Uber short post to flag up the fact that the entirely wonderful Halves have their latest album, Boa Howl, released on Hate is the Enemy Records, now available for pre-order via their special website. Available on vinyl and CD I can only urge you to rush along and snap one up for delivery around the 5th July release date (why must we wait so long?)

Their last album, It Goes It Goes, was a revelation to me and has given me more consistent pleasure than many an album and the opening track from Boa Howl, Drumhunter, suggests that this album will be stellar as well. Recorded in Gothenberg, Sweden, a fair step away from their native Dublin, it appears that they locked themselves away for 11 straight days to put down the album, and I for one can’t wait to get more of a listen than just the wonderful, but teasing single track. Boy, I love this band.

The Peeblemeister and I rolled along this Sunday eve to catch Toms set, nicely timed towards the top of the bill. As often he was accompanied by the equally talented Sarah Proudfoot who is herself getting some nice expoxure and reviews.

Despite the inevitable babble at events like these his set rose above the noise, quite properly getting a fine and warm welcome from the excellent size crowd. In his all too brief twenty minutes or so he managed to get through a goodly number of the tracks from his EP (see below) plus a new song, The Phoenix.

So to the EP – the snowy railway scene on the cover of Ruthless Thing, although familiar from recent weeks, feels strangely at odds with the music on this 20 minute EP from Bristol, based Tom and obtainable from his Bandcamp site.

Rather than being exposed to the winters ravages, the music is much more a warm-by-the-fireside sort of thing. The picked guitar (slightly Mark Knopfler – in his less self-satisfied mode – by Toms’ own admission), the careful harmonies deliver a slightly more Americana flavour than straight ahead English folk stylee.

The five self-penned tracks here all display a deft ability to write a jolly good tune with a strong narrative, but for me the most arresting track is Only Partly There with its deceptiveness happy sounding melody disguising the tragic lyrical content. There is nothing like a personal story to bring out the most authentic and heartfelt!

Young whipper snapper Mitchell can also turn his hand, and add his own dimension, to some excellent covers too, many of which can be found on his Soundcloud pages, a personal favourite being the MGMT song Time to Pretend.

Guitar in hand, Tom can be heard around Bristol and beyond with dates and venues up on his web site and his Twitter feed @therealtommitch will keep you up to date with the latest news. His first (?) Bristol headline show is up and coming at the lovely Louisiana on 8th May along with a slew of other chaps- must be worth £5 of anybody’s money….

But a little ray has pierced the gloom. With the planned closure of Google Reader (boo hiss) came the need for a replacement – behold Feedly - and a welcome regeneration of interest in my feeds. Enter The Wild Honey Pie blog that I had neglected and therein a post about Dan Croll.

New to me I was, as the posts said I would, rather captivated by Compliment Your Soul (released tomorrow, Easter Monday), all jolly and upbeat, some natty rhythms and enough hooks to keep an angler happy, but mercifully the right side of schmaltz and tweeness. The other three tracks form his debut EP From Nowhere are similarly jolly affairs.

A Liverpudlian it seems, more of his stuff can be stream through Soundcloud and you can be dragged into the abyss that is Facebook (heaven save your soul) via his page, he of course has his own web site and You Tube channel and can be followed@dancrollmusic (phew!). Mr Croll has been buzzing shows at SXSW of late and doing some dates with CVRCHES so the mans’ stock is on the rise, you might catch him at one of his dates in May ……

Paul died of a brain tumour just as he started his university course and his parents set up this charity to give people some respite and a break if they are suffering from a life altering or terminal illness, or if they care for someone in that situation. The trust funds people to have a break at Paul’s Place on the beautiful North Devon coast near Croyde, and this gig was a fund raiser to help them in their work. As Paul’s father said, there seems to be very little support for people in this position, lots for children and and families but not much for young adults.

Two bands acted as support for the evening, both with ties to Paul and the charity, the bouncy and perky (if improbably named) Rosie G and the Jelly Rebels, and the rather more earnest Robin Mitchell Band. I have to admit that Rosie et al won me over from the get go – how could you fail to by starting with my favourite M Ward track and then adding some Nick Drake and John Martyn.

Mr Mitchell clearly had his army of followers with him, all word perfect with his songs which can be got through his Bandcamp pages amongst other places. Indeed it seems it was flaxen haired Ben Johnson on guitar and keys who was instrumental in getting the evening together ( an eve that raised two grand it seems !)

The SM set was understandably on the shorter side and if truth be told the man seemed even more shy and diffident than usual; not so much banter and what not. I was stood in front of young Greg on guitar and the fab lap steel. Mrs HC was much taken with Greg and his apparently ‘fine, delicate features oft seen in renaissance paintings’ (I told you she was smitten).

The set of nine songs ( including the encore) spread across the three albums, with some of the newer songs feeling like old favourites and settling in to a new groove having been honed in live settings. The ticket price was worth it just to hear Ballerina Lake again, surely one of his finest compositions that grows and builds into a storming finish.

Rumour has it that, save a few intimate gigs in April, this will be last we see of SM until after the new album is laid down and released,it is promised, towards the end of the year. Here’s power to his elbow for that and new material later this year.

.

I feel I am heading into another folky period and so how timely to (finally) stumble across a new home grown voice. Roo Panes, whose musical maturity belies his scandalously young twenty three years has obviously achieved some traction with a couple of EP’s, some radio exposure and helpful support slots for the likes of Benjamin Francis Leftwich.

Roo Panes has one of those voices, rich and distinctive, enough edge to keep you listening properly, a wonderful tonal quality that fits perfectly with the carefully crafted and structured songs. Coming clearly from the deep English folk tradition there is nothing backward looking here, all is thoughtful and intelligent.

His first EP, Once, is still available through his Bandcamp page and his second, Weight of Your World can be got through iTunes or if a hard copy is more your style, then go to his label, CRC Music for a CD or download. Mr Panes writes, sings and plays mandolin, 6 and  12 string guitars, while Georgie Harris delivers viola, Joanne Sy cello,Sean Hatton drums and presumably his sister Deborah adds extra vocals.

Enticing and enveloping music from an obvious talent, a new EP is planned for early summer so if this is up your street, then there is more to come soon.

I have instantly become obsessed with the only two tracks that American (?) duo Lovelier Other have available – their first track, Leave This Behind and their most recent Hidden Shelters.

Wilfully obscure MW and LV  give little away, their FB yields little and their web site even less, the video for the latest track suitably teasing. But Soundcloud has both tracks for streaming (and downloading of their first track).

No matter if this is some trendy attempt to be opaque and interesting, the two tracks are just sublime. The references to Beach House are inevitable, but there is a real beauty to these skilfully wrought songs, lush with production and ethereal treatment, but rich too with hooks that draw you in. Gorgeous sweeping soundscapes, both aching and joyful.

Hideously overdue scribbles from me, Moments is a bijou little EP of  some sixteen minutes, the latest output from Jerome Alexander, aka Message to Bears, released (a few weeks ago) under his own name this time to differentiate this more electronic  music from his more established MTB output. The EP can  be streamed but can be (and should be) bought from his Bandcamp site.

The first track, Memories, is perhaps the one most redolent of the Message to Bears material, albeit with some mild electronica mixed in there, all charming picked guitar and romantic strings. Walking Over Me brings a more electronic flavour, the treated vocals and keys pushing the guitar and strings down a tad. When We Meet Again continues the development, synth more up front, the abstracted voice and with the piano riff laying beneath. I am Glad and the suitably titled, and rather wistful  closing track, Goodbye, complete an all too brief set of tracks.

So although there is a different twist to the MTB output, no-one could deny the heritage of Moments – sumptuous, beautiful, and dreamy tracks bringing to mind those long lost sunny summer days. Be it under his own name or as MTB, Mr Alexander never fails to produce the most delicious sounds, as comforting as a blanket, as soothing as childhood memories, glorious stuff indeed.

The EP is released via Sound in Silence, a label run by the inestimable George Mastrokostas who also records himself as Absent Without Leave (whose latest, Faded Photographs was mentioned in these pages). The roster includes some excellent artists, also scribbled about by me, including Good Weather for an Airstrike, and Stafrænn Hákon, the later due an new album imminently.

I’ve rather lost count of how many times I’ve seen TB now (noodling on these pages abound about shows at Cheese and Grain, Thekla, Komedia, Shepherds Bush etc to mention but a few) but there has never been a show where I haven’t left feeling uplifted with happiness restored – how many bands can you say that about?

One of a handful of shows leading up to their recording in March of album number six, the set included of course many of the usual favourites but also a peek at some new material from what is promised to be a darker (I think that’s how Olly described it) album. Despite taking the stage at 9.45 they still delivered a two hour set, stretching beyond the two ‘planned’ encores into yet more late night numbers. If you judge things on such a basis, value for money is always assured with a TB gig.

Anyone who knows TB knows they are fine musicians all – Gales fine guitar delivered in his self effacing way, Olly’s distinctive and maturing vocals, Rob’s fine, fine drumming (especially when he is let loosely some of the extended numbers) and of course Caveman Eddie’s remarkable bass. Now I have a soft spot for Rob (no, not that marshy wasteland in western Ireland), his uncanny resemblance to yours truly and our shared birthday, but once again last night I was mesmerised by Eddie. His maniacal grin and early Stone Age hairdo overlay some brilliant playing – sometimes super delicate, sometime slapping chords and my favourite; finger hovering above a string, then the note is struck, like a bullet released from a gun. Top man!

Mrs HC enquired, as later we lay tucked up in our pit, what my favourite TB song is (hers is perhaps predictably Painkiller). Truth be told I can’t name just a single one, but for sure in a live setting the inspired combo of The Door and Pink Floyds Breathe is a wonder to behold – I could listen to it every night (well perhaps not every night, but you get the idea).

I have burbled  before about how TB have ridden the crest of the nu-folk thang back in the day to find themselves in a less hype-driven space, with one of the most loyal fan bases that come together like an extended family to revel in the quality and authenticity of their music. All was in evidence again last night, but I was struck, not for the first time, by just how much they can actually rock – no elbow patched, corduroy wearing folkies here.

Although the more laid back and melancholic songs suit me just fine on many an occasion,  how great would it be to have a couple of belters on the new album? Work in progress track, and due for the new album, No Mercy got what was announced as its first public outing to loud acclaim. I was much taken by a song in the encores, Sleeper, and (apologies if I am being dense and it is already someone else’s song) if this too might be a newbie it augers well.

So another top evening of golden music with TB, they never let you down, they seem genuinely grateful for the continuing support (not that they don’t deserve it), and a bunch of chaps you feel you would like just to hang out with for a bit, none of the ludicrous posturing and posing, people playing music because they love it and live it.

So to a more than an honourable mention to the two supports for the night. Immediately preceding TB was Hector (also @hectorband if you fancy) a Derby duo of James Capper on super shiny white Epiphone guitar/vocals and a nameless demon pounding away to excellent effect on skins. They claim it was their first gig, which if their sure-footedness and polish is to go by, feels a little hard to believe. I know that James fronts (fronted?) up Iron Door Club which must account for his confidence and lad-about-town swagger, but really, if this truly was their first outing in public, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

Although its invidious to do the ‘oh they’re a bit like’ thing, here goes, if only to help signal likely influences and echoes. A touch rockabilly, 60′s rock and roll, with more than a twang of early Arctic Monkeys (maybe its the accent?) a definite hint of That’s Entertainment era Paul Weller and a smudge of Kings of Leon when they weren’t rubbish. They are no looky likey band though, distinctive and themselves they most surely are.

No obvious anxiety or doubt, they piled straight in there with a slew of their own material (much of which can be found on their Soundcloud pages) all sounding like they had played it for an age, and clearly showing the promise that has caught the attention of people like Steve Lamacq.

They successfully cranked the crowd up, went down pretty darned well it seemed to me, and produced a remarkably rounded and full sound for two lads up there on their own. New friends must surely have come by the bucket load from last night, and should you get the chance, rock up and see them at your local venue of choice (well more likely their choice, but there you go).

Opening the evening were the Cadbury Sisters (also @cadburysisters) – as far from Hector as you could wish to go. Three actual sisters it seems (Jessica, Mary and Lucy), alone but for three mics and one acoustic guitar. Young work chum Tom Mitchell promised me they would be good and he was right. Some exquisite three part harmonies in songs of simplicity and beauty. Even though they were on early there was a goodly crowd in place and they might have suffered the indignity of being talked over but they clearly held the crowds attention despite the fragility and delicacy of their music – a sign if one was need that they are very good indeed.

They had their two EP’s at the merch desk, including the just released one, record in their local church with its family connections and life echoes. Pathetically I missed them and by the time I came to leave, so had they, drat. The Cadbury Sisters are too worthy of your attention and would be super dandy in a nice intimate venue – go find, and listen on Soundcloud.

Ah so, an evening of tip top music, people who came together for a good time, and Mrs HC and I had a neat little Thai meal into the bargain – a Friday evening doesn’t get much better than this.

A scant three tracks are streamable from their Soundcloud site, all charming and enticing but non more so that Belong. A simple piano line, a haunting vocal refrain (that reminds me of Husky Rescue for some reason), building steadily and progressively – quite addictive.

What more to say except I could do with both a little more information and more of the music. Grateful thanks to the splendid Gold Flake Paint for the heads up.

Top stuff not least because of its differences from the material that first got me hooked. A sweeping sense of positivity cuts through the tracks, even when their subject matter may not be so positive. The strings, the brass, the electronica touches and a sound that is lighter and freer makes the listening a different experience this time, a band proper now and not so much a solo venture. But the constants remain- the poetry, the lyricism, the sureness of touch, the voice of course and the songs, the melodies, even more assured this time.

Having heard some of the material in a live setting when they gave storming support to Grizzly Bear last year at Warwick, I already know how some of these tracks, such as The Bell, can come even more into their own, taking on fresh strength and impetus with the drive of live playing.

What a joy to feel excited about a new album in these dank and dark new year days,  an album that will sink its hooks in deep and may even usurp the place of its predecessor in my affections. An album that is sure to reveal more layers and hidden corners of delight as I  grow to know it more intimately. As if this weren’t enough, they will of course be doing some dates to support the new album and will play Trinity in Bristol (where they played a couple of years ago) on 16th February