISB fame was playing at the Gaelic Festival in Oban ‘way way back when’ doing his harp accompanied long form ballads much to the amusement of the tourist information officer selling the tickets who had absolutely no idea who he was.

Anyway back to the review. I included the artists above because that’s what this album by Nicolas and the Iceni takes me to. They do this with something of a bang-up-to-date thing but that feel is there – it’s all mellow, relaxed and swwwwwwweeeet man.

And before we go anywhere near the actual songs the playing on these songs is great, this is a group of musicians who are talented and sure can play.

So to the songs – and this is just the highlights. The album opener ‘Roll Right’ sets that musical feel, it starts like a Nick Drake song, and when I say ‘like a Nick Drake song’ I mean like not it copies OK, and then goes into something like CSN. It’s mellow, it’s slightly country, it has what sounds like a pedal steel, it has harmonica. It’s just really sweet and slightly jaunty.

‘Caroline’s Song’ manages to combine that folk singer-songwriter thing with something of a slight ISB vocal sound in places. It’s piano led. It’s simple. The vocal is fantastic, it’s something you could just sink into.

An organ opens ‘Paper Moon’. It’s sparser, it’s folk influenced country or country influenced folk, you get the picture. It just has the most beautiful what sounds like a mandolin. It kind of swells in places.

Look before I go on, nothing on this album is ‘set your soul on fire’, it doesn’t set out to do that. What this is is music that you sit and listen to, and let it wash over you. It’s just quietly beautiful – beautifully played and sang, incredibly well written and put together. It’s where it leaves you that’s important, it is music to chill out to, to relax you and sooth your worried mind.

‘Days Of Asha’ has at times a slightly blue-sy thing going on, it’s mainly just voice and guitar. But the stand out for me is the phrasing of the words. It’s one of those songs where you could just spend hours, or even days, listening to the words and working out exactly what the song is about.

‘Goin Back’ has that classic early seventies west coast sing/songwriter thing going on. It’s all wistful vocals and incredibly effective piano, with that lazy guitar. It is just a lovely thing. And when in swells and that piano becomes more insistent, it makes your heart soar. And boy are the backing vocals on this cool.

Album closer ‘Cuckoo’ is nearly 7 minutes of full on late sixties country/folk influenced ‘let it wash over you and let it take you’. It has hints of folk late sixties style, hints of CSN, hints of Spirit. It throws in way out there flute, vaguely progressive rock sounding organ. It circles, it spirals. But it also has a groove, it’s a slow groove – more of sit and nod gently in time to it than a get up and throw yourself around to it. Listening to it, I am taken back to more than one free festival of my youth.

It is difficult not to reference music of the past when you listen to this album. But the band are up front about their musical inspirations, so doing that isn’t something they’d be surprised by. And look, lots of people sneak influences from those artists into their music without even admitting it. But, and it’s a big but, while the overall feel might be sitting there in that late sixties folk, country, Americana and singer/songwriter place, the details aren’t. Listening to it closely there are sounds that are very much of today. That makes it timeless.

So taking that as read, what this is an album of songs that are mellow and beautiful, where the playing is excellent, the production is faultless. And more importantly, assuming the band set out to this, leave you feeling relaxed and uplifted in a gentle way. This isn’t just for those that like the late sixties music that influenced it, it’s music for anyone who likes well written, well played songs.

Buy the album: https://nicolasandtheiceni.hearnow.com/

The info

Nicolas and the Iceni (pronounced eye-seen-ee) is a group of musicians brought together from around the world by the singer/songwriter and founder of the band Nic Chapman, combining their shared passion for Folk, Country and Americana music.

The band combines the flexibility of Folk, Country and Americana instrumentation and yet maintain a consistently unique and timeless Cross Atlantic sound. With an enviable array of critical music industry acclaim and stunning new recordings featuring world class musicians from Nashville, Music City (Branson, Missouri) Manchester, Liverpool, Geneva, and Tel Aviv, Nicolas and the Iceni rightfully claims it’s position at the forefront of some of the best music this Folk revival has to offer.

Their first album ‘Narrow Road to the Deep North’ was released by the cult label Holyground Records (Britain’s first independent ‘Indie’ label).

Nic Chapman (Vocals, Guitar)
Steve Smith (Drums, Double Bass)
Iain Taylor (Bodhran, Percussion)
Victoria Martin (Flute)
Lynne El Younsi (Vocals)
Nigel Barrow (Cello)

https://m.facebook.com/nicolasandtheiceni

SINGLE NEWS: Dialect Takes You Into His Zone

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LSF Staff Writers
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Undoubtably one of the brightest stars in Leeds’ rap scene & one of the finest MCs in the UK, Dialect is emerging with his new single ‘In My Zone’. After taking part in rap battles across the world, performances on Radio 1 Xtra, Lord Of The Mics, Don’t Flop, SBTV & Tim Westwood TV, and captaining a team for Red Bull’s “Grime-a-side” competition, Dialect has now directed his focus on the booth.

The track is about self-worth, appreciating your own successes & the importance of reflecting on where you are. In Dialect’s own words, “‘In My Zone’ is about those times I have in my life where I become withdrawn and remember how I got this far. Sometimes it’s hard to contend with everyone else and their ideas of you but I have to remember I’m here because of myself.”

As well as Dialect’s relentless scattergun delivery, ‘In My Zone’ also features Henna who provides the hook for the chorus with a silky smooth delivery, the perfect accompaniment to Dialect’s direct & intense flow. Speaking about the track, Henna explained “It’s a reminder of the hard work you put in on your work and life – even though it’s greatly appreciated that other’s help you, it’s important to pat yourself on the back and take a minute for yourself”.

Dialect was selected to be part of this Come Play With Me release following their open submission call out in 2018. The judging panel that picked Dialect included key tastemakers in the UK with BBC Radio 1’s Abbie McCarthy, Roisin O’Connor from The Independent, Simon Rix from Kaiser Chiefs & David Martin from the Leaf Label all praising Dialect. This was key to ‘In My Zone’ as Dialect explains “I took influence from what won me the CPWM competition, my track ‘Do Your Thing’. It displays my flow & rap ability at a grime pace but here the instrumental isn’t grime. It’s more laid back & melodic. I wanted to keep the essence of what brought me to this stage.”

Dialect has performed at King Of The Dot, Canada’s premier rap battle league & is a team captain regular in Red Bull’s Rap Battle League with several Man Of The Match accolades awarded to him. Staying true to his name & West Yorkshire roots, Dialect delivers in his raw Leeds accent, staying real throughout. He’s not afraid of hard work, regularly taking to the streets of Leeds to busk, honing his flow. 2019 is set to see him rise further with ‘In My Zone’ leading a string of releases.

‘In My Zone’ by Dialect (featuring Henna) is released on 7” vinyl via Leeds based record label Come Play With Me on the 5th April 2019. Limited signed copies of the vinyl can be ordered from www.cpwm.co. The track was recorded by Houdini with production by Blizzard.

Dialect’s ‘In My Zone’ 7” single is backed on the other side by Talkboy’s ‘Wasting Time’, a fantastic slice of indie from a band who have been receiving rave reviews following early singles.

LIVE DATES
5th April – Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds
28th June – Belgrave Music Hall, Leeds

DIALECT ONLINE
FACEBOOK

COME PLAY WITH ME ONLINE
FACEBOOK

COME PLAY WITH ME is a not-for-profit label based out of Leeds which looks to showcase the amazing talent coming from the region. It is best known for its series of split 7” releases that have included Cinerama (The Wedding Present), Team Picture, The Golden Age Of TV, Dead Naked Hippies, Treeboy & Arc, Katie Harkin, Marsicans & Magick Mountain.

SINGLE & TOUR NEWS: LIFE share new single ‘Moral Fibre’, on tour with IDLES in April 2019, other dates

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LSF Staff Writers
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Hull outfit LIFE are back with the first single to be taken from their highly anticipated second LP. ‘Moral Fibre’ is an anthemic and frenetic slice of art-punk laced with sardonic and irreverent lyrics. Produced by Luke Smith (Foals) and mixed by Claudius Mittendorfer (Parquet Courts), the band hone in on a bigger and more focused sound.

Speaking about the single, frontman Mez Green says, “Moral Fibre is a stinging and frenzied shut up and step aside – a tongue in cheek reflection on the music industry, that beige scene, those that pimp poverty from Mummy’s detached house, those that trade in fair-trade cocaine and those that preach behind their keyboard. I’m taking the piss, but I’m deadly serious!”

In April, LIFE embark on a sold out two-week European tour as main support for IDLES and will also play one of three sold-out London shows at the Electric Ballroom. The band are also set to play numerous festivals across the UK & Europe including Liverpool Sound City, The Great Escape, 2000 Trees, Pukkelpop (BE), Best Kept Secret (NL), Pahoda (SK), Rock The People (CZ) and more to be announced.

Described by DIY as “an unhinged depiction of modern-day punk”, LIFE’s anti-establishment outlook and witty, off-centre social commentary underscores everything they do. Very much the antithesis of all things London-centric, the band hail instead from the current City Of Culture, Hull, and tackle the new wave of youth and working class discontent with both savvy and style.

Known for a strong community ethic, clever wordplay and energetic performances, ‘Popular Music’ made it onto BBC Radio 1’s best albums of the year list and gained multiple playlist adds on BBC6 Music. LIFE were also picked by the likes of DIY, Metro, So Young and Fred Perry Subculture as their ‘Ones to Watch’ at the start of last year and Steve Lamacq praised the band for being “…weirdly uncompromising and addictive” when placing lead single ‘In Your Hands’ in his best of the year list.

LIFE were also invited to perform a live session for Huw Stephens at Maida Vale and to play at Radio 1’s Big Weekend, where they were the only unsigned act on the line up. Further live credentials include performances at SXSW, Reading & Leeds, Latitude, Reeperbahn and The Great Escape, as well as tours with Slaves, Nadine Shah and IDLES alongside significant headline shows of their own.

‘Moral Fibre’ will be released via the band’s own label ‘Afghan Moon’ and will also see them partner for the first time with PIAS.

Dates

05 Apr 2019 / UK / London / Electric Ballroom+
03 May 2019 / UK / Glasgow / Broadcast
04 May 2019 / UK / Liverpool / Liverpool Sound City
05 May 2019 / UK /Leicester / Handmade Festival
10 May 2019 / UK / Brighton / The Great Escape Festival
16 May 2019 / UK / Wrexham / FOCUS Wales
11 JUL 2019 / UK / Upcote Farm / 2000 Trees

TOUR & ALBUM NEWS: Goldray April 2019 dates, second album ‘Feel The Change’ due later this year

By
LSF Staff Writers
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This April, GOLDRAY will make their long-awaited return with a string of UK shows to preview a brand new album that lies on the horizon.

The eccentric stoner/psych rock combo of REEF guitarist Kenwyn House and enchanting vocalist Leah Rasmussen (Hydrogen, EMI, Bedrock, Renaissance), Goldray will be hitting the road to exclusively reveal tracks from their highly anticipated second album: ‘Feel The Change’, for the first time.

Set for release later this year, ’Feel The Change’ will follow the band’s masterful debut album ‘Rising’, which was released in 2017 via Akashic Records. Also featuring guest performances from the likes of Andy Treacey (Faithless) and Paul Winter-Hart (Kula Shaker) on drums, ‘Rising’ garnered critical acclaim in major rock titles, with Classic Rock Magazine drawing parallels with the likes of The Doors, Cream and Pink Floyd, and sister magazine PROG referencing comparisons to Zeppelin and Kate Bush, plus nationwide radio support from BBC Introducing & Planet Rock.

Goldray have enjoyed a hectic touring schedule which includes playing the likes of Glastonbury, Bestival, Download Festival, Camden Rocks Festival, Hard Rock Hell, Ramblin’ Man Fair, Glastonbury Fringe and HRH Prog, as well as support the likes of Motorpsycho and the Von Hertzen Brothers.

Opting to take some down time in June of last year, the band decamped to the illustrious Livingstone Studios to begin laying down what would become the follow-up to their debut. Working once again with Brit Award-winning producer Pedro Ferreira (The Darkness, Therapy?, Enter Shikari), the band recorded the bones of the new output there, before spending the ensuing months painstakingly honing the results into their upcoming release: ‘Feel The Change’.

“I’m a bit of a b**stard for perfection really and we’ve spent a long time really making sure all the parts of the record fitted properly.” says Kenwyn of the album.

“To be honest it took us nearly 6 years to record the first Goldray album. And it’s taken us just about a year to make this new one, so considering how I tend to go into things I feel quite happy with the rate of progress!”

Kenwyn House initially teamed up with vocalist Leah Rasmussen way back in 2010. With a kindred passion for the disparate and wonderful sounds of the late-sixties and early-seventies, the pair shared a vision to blend psych and prog experimental arrangements of the era into their own creations under the guise of their Goldray project, with upcoming LP ‘Feel The Change’ promising further explorations of this realm.

“There’s as much of a stoner rock, Prog and blues vibe on the new record as there is psych, it ticks all of those categories” says Kenwyn of the new material, “That era between 1965 – 1975 is very dear to me and as a musician I wear my influences on my sleeve. There are probably more singles and more radio friendly elements on this record, not deliberately so but that seem to be the way our songwriting has gone, there’s probably a few more foot stompers, the first album was quite arty and psych and this one still keeps that element but has a bit more of a bums on seats kinda vibe about it too!”

Although the release date of the album is still TBC, those eager to get a sneak-peak ahead of the pack are guaranteed to hear a healthy amount at the upcoming live shows this April. After a slight re-shuffle of members since the release of ‘Rising’, the upcoming shows will also see a new-look line up joining Kenwyn and Leah on stage, including the highly talented new drummer Johnny Brister (who also plays throughout ‘Feel The Change’), plus sought-after session bassist Colin Parkinson. With an exhilarating new album at the ready and a zest for the live stage, these upcoming live dates are not to be missed:

“I’m really looking forward to it.” says Kenwyn of the tour, “God yeah, it’s what you live for as a musician really. The actual act of playing in the moment those songs you’ve created. It’s the reason why I got into it in the first place, why I got in bands, to play music, play guitar – I’m really looking forward to it. having a good gig is the greatest high, it’s an incredible amount of effort to get everything together as well as possible at that professional level musically; it takes everything really but it’s so worth it. It’s the best buzz ever and I’ve tried a few buzzes in my time…”

GOLDRAY WILL PLAY THE FOLLOWING UK DATES THIS APRIL

Fri 12 Nuneaton – Queens Hall
Sat 13 Sheffield – Corporation
Sun 14 Blackpool – Waterloo
Thu 18 Edinburgh – Bannermans
Fri 19 Scarborough – The Apollo Venue
Fri 26 London – Underworld

Tickets on sale now from: www.goldrayband.com

SINGLE NEWS: Fran Bundey releases third single ‘You Own The Truth’

By
LSF Staff Writers
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Having cut her teeth with a unique blend of live and organic electonica, artist/producer Fran Bundey returns with her third single ‘You Own The Truth’ (Monomyth Records). With the vocal pushed to the fore the song sees Fran literally and metaphorically finding her voice. “This song is about the helpless feeling you get when someone twists your words fabricating the truth and therefore holding power over you.” Bundey says “It’s knowing that the best course of action is to do nothing, however frustrating that might be and believing and trusting in your own truth.”

Rather than rely on pre made backing tracks the Leeds based artist has gained a reputation for making live electronic music with every element in Fran’s song made on the fly, celebrating the imperfections and adding a sense of danger: “When I’m crafting this song live it makes me feel like I’m taking back control of the situation” says Bundey “it reminds me not to worry about it and it empowers me.”

Facebook: www.facebook.com/frbundey
Instagram: www.instagram.com/franbundey/

SINGLE REVIEW: Elson – ‘Wandering’

By
Frank
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I’m sorry to say that I’d never heard of Elson (or, for that matter, ENGINE – of which he is part) before we got a request to review ‘Wandering’ his second single. This seemed, as I took my first listen, really unfortunate because this single is a lovely thing.

The thing is that musically it kinda – and I hope you forgive me for this – wanders through a variety of sounds. It’s not a forcing together of these but a seamless building thing. It starts, somewhat misleadingly to be honest, sounding like a Nick Drake song, before building to something of a psychedelic soft rock thing with these incredibly stomping sections, although to be honest it just keeps changing, evolving.

It reminds me of so many things that a list would be so long as to be entirely useless – however some sort of sounds like list is almost obligatory, so here goes.

Dukes of the Stratosphere, The Beatles, Sid Barnett (kind of in places), Robyn Hitchcock, a whole host of 70s’ singer/writers, World Party, Tears for Fears – look I could go on but I won’t, it would be almost pointless. The thing is that however original an artist is, if you really listen hard enough you’ll hear something of other artists in their music. That’s a given, what’s important is how the whole sounds.

And the whole, the song taken as as whole, is just the most incredible journey, a journey through sound, it takes you this way, it takes you off on a tangent, it takes a 180 degree direction change and drags you off in that direction, and then it kinda leaves you in a calm beautiful place as it comes to a lovely end. Sonically what’s happening reflects the words.

The playing on this is outstanding, Elson’s vocals are a thing of joy, the production is spot-on. And it does that thing I love which is that the more you listen the more you hear, these sounds suddenly pop out at you and you think ‘didn’t hear that before, oh that’s lovely’. And it’s full of surprises, it doesn’t always take the route you think it’s going to take. The end, for example, took my breath away, it just doesn’t do what you think it’s going to do.

‘Wandering’ is beautiful, it’s a meandering beautiful song that just gradually and gently lodges itself deep in your head. It’s the sound of a songwriter who believes that music should follow mood, that sticking rigidly to one sound through a song is not the best way of putting a mood across. A songwriter who knows how to make the various musical moods work together – this song is arranged people, it’s put together, the elements are just right.

I have spent this review trying not to gush, trying not to go completely over the top, but I can restrain myself no longer. I love this, it’s wonderful, it’s a thing of beauty. I have listened to this over and over again because I just can’t bear for it not to there, I have become totally addicted to it.

I don’t care what sort of music you say you like, and what sort of music you say you wouldn’t listen to, you need to hear this.

The info

Elson’s second single marks the latest exciting signpost on a long and winding road of musical discovery for James, appropriately for someone who grew up on Merseyside after being born down south. Formative years in Liverpool were where the musical heritage and passion of the people left an indelible mark on the young Elson. Living in the city heavily influenced his outlook on art and music and it continues to do so to this day.

The next stage of his journey took him east across the Pennines to Leeds to study music, attracted by the chance to sample another city with a vibrant cultural life and once his studies were complete, James stayed on to develop his musical career.

He’s well known to audiences in the city and beyond as one half of ENGINE, a band that started out as a psychedelic rock outfit but eventually morphed into an electronic production duo.

It was the release of a well received EP, ‘Cucumber Water., that brought ENGINE to the attention of Leeds’ promoters Odd Job and they were so impressed they moved quickly to get the band onto the line-up of one their gigs. The relationship was maintained, plans to work together were knocked about and it was Odd Job who subsequently gave Elson his first solo gig in November, a support slot in a sellout event featuring another act hailing from Merseyside, The Tea Street Band. The next step was to collaborate on the release of some of the songs James has been working on as a side project over the last few years.

As promoters, Odd Job have strong connections with Wales, having brought a number of Welsh language bands over to play in Leeds and these contacts have helped secure a distribution deal with Cardiff-based PYST. PYST have established a great track record in helping acts from Wales get their music out to a global audience, Elson will be the first English based act to benefit from their assistance.

James draws his influences from artists such as Sparklehorse, George Harrison, Gene Clark, Big Star and Harry Nilsson, so from Nilsson we get Elson.

Band members:

James Elson

Live band members:

James Elson (vox, guitar) member of Elson, ENGINE, BIG, Phil Madeley
Dominic Freeman (keys) member of ENGINE, Variable Lag
Cameron Taylor (bass) member of The Reeds
George Genn (drums) member of Sympathiser, Phil Madeley

Links:

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elsonband
twitter: https://twitter.com/Elson7James
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elson.music/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/4Yhqgiu1MC2hcnVhRjLRsP
Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/silent-observer/1447412738?i=1447412740

LIVE REVIEW: From Italy to England: Todmorden Orchestra – Todmorden Town Hall – 23rd March 2019

By
Diana Forrest
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0

The concert took the form of a continental tour, beginning with Respighi’s “Ancient Airs and Dances Suite no 2”. This Italian composer successfully combined period feel with modern energy. The next piece was from Spain, Rodrigo’s “Concierto d’Aranguez”, featuring guitarist Giacomo Susani, who delighted the audience and did justice to Rodrigo’s beautiful melodies.

Franz Liszt’s energising “Hungarian Rhapsody no 2” followed, with its enticing rhythms. Last came Vaughan Williams’ “The Wasps Suite”. Although the music was for a Greek play it featured very English-sounding melodies, as well as the splendid “March Past of the Kitchen Appliances” with periodic crashes.

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