Did Not Call - live at Palac Akropolis, Prague on October 26th, 2006.
Treaded Heart - live at Palac Akropolis, Prague on October 26th, 2006.
Natural Part - live at Palac Akropolis, Prague on October 26th, 2006.
Latest news - 6.9.08: A NEW, YET UNTITLED EP BY selFbrush IS COMING OUT SOON!
THREE NAMES by selFbrush ( Absent Hour Records, 2006 ):
On Wednesday 22nd November 2006 the much anticipated album THREE NAMES by selFbrush has been released. This project, by Prague based singer/songwriter Vaclav Havelka, is a new ten songs recording made during two recording sessions in November 2005 and January 2006 at the Maximum Volume Studio in Groce di Piave, Italy with producer and sound engineer Massimo Sartor. Along with Havelka on vocals, guitar and megaphone the record features appearances by Massimo Sartor on guitar, dobro, synth., sax., Giulio Manzetto on hammond and Fender Rhodes piano, Ernesto Fontanella on drums, David Babka on pedal steel and Giulia Battistella on vocals. The result of the two spontanious recording sessions is an original lo–fi sounding record with strange noises and murmurs floating throughout the backround that exponentiate the general impression with obvious influences spaninng from the American indie songwriting scene to country.
The beatiful cover art is the work of painter and artist Jakub Ho--ek who..s also a key member of the production team AM180 Collective ( SMOG, WILLIAM ELLIOT WHITMORE, NINA NASTASIA, LIARS, DAMIAN JURADO, SUNBURNED HAND OF THE MAN ) and who, in the past, stood behind the cover arts for bands such as Point or Naquei Manou. In the end, bypassing the interest of several domestic record labels, the record THREE NAMES by selFbrush has come out on the new indie record label ABSENT HOUR records. It should be mentioned that the song DID NOT CALL has come out in Italy on compilation NEVER MIND THE BLOOSOMS! (Ugly Dogs Records). This compilation was produced by members of the group MR60, a band which Havelka supported the compilation with in a small north Italian tour along too with French duo YEPEE ( also appeared on the compilation ). An Italian and French tour is planed for April 2007 but before that selFbrush will tour Czech Republic with another Italian artist, Mattia Coletti.
The bathroom tiles in the city of Harrachov, on the north-east side of Czech Republic, were the first to hear the tape demos of Vaclav Havelka at the end of the nineties of the past century. Since then the singer-songwriter, performing under the alias selFbrush, moved from the mountains to the Czech Republic..s capital Prague and has become increasingly familiar on the Czech indie scene. He has self-released several recordings and guest appeard on several different artists and bands records (ECSTASY OF SAINT THERESA - "Watching Black" the song Wrong Time, Wrong Place). He has toured with Canadian ATLANTIC CABLE, American songwriter Terry Lee Hale and has supported artists such as dEUS and STUART A.STAPLES. His widespread talents enable him to handle a solo acoustic set in a café, fuse folk with electronic influences or perform as a member of a rock band.
It is this last position that signified selFbrush's debut album – Ghost of a Handshake, which was released in September 2004 by a small folk and country Prague based label, Good Day Records / GOOD DAY RECORDS /. Soon after, the record was promoted by Radio 1, the most known alternative radio station in the Czech Republic and gained very good reviews. The contribution of a number of guests on Ghost of a Handshake blends the composing talents of Vaclav Havelka with the musical talents of the multi-instrumentalist and artist Mato Mi--ík / www.matomatic.com /. Mi--ík played a large part in the diversity of the album. The songs ranged from indie rock, acoustic folk and alternative country all the way to the ambient heights of naive analog sounds and effects -- all recorded at Mato..s apartment.
After releasing Ghost of a Hanshake Vaclav and Mato formed a band they named selFbrush. After playing almost two years together this partnership split after the turn of 2005 allowing selFbrush to develop an even more intimate atmosphere of alternative folk.
Click this link for Jenna Nicholls album "Curled Up Toes in Red Mary Janes"
"Just as unhurried as it is precious and reflective. The atmosphere is serene; you’ll pick
every word that is uttered and find a world that normally goes at a million miles an hour
slow to a relaxing canter. "
