Andrew Willis.
On the forthcoming lp 'Tandy Hard' (drift records, spring 2008), Jane Bartholomew plays piano and keyboards and sings, Johny Lamb sings and plays cornet, Ashley Coulson plays violins, Steven Grainger plays keyboards, Christian Davis plays drums. Gabriel Stebbing also sings. There's a lot of singing.
Alice Stevenson provided the artwork - www.alicestevenson.com
Influences
Anyone Who Had A Heart, Dead Ringer For Love, Friends Of Mine, Absolutely Sweet Marie, Agnes Queen Of Sorrow, Peggy Sue, Oh Hercules, Alice Wading, Ulrika's Body, Mathilde, The Gypsy's Wife, Green Eyes, The Love Of My Life.
Sounds Like
It's difficult to resist the instant urge to brand Tandy Hard's Andrew Willis as the south's Richard Hawley. With a velveteen sheen to his music and a lyrical elegance that walks a fine and sophisticated line between Scott Walker and Edwyn Collins he's a singer/songwriter who talks with the same stately romance and bittersweet aura of Sheffield's finest son.
As an integral part of Devon's excellent Drift Records such comparisons will suit Willis. Hawley's reputation as a fashion-resistant balladeer have garnered him a passionate and committed fan-base of musical waifs and strays desperately seeking some soul in their UK music. 'Tandy Hard' will appeal instantly to this rag-tag community. If he's not careful, Willis could well be sitting on a cult classic album here and it's not hard to see precisely why.
At eleven songs in length, this is a delightfully elegant listen from beginning to end. From the opening splendour of 'I Guess' Willis caresses each of these songs with the delicate and cherished touch of a true craftsman. Painstakingly adding fine detail (miniscule string parts add a lovely texture throughout the LP), each song seems smooth to the touch with Willis' dry-wit and lyrical flair working in tandem to tie these gentle folk songs together into an album that feels so much more than the mere sum of its parts.
Highlights themselves are plentiful; 'War Songs' is a beautiful downbeat ode that comes to life with the addition of Jane Bartholomew's whispered backing vocals (giving the impression of a subdued and string-laden Delgados), 'Stockholm' is a galloping folk-rock stomp, whilst the closing epic of 'Tandy Hard' piles on the melodrama as it swells to its rather impressive climax.
It's a faultless debut that deliberately sits beyond the confines of fashion. If Richard Hawley can carve himself such an impressive niche then there's no reason for thinking Willis won't be too far behind.
'Tandy Hard' is released on 1st September through Drift Records.
UNPEELED.COM
SOUNDS LIKE? Morrissey goes all new romantic, taking the decision over tea and biscuits with Jarvis Cocker and picking up Shirley & Pepsi on the way out. Cool.
IS IT ANY GOOD? How could it not be?
I changed my name when I was seven
Because I never got too much attention
My daddy bury mama in the summer
By winter she was gone from his affection
The tracks that lay behind the house were humming
We saw a tall and red-haired man a-coming
The evening sun lost all its colour
The tall and red-haired man began to murmur
I came this far to give up the drink
Only to find that’s not my addiction
Only to find that I’ve missed my reason
My love is around but I lost my direction
We might have kissed but I couldn’t say when
We might have been friends or never have met
She may be a lot older or only a little girl
She may live in this town or a completely different world
I know her struggle and her defeats
Those are things that I find the sweetest
Perhaps of all men, alone understanding
So I gave them a name. I called them Tandy
I changed my name when I was only seven
Because I never got enough attention
With water running freely from my reddening eyes
I changed my name to Tandy. Tandy Hard.
Hey Will - We're playing @ The Providence this evening with Your Army and Fire Times if you fancy a night out. £1 entry - 8pm - be good to see you.... and if not let's try and arrange that gig that we were discussing back on London Road when the weather was still warm! Hope yr good. Ric
The Jim Jones Revue play a special XFM 14+ show at The Barfly in Camden this Monday. The show will be recorded and broadcast on John Kennedy's XFM Xposure radio show throughout November.
Hey Rockers! The Jim Jones Revue celebrate the release of their new album “Here To Save Your Soul” with a release party at Cargo on Thursday 1 October. “Here To Save Your Soul” collects all the JJR singles together in physical format for the first time (Vinyl and CD). Bring your hard hat and help us blow the roof off Cargo next Thursday! Click on flyer for tickets
Hello Mr Hard Just in case you forgot you're playing at the final Bleeding Hearts Club ever on Monday, 3 August, doors at 8pm.
Acts will include: you Things in Herds Lofty Heights Tabitha Pickpocket Guy Dale Matthew and the Atlas The Well Mary Hampton Jane Batholomew Gary Goodman Robot Heart Poppycocks Enckelman Spruce Palm Springs Jerkin the Rat
and if that's not enough for you then you can get drunk with me afterwards.
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