Second Language Podcast

 

I don’t want to say too much about this, or who is involved (to quote one of its creators, “anonymity is the order of the day”), but Second Language and Clay Pipe Music recently released the wonderful ‘Tyneham House’, a Children’s Film Foundation inspired soundtrack of pastoral, wistful yet ineffably disquieting music.

Photo courtesy of Clay Pipe Music

There is a podcast to promote it, and I might be on it.

“Second Language present a podcast to accompany the beguiling agrarian enigma that is Tyneham House. Interleaved with field recordings and typically bucolic extracts of music from the album, a handful of artist friends of the reclusive Tyneham House creators reminisce evocatively about growing up in small rural towns and villages. Out of the rustling, sun-dappled atmosphere, a theme slowly emerges: the Proustian mystery of lost time and place and how the free spirit and wonderment of childhood grapples with the beauty and oppression of the countryside…”

The podcast (No. 13) can be downloaded from here.

For some background information, there is an interesting article on Tyneham (“Village Of The Damned”) from Fortean Times Magazine here.

Redlip reissue

Originally recorded and released in 2008, ‘Dan & Headless Bill’, a collection of “electro oddities and acoustic daytrips” by REDLIP (Ashley Cooke and myself) is being reissued by Folkwit Records on 26th September.

Some of the tracks have already been played on BBC6 Music, BBC radio Wales and various internet stations/podcasts.

You can pre-order it here.

Ash Cooke’s wonderful solo work (as Pulco) can be sampled here.

Press for ‘Dan & Headless Bill’:

“This is an album with a lot of charm … Lo-fi without being lazy, serious without being pretentious, Dan and Headless Bill finds two men making music of the highest caliber on their own thoughtful terms”A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed

“Really, really fascinating” – Adam Walton, BBC Radio Wales

“Redlip weave narrative tales into folkish tunes and found sounds… brilliant and laidback” – Plastik Magazine

Owl Service double CD

This new double CD contains parts 1 & 2 of the Pattern Beneath The Plough series, plus 9 bonus tracks. I sing on a handful of songs on Pt. 2 (‘The View From A Hill’).

It can be purchased now direct from Rif Mountain or via good record shops / online retailers.

Praise for The Owl Service:

“Icy female vocals and crystalline electric guitars thread through sinister traditional tunes, recalling Trees’ 1970 classic On the Shore and Fairport Convention’s Liege and Lief” – Sunday Times

“When the curtain closes we are left with an album perfectly out of place with popular folk thinking. One that that leaves lasting ripples in the pond and challenges the mainstream by standing still. The View From A Hill? Pretty spectacular actually” – The Line of Best Fit

 

 

Bursting out of nowhere


The new LP ‘Nature Recordings’ is out.

Vinyl only – 150 hand-numbered copies from The Great Pop Supplement (GPS63). Guest appearances by The Owl Service’s Steven Collins and P.G. Six. Artwork by Dom Martin. Contains ‘The Man Who Invented Himself’, ‘Lillian, I Love You’, ‘Dawn Rain / Grissom Aloft’, ‘The Archaeologist’ over side 1, and ‘The Eighth Tower’ (parts i-iv) over side 2.

It’s available for pre-order now from Rough Trade, Piccadilly Records, Norman Records, Heyday Mail-order, Rhythm Online, Boa Melody Bar, Phonica Records, Tormentosa and others – or direct from me. Email adamleonard@hotmail.com if you want one – they’re a tenner each (BUY).

Adam Leonard: Thoughts Upon Application

In a future rock and roll hall of anonymity, he will be a byword for quiet and tidy exploration … striding across the symbolic alien conifers – myopically planted by an eco-quango to reduce creative erosion and soften the artistic landscape – of nu-folk, modern acoustica, progressive electronics, post punk prose and popular sonics. He does not “take in” his surroundings, nor feel compelled to compose poetry and assemble music by some unseen elemental urge – his approach is experimental, inquisitive, probing. He is a social vivisectionist at the height of his powers. Fair play.

These works are the latest batch of results from an ongoing examination into the human psyche; into ‘the soul’, if that’s what gets you through the night, honey. But cast your dream-catchers and crystal healing methodology manuals aside; the imaginary emporium of Adam Leonard’s mind is more of an industrial trade counter than a new age boutique. You can queue up and pass your scribbled note of the heart’s desires to the vendor, dressed in Arkwrightian brown overalls, who will scurry off into a labyrinthine maze of dump bins and steel shelving for your dreams and fantasies. Inevitably something will be out of stock, but never fear – come back next week and A B Leonard and Co will have it in. On the counter are some thoughts on death, marked up at £3.99 with a florescent star. Impulse emotion vending. Do you want a VAT receipt for that, mate?

For Adam I have prepared the following poem:

Under the clock – the AC clock –
to the left of the bins;
Across from the charity collector and the instant salvation,
but opposite the gents – quite clean for a gents –
and next to the scales,
beside the bucket of Grade II listed rainwater …
I am temporarily alone in good company.

I hope that you enjoy this record as much as I enjoyed being edited out of it.

Yours,
Gareth Davies.

Echoes From The Mountain

* Echoes From the Mountain sees the Rif Mountain collective paying homage to legendary folk label Village Thing.

* Village Thing was self-dubbed ‘the alternative folk label’ way back when it began in 1970, and although it lasted only 4 years (and 20-odd releases) the music they released continues to be revered today with key albums being reissued by the likes of Light in the Attic and Sunbeam.

* The Rif Mountain artists all cite various VT albums as having a major influence on their music, particularly the work of Dave Evans, Wizz Jones and Sun Also Rises, all of whom are re-interpreted on this collection. This 15 track album features Rif Mountain mainstays The Owl Service, Jason Steel and the Straw Bear Band, plus special guests Jane Weaver, Starless & Bible Black, Stephen Cracknell (The Memory Band/Gorodisch), The A Lords & Mark Fry, Lemez Duo feat. Ben Mandelson, Pamela Wyn Shannon, Adam Leonard, Katie Rose and Corncrow. It also includes new recordings from original Village Thing artists Wizz Jones and Steve Tilston. All tracks are exclusive to this release.

Tracklisting:

Rough Trade Shops: Psych Folk 10

rtpsychfolk

The following compilation has been released, featuring tracks from Jack Rose, Espers, Alasdair Roberts, Trembling Bells, The Owl Service and many more. I’m only mentioning it as I sing backing vocals on the Owl Service track featured – ‘Ladies Don’t Go A Thieving’.

There’s a review here, and you can also listen to a snippets of the tracks: http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/8qzb

New album news

The wonderful Great Pop Supplement label will be releasing my next album ‘Nature Recordings’ in the Autumn. The album has guest appearances from Pat Gubler (aka P.G. Six) and Steven Collins from The Owl Service and contains all 4 parts of ‘The Eighth Tower’ suite + other new songs.

Inspirations and influences for this one: Klaus Schulze’s ‘Irrlicht’ album, Roy Harper in ’69, Michael Nyman, Tower Recordings, Nico and Cale, Syd Barrett & the String Band. More news soonish.

Singing With The Owl Service

May saw the release of the following fine album from The Owl Service. And I’m not just saying that because I sing on a few of the songs. Fans of classic early British electric folk (think Steeleye Span playing on Summerisle in 1973) will not be disappointed. In fact, they’ll be bloody chuffed to bits.

THE OWL SERVICE
The View From a Hill
Rif Mountain / RM-004CD

Part two of The Owl Service’s Pattern Beneath the Plough series. 15 track single CD in digipack sleeve with 8 page booklet containing notes and photographs. As well as the seven-strong collective these new recordings also feature guest appearances from Joolie Wood (Current 93, Simon Finn), Roshi Nasehi, Derry-based singer Adam Leonard and regular collaborator Alison O’Donnell (Mellow Candle). This epic suite of traditional British songs sees the band refining both their sound and their approach to arranging traditional song. The result is a timeless collection of exquisitely produced folk-rock which, like their debut album, recalls past giants of the genre such as Mellow Candle, Fairport Convention and Trees, but is stamped with the band’s own sound, a sound that’s becoming ever more distinctive.

Released May 31st 2010.

Echoes In Rows

This is a new project I’m involved in with analogue synth genius David Ansara. We’ve called ourselves ‘Echoes In Rows’ after a line from the John Foxx song ‘Underpass’, because Foxx is the primary influence on what we are doing. Hopefully an album will come of this, but the first fruits of the project is the song ‘Brian Aldiss’.

Music critic Everett True (NME, Melody Maker, Plan B) had this to say:

“It’s pure, fully rounded-out, delightfully and un-regretfully, late 70s retro electronica (OMD, Gary Numan). Or, as Adam himself puts it, “2 males, one with a moustache and one with eyeliner. The Sparks template”. The song is called ‘Brian Aldiss’, after the sci-fi writer – and it’s very of its times. The late 70s. I hope I made that clear already. Most excellent stuff if totally retro.”

It can be heard here: Brian Aliss

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