Billy Vincent - Dead Man's Shoes Video showcase

Billy Vincent to showcase their new video for ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ tonight

Billy Vincent release the second single from their debut album ‘She’ on August 20^th through Something Nothing Records.

Highlighted in Paul Moody’s excellent review in Q Magazine as “conjuring up visions of a debauched Mumfords”, ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ embodies the heady mix of influences that makes their debut album ‘She’ such an intriguing delight.

Centered around the fabulously playful lyrics of Billy Barratt - “If I was a preacher, I’d get Jesus to meet ‘cha……” - and an irresistible chorus, Dead Man’s Shoes initially embraces a country flavour, embellished beautifully by the guest appearance of pedal steel legend B J Cole, before heading into territory inhabited byThe Kinks or The Faces.

The video for ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ was directed by Brendan Cleaves and can be seen just above this.

Billy Vincent will be breaking into their festival schedule (placed at No1 in The Evening Standard’s “must see this summer” list), to headline Club NME at London’s Koko on July 27^th to celebrate ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ release.

Billy Vincent are: Billy Barratt & David Vincent – vocals, guitars; Joseph Kinsey – bass, harmonica, vocals; Matt Woodward – fiddle, vocals; Jack Blenkinsop – drums, vocals.

Ormonde - Machine

Ormonde - the new band from Anna-Lynne Williams (Trespassers William, Lotte Kestner) and Robert Gomez - release their brilliant debut album, Machine, on August 7th. This record has been a long time coming. Released on Hometapes, this is a beautiful record.

Anyone who has followed my writing for a while will know that I have made a point of keeping up with what Anna-Lynne has been up for a number of years now, ever since I discovered the wondrous Trespassers William album Different Stars. I have to report that this, by far and away, is the best release I've ever heard from her. As I've said before, she has one of those voices. The kind that you could die happy listening to, the kind that you'd thank for telling you you needed a tooth extraction because the news would be delivered so lyrically. Here, with Robert Gomez, she has struck the perfect collaborative note. Indie yet immediate, pop. yet dark enough to appear dangerous, retro and vintage, yet incredibly insistent and vital, as the press release attests, every track here could be the opening track, or the first single. This album will deservedly sit atop many end of year best of lists, so completely does it tower over any "opposition" which it may face.

Beginning with the Midlake-like Can't Imagine (hear it below) the album proceeds serenely through ten perfectly formed paeans of poeticism and indie beauty. The temptation to describe the magisterial magnificence of each and every song is immense, but just writing words upon words would not be enough. There are inflections of creativity in the mixing and arrangements here which bely the fact that this was a collaboration between two artists who barely knew each other when they began. Both have their chance to shine, vocally, with Williams' best moment on the organ-infused title track, while Gomez features prominently on Cherry Blossom. Best, though, is where the two magical voices intertwine together, as heard most clearly on Sudden Bright, with it's lilting acoustic riffs and persistent synth flourishes, and the slow build of Hold the Water's woodwind and percussion.

Throughout the interplay between the acoustic and bass guitars is wonderful, as arpeggiating figures of acoustic underpin most songs, weaving in and out of the mix, carried along on beds of probing bass. The attention to detail here is staggering. Every note, every flourish, feels just right, like it had to be just where it is, at just that moment

Previously I cited Midlake as a potential influence influence, and it does seem to me as if the shadow of that brilliant band is cast long over this album. Rhythm section sounds are pleasingly similar, and the almost playful musicality which is at the record's core as a counterpoint to the minor key chord progressions which pulse throughout seems to take the pastoral folk template of an album like The Trials of Van Occupanther, and improve on it ten-fold. Machine is a clearly distilled alt-folk masterpiece, a combining of powerful creative forces and visions which has resulted in the best thing released by either artist in any of their previous incarnations and iterations. A clear must buy and album of the year shoe-in.

Duke Special - Oh Pioneer

There are things you need to hold in mind when reading my musings on Oh Pioneer, the newest record from Duke Special. One is that, secretly (to this point, although it's not a secret anymore) I wish I was him. Who wouldn't want to have hair like that? Who wouldn't want to write songs as distinctive and devilishly melodic, so poignant and yet so playful? Further, as someone with a history of faith, Duke has inspired me more than most in having the guts to step outside the horrors of the faith-driven music scene and simply be the best songwriter he can be in the same, over-populated pool as everyone else. It's been a long journey, from 65DBA and Spring Harvest CDs, through Booley, Booley House (both brilliant live acts, criminally under appreciated by the soporific British scene, through to Benzine Headset, and then through what seems like a journey as Duke, from the early days with a piano, a turntable, and the monumentally talented Chip Bailey on drums and percussion as singer songwriter class and theatric whimsy collided, to this point where Oh Pioneer places the Duke on the brink of richly deserved household recognition.

It's what he deserves. And he should get it too. Oh Pioneer features some of his best songs to date, including the splendid Punch of a Friend and My Lazy Saviour. This is Duke's most direct, even accessible album to date, but it loses none of the drama, the twists and turns that have characterised his earlier work. I remember early gigs in which he upstaged supposedly more established and proficient acts for whom he was opening in a whirlwind of wonderful songs and energetic performances. This is the album which, at last, sees him fully realise his potential in the studio to go alongside that. These songs showcase all that is great about Duke Special, a wonderful, lilting, lyrical vocal performance  sits atop production which encompasses both space and the kitchen sink in bringing the songs, and the world which Duke and his team have created, fully to life.

This is a great record. You will fall in love with it, and with Duke Special, if you just give yourself the chance. Hear it now.