Ed Ling plays guitars, piano, organ, strings, percussion, sings.
Influences
The Smiths, The Beach Boys, Nick Drake, REM, Death Cab For Cutie, Stereolab, Belle & Sebastian, Rufus Wainwright, Badly Drawn Boy, The Magic Numbers, Kings Of Convenience, The Sundays, The Stone Roses...
Sounds Like
Download more tracks here:
Limited edition CDs still available...
Photos courtesy of Matthew Robinson (forsandsky@hotmail.com)
"Wonderful dense, emotional chorus, reminiscent of Guillemots at their best" - Tom Robinson on "America Song", BBC 6 Music
"Cold Surface Man recalls early Belle & Sebastian in it’s catchy verses (Sonny boy, shut up and put your bloody nose to the grindstone/and I will show you what you have been missing) while the instrumentation is flawless, with the string accompaniment on the pre-chorus a subtle touch of genius and a hook in the chorus that James Mercer would be proud of. America Song is a more melancholy affair, and one can almost detect My Morning Jacket in the jangly guitars. The chorus lacks a real punch, but the verses will be rattling around your head long after your first listen. Keeping The Smile has such a beautiful intro that you could almost weep, and Ed’s voice sounds immaculate throughout. You continually get the impression when listening to these demos that Some Best Friend has become a composer of serious music, as opposed to the sun-flecked pop ditties circa 2004. It’s a more melancholic affair, but also more ambitious and certainly it’s all the better for it. Stay sounds like a bit like Sealegs if the Shins had become obsessed by Elliott Smith and developed a knack for introspected beauty" - www.noizemakesenemies.co.uk
"The glacial sounds of the Bunnymen, the rich textures of Wah! and the bombast of the Teardrops, that's what I hear from Some Best Friend.
And these are still bedroom demos, The new wall of sound is coming!" - Jake Shillingford, My Life Story
"Some of the most thoughtful songwriting and the most charming vocals, Ed Ling not only sings on these tunes, he plays everything you can imagine, talent indeed." - sohostrut.co.uk
"The melancholic air of the Doves meets the Icicle Works" - John Earls, Planet Sound
Really looking forward to Wednesday Night, we had a fantastic night last week and hope to repeat it again so please tell all of your friends to come down. We have some great acts on!
I have a new song up on my page, tis entitled 'Cannon & Calvary' if you have time please have a listen, tis available to download on myspace and feel free to tell all your friends.
Happy New Year. Joe Woodham
Next Gig: 17th January - The Providence - Brighton
Hello there Mr Ling, just downloaded your new songs... they are now on my ipod. Starting Fires is excellent. We shall have to do a gig together one day!
We played your track "Cold Surface Man" on Bristol Uncovered this Sunday morning on BBC Radio Bristol. Sorry about the delay in letting you know. You can still hear it anytime this week using the on line "Listen Again" feature on the BBC website, there’s a link to it from our profile.
Happy Dynamic Living!
Richard Pitt & Gary Smith Bristol Uncovered on BBC Radio Bristol
Hey, i thought you were really good on the radio last night..keeping the smile sounded amazing!!..the woman was a little wierd though!! hope all is well x i am probs guna be coming to the gig on the 26th Nov with a few mates:D
