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CD
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HS 202CD
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"Having already established his bashful genius with three acclaimed mini-albums and the off-kilter quirkiness of debut long-player Fancy Barrel, Aidan Smith returns with the next chapter in his captivating story. Allotments takes the listener on an epic journey, visiting London, Paris and 'The Bull's Head' and introducing more of the tragi-comic characters that have peppered Smith's remarkable canon of work so far. Reminiscent of Kurt Weill's woozy cabaret and Rufus Wainwright's touching melodrama, but anchored by a traditional pop ideology, Allotments is a perfectly-formed oddity; its realism and surrealism runs through every beguiling jaunt. Opener 'Morning Was Your Picnic' announces itself with dizzying brass and woozy organ, immediately confirming Smith's unparalleled understanding of melody, while lyrical vulnerability runs hand-in-hand with a streak of biting black humor. 'Murder Ballad' provides a fresh new take on the oft-ubiquitous Saturday night tale of woe, Smith's startling wit and candor sitting alongside barbershop quartet harmonies. Future single, 'Wearing Your Clothes,' is a sweet account of one man's adventures in his partner's wardrobe ('tie your ribbon through my thinning hair?'), while 'Lament Of A Victorian Prostitute, London 1865' is a tender, sideways look at the world's oldest profession. Dramatic arrangements and flawless musicianship send Smith's eccentric characters straight to your heart. With breathtaking shows supporting Yo La Tengo, Badly Drawn Boy and Calexico already under his belt, Aidan Smith devotees are already hiding in parks, cafés and libraries across the country, but Allotments, arguably his finest achievement, is going to see numbers grow, and grow and grow. Beautifully packaged using recycled card and featuring the wonderful artwork by Michael Crowe."
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CD
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HS 204CD
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"Largely conceived under the stars, John Fairhurst's beautiful debut, Joys Of Spring, originated in bars, on beaches, and up coconut trees. His extensive travelling and raw musical experiences have informed these warm, sumptuous and technically brilliant songs, alongside influences as diverse as Hendrix, Miles Davis, Nick Drake, and Indian sarod master, K. Sridhar, who briefly stayed with Fairhurst's family in Wigan. 'He spent fifteen years living in a cave in the mountains as he studied to mastery,' explains John. 'This dedication has inspired me deeply.' After spending years 'drawing pictures of Stratocasters,' playing in heavy rock bands and listening to Captain Beefheart in his shed, John headed to southeast Asia and beyond, where his own dedication to music was cemented. He worked alongside Maori gangsters, played slide guitar in a Bangkok blues bar, wrote for a traditional Thai dancer, and was tattooed with protective blessings by monks. Apparently, these markings mean John cannot be killed, which is lucky, since he was stabbed by a street gang not long afterwards. A stunning debut, Joys Of Spring is an eclectic amalgamation of John's incredible life to date; hazy summertime rhythms with masterful guitar techniques and an underlying sense of the worldwide music community. Guesting on the album are friends Nancy Elizabeth, Dave Rybka and Denis Jones, themselves locally renowned musicians, while James G. Wilson earns a songwriting credit with the poignantly beautiful 'Friends.' Opener, 'Obnox Stomp,' is 'a good old foot-stamping dance tune,' and 'How Far How Fast' is the result of jamming with 'fantastically gifted percussionist' called Alfredo, whom he met in New Zealand. On the other side of the world, the experimental 'Shivver' was born out of a concept track just outside Wigan... Quite simply, Joys Of Spring is a truly great achievement; an album of outstanding creativity, lush eastern melodies, and at its heart, John's unbridled zest for life."
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HS 107CD
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"Humdrum Virtue is Denis Jones' debut album, the culmination of a journey that has taken Denis from his Northwest roots to London, Sweden, Berlin and back to Manchester, playing alongside such diverse acts as Coco Rosie, Ella Guru, Steve Tilston, Bent, Bone Box, Okkervil River, The Boats, Merz, Jack Rose and Chris Corsano. During this time he has forged a truly unique style, informed by an eclectic breadth of artists ranging from traditional songwriters like Nick Drake and Tim Buckley, via Björk and Radiohead to experimental luminaries Herbert and Four Tet, a style that has been described as 'One World era John Martyn mixed with Tunng and re-assembled through a Basic Channel filter.' Humdrum Virtue covers the range of Denis' output, from the intimate acoustic beauty of 'Four Water' to the multi-layered loops of 'One Loop' and 'Beginning,' via the Waits-like blues monster track '£10 of Electricity,' which features the powerhouse rhythm section of Jon Thorne, Luke Flowers and Paddy Steer. The album perfectly captures precious snapshots from an artist who has already proved his credentials as a live performer, with looped acoustic complexity straying from the chaotic to the sublime, always hypnotic and completely engaging. At a time when the loop pedal has become almost ubiquitous, Denis Jones effortlessly rewrites the rules and then breaks them again, bemusing and beguiling the audience, weaving a complex spell of beatboxed rhythms, samples and staccato guitars, over which his plaintive vocal glides with complex and heartfelt emotion. And what might be missed in the heat of one of these utterly compelling live performances becomes unavoidably evident on the album: a lyrical depth that is the equal of the instrumental wizardry, delivering storytelling in the grand folk tradition with a twist of Northern irony."
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HS 106EP
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"Jojo Thomas (vocals, piano, chord organ) and Danny Norbury (cello) have known each other for over ten years, but only started playing music together in the spring of 2005. Cortina Deluxx's first release for new Manchester label Humble Soul. Subtly recorded in intimate sessions at the label's Manchester studio, the songs mark personal statements for Jojo. Starting with the haunting melancholy of 'Ready About?,' the Jojo side continues with the bleak piano and cello minimalism of 'Cold Weather,' which will leave you holding your breath until the very last note fades into the run out groove. Flipping over to the Danny side, you will discover the infectious, hypnotic groove that is 'Just The Same,' followed by 'Going Home,' where the piano's jolly bounce forms an ironic backdrop to the acerbic wit of the lyrics. Final touches were added by the mixing talents of Andy Kingslow (Mr. Scruff, Elbow, Corinne Bailey Rae) and the beautiful cover photography of the exceptional Emily Dennison."
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