Robert Wyatt, Mew, David Sylvian, Wu-Tang Clan, Adem, Four Tet, Wilco, Nick Cave, Antipop Consortium,Tom Waits, Talk Talk, Gorecki, Blue Nile, Scott Walker, Eno, Joni Mitchell, all things Def Jux, Efterklang, Angels of Light, Ben Christophers, Slint, Nick Drake, Aphex Twin, Husker Du, Vaughan Williams, Akron/Family, Peter Gabriel
Sounds Like
Adem, Sufjan Stevens, Ben Christophers, Grandaddy, Sparklehorse, James Yorkston, PG Six, Four Tet, Iron and Wine
Somewhere between the earthy and the ethereal, Sweet Billy Pilgrim scrape strings and tap away at laptops trying to make beautiful things.
Their second single, 'Stars Spill Out of Cups' recently appeared amongst the Sunday Times' forty or so 'Best Songs of the Year,' which made them very happy.
Response to their freely available mp3s has been nothing short of staggering, the most recent - the internet-only available 'Forget to Breathe' - amassing over 3000 downloads in 3 weeks.
They've also turned careful hands to remixing, most notably 'bringing a fierce pop quality' to David Sylvian's 'The Heart Knows Better' for his recent 'The Good Son vs. the Only Daughter - The Blemish Remixes' project, and turning in a version of Steve Adey's 'Mississippi' for a forthcoming iTunes release.
Their debut album is "we just did what happened and no one came" a collection of songs recorded in a warm shed where hope floats and faith taps at the door, sometimes a little too quietly to hear. Mojo magazine awarded it 4 stars and included a song on a recent cover-mounted CD, while the Sunday Times called it, "a rather special debut."
They say it's time someone made a dignified record. In D minor. So that's what they did, and below are the thoughts of some of those who came along when it happened.
About the singles:
"Like James Yorkston with more edge." - High Voltage
"Achingly Beautiful." - Shifty Disco
"Beautiful, just beautiful. If these tracks are anything to go by then I can only hope great things are going to happen. I think you'll agree it's sublime." - Spoilt Victorian Child
"It's somewhere between 'Peace at Last' period Blue Nile, some twists of latter day King Crimson and a nudge of Elbow." - Kelvin Hayes (Buzz Magazine)
" A world away from the check shirt by numbers alt-country scene, this is great songwriting and spellbinding arrangements, beautifully played and sung. Enchanting stuff, very highly recommended." - Boomkat
"[the "stars spill out of cups EP] just might contain your next favourite song." - *sixeyes
"A lifetime's career may be built upon an original, convincing viewpoint. Stars Spill Out Of Cups suggests that they might be one of those relatively rare bands capable of achieving this." - Colin Buttimer (The Milk Factory)
"What I will say is that Stars Spill Out of Cups is by quite a margin the best single I have heard this year." - Tasty Fanzine
"I've already mentioned [Stars Spill Out of Cups], but even though I already loved it then, it's only grown in my estimation since." Ian Mathers (Stylus Magazine)
About the album:
"a slow-burner in the Damien Rice mould." - DVDFever
"Disturbing and beautiful, layered and arranged with funereal precision." (8/10) - Americana - UK
"Do yourselves a favour and trust us on this one, as this deserves to be a contender for one of THE albums of 2005! Essential !"- 101cd.com
"Let's just be happy that they exist and they sound as wonderful as they do. Go and seek out this album, I guarantee you will not be disappointed." - Tasty Fanzine
"Sweet Billy Pilgrim's debut album has swallowed me whole." - Ian Mathers (Stylus Magazine)
"Accompanied by a guitar, ukelele and various rumblings of rhythm and effects from a laptop, he's a 21st Century Boy with a nod to the past." (3/5) - Record Collector
"...choruses so beautiful that it almost hurts when they stop." - Johnny Black (Back on the Tracks)
"...stunning..." (8.5 /10) - *sixeyes
"This calm, pretty folktronica is strange but not difficult: there are choruses here that, if Chris Martin had stumbled across them, would have shifted another million Coldplay albums. A rather special debut." (3/5) - Mark Edwards (Sunday Times)
"If you are in the mood for serious, subtle music, Sweet Billy Pilgrim's freshman release should fit the bill." - Kweevak.com
"Not ripping off Radiohead, not soaked in tears like Coldplay, Sweet Billy might be the next interesting thing to come out of the thinking man's indie rock." - DogmaNet.org
"Sweet Billy Pilgrim's debut full-length... is something very special." - Thomas Bartlett for Salon.com
"Elsenburg's perfectly shaped songs have the same power as magic realist short stories that sieve the emotions and leave you reduced to jelly." (****) - Mojo Magazine
"These are songs that paint with bare emotion and, for this correspondent, represent one of the most beautiful sets seen in a long while." - the-mag.me.uk
"...the band's remakable 2005 debut will convince fans of Sufjan Stevens, Guillemots and Iron & Wine that they have a new set of heroes to discover and hold dear." from the Mojo cover mount CD, Oct. 2006 Edition
"However, there is a reason to stay awake through the spiteful winter months. Yes our long-suffering comrades, hope has come ... in the form of We Just Did What Happened And No One Came by Sweet Billy Pilgrim." heckler spray.com
The album is available from all good outlets, particularly if they're well-known and/or internet based.
Let us know what you think of our songs, in the meantime, and we'll keep you informed of our movements. Unless they're illegal. Or unsightly. There is a blog, called...
You can find our production / remixing / soundtrack work page here.
debut album 'we just did what happened and no one came' now available from Wonderland Avenue Records (via Proper Distribution) from most good internet and high street stockists.
'brugada EP' now available for free download from SVC Records.
Hello Beauties! Can't waity to play with you on the same bill this Friday at the Royal Opera House 2 Let's have a great gig! I love your music and can't wait to see you play live in such a prestigious venue! x x kc
Good evening, Semaphore the popular beat combo will be performing their groovy rock sounds at The Old Blue Last in Shoreditch, London town this Monday the 14th of July. Also performing will be bohemian French rapscallions Coming Soon, Doors are at eight and the door tax 5. Also some far-out live footage of the Semaphore chaps performing is up now in the interzone. Be Polite, loux
Moose Factory would like to support you and help promote your upcoming gigs. We can do this by reviewing a track/album and uploading an example on our site and possibly reviewing a live show (if we're invited;)). If you'd like this to happen, please send us something to moosefactoryuk@googlemail.com or 223 Ramsay Road, London, E7 9ES. In addition, we have upcoming gig nights in London on October 30, November 20, December 11, and January 16 with slots available if you'd like to perform. Cheers.
Eddie Izzard's brother!(Samadhisound pics). Not sure I believe you about the Jansen remix - I'll be listening out for a vintage Kenwood with dough hook attachment... x
Today is the day. Today is the day you can download our album. It's absolutely FREE. Click on our website www. sixredcarpets. com to download the file in which you'll find 13 tracks, the E-Booklet and a short story we've written to introduce it. IT'S FOR YOU. IT'S ABSOLUTELY FREE. TODAY IS THE DAY. Six Red Carpets
Haha! Yeah, being in a different country is also a problem ;) But yeah, like you say that usually doesn't stop me much ;) All the trips I have planned for this year are just for gigs! In any case, I hope that the concert is a success. Waiting for that new album! :D
Hello, our infrequent clubnight Stabokki! returns this Saturday the 21st of june at The Cross Kings on York Way, Kings Cross with an Extra Special Lineup. Playing Live will be us (semaphore), Island Line, Yo Zushi and Kumi with Marcio Custodio (Goonite) on the wheels of steel until 2am. Projections will be provided by the generous folks at Society Films. This will be an absolutely cracking night so frankly if you're not there you're in the wrong place!!
NOUVEAU!!!! Disponible sur Myspace! Un morceau extrait du nouvel album du groupe Maltavern "Douce Tornade" Sortie prévue le 28 Juin 2008 Bonne écoute! A bientôt Et bon vent... Christo pour Maltavern
Whilst it's an older track I have to say "stars Spill" is simply stunning. It has to be one of my all time favourite tracks now having listened to it for so long. It never fails to inspire and lift me - a classic Tim,brilliant. Ross
my dear Sweet T- I am always so glad to hear the beautiful melancholy that exists here...so I had to come for another visit. thanks for your friendship and encouragement. here is a close-up of the latest painting....come check out the rest of it on my page. Sam xx detail from SEGUE, 48" x 64", oil and varnish on canvas, 2008.
On June 29 a digital version of our first album will be released. It will be absolutely free. You'll have the possibility of downloading it from our official website or - if you prefer - from our MySpace page. More infos as soon as you can imagine...
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