We are extremely pleased to announce the release of Emma Gatrill‘s stunning debut album, Chapter I, on May 14th through Willkommen.
We’re expecting copies of the album this week and will be putting them up for preorder as soon as we do. The first fifty copies will come with a length of bunting and other surprises, all handmade by Emma. You can see some photos of her making them on her Facebook page.
Emma is an unstoppable and multi-instrumental collaborator. As well as being a full time musician with the multi-tentacled psych-folk behemoth Sons of Noel and Adrian and getting crowds dancing to the rowdy stamp-along anthems of The Mariner’s Children, she has found time to lend her voice, clarinet or accordion skills to everyone from Laura Marling to Broken Social Scene.
No wonder then that it has taken her so long to get round to concentrate on her own music. Chapter One showcases poignant songs based around her latest acquisition – the harp. Subtly accompanied by various members of Brighton’s Willkommen Collective, her intricate harp playing and powerful vocals soars above her classic songwriting, which owes a debt to Bjork and Joni Mitchell as well as her friends and co-conspirators Rachael Dadd and Alessi’s Ark.
Laish have made one hundred copies of their new EP, Obituaries, to sale on the upcoming Sons of Noel and Adrian tour. You can order the CD or buy the tracks digitally through their bandcamp now. One track is available for free and it’s a banger.
The band’s sophomore album sees them breaking far away from the acoustic roots of their debut. Sons of Noel and Adrian’s immersion in folk music was always more informed by guitarists like Dave Pajo, David Grubbs and Jeff Parker than by traditionalists. These influences, rooted in the city of Chicago’s pre-millennial post-rock, jazz and avant-pop scenes, are explored on Knots to their fullest. At times soft and orchestral, at times crass and loud, Knots is always infused with beauty and tenderness: soulful, taunt, honed and with a new found love of kosmiche experimentation. Knots’ expanded sonic tapestry is marshalled and woven with growing stature by SONAA’s chief song-writer, Jacob Richardson, whose meditative lyrical concepts and melodic craftsmanship mark him out as musician of genuine depth and gravitas whilst remaining as arcane and beguiling as Palace.
Rejecting notions of a fixed line-up, Sons of Noel and Adrian is more of a sprawling musical whirlpool centred around a few key members, not unlike Broken Social Scene, with whom two members of Sons toured with last year as part of their horn section. The band includes members of The Mariner’s Children, Eyes & No Eyes, and make up most of the renowned Willkommen Collective that spawned The Leisure Society, and the various members lend their talents freely to everyone from Damo Suzuki to Laura Marling.
Such selfless creative interdependence is at the heart of the Willkommen Collective and Sons of Noel and Adrian. The results of their musical co-operative have yielded an album that transcends their debut and positions them as a very unique and thrilling proposition indeed: Knots see SONAA charting new, unexplored aural terrain as immersive an experience on stage as it on record.
Also don’t forget the following shows:
April 2: CARDIFF – 10 Feet Tall | Last.fm | Songkick | Tickets | with Winter Villains & Emma Gatrill
April 3: BRISTOL – The Fleece | Last.fm | Songkick | Tickets | with Laish & Emma Gatrill
April 4: NORWICH – Arts Centre | Last.fm | Songkick | with Laish & Emma Gatrill
April 5: LONDON – Bush Hall | Last.fm | Songkick | Tickets | with Laish & Emma Gatrill
April 7: BRIGHTON – The Haunt | Last.fm | Songkick| with Laish & Emma Gatrill
The upcoming Sons of Noel and Adrian show at Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen has moved to Bush Hall in Shepherds Bush. Tickets remain valid. If you’ve not got one yet you can buy them from Music Glue, seetickets and WeGotTickets.
Here’s a reminder of all the UK dates:
April 2: CARDIFF – 10 Feet Tall | Last.fm | Songkick | Tickets | with Winter Villains & Emma Gatrill
April 3: BRISTOL – The Fleece | Last.fm | Songkick | Tickets | with Laish & Emma Gatrill
April 4: NORWICH – Arts Centre | Last.fm | Songkick | with Laish & Emma Gatrill
April 5: LONDON – Bush Hall | Last.fm | Songkick | Tickets | with Laish & Emma Gatrill
April 7: BRIGHTON – The Haunt | Last.fm | Songkick| with Laish & Emma Gatrill
There’s also a little glimpse of the artwork for the upcoming sophomore album on the Sons facebook page. Details of the album are being announced very, very shortly.
Our Kristin has recently joined forces with a new drummer – Julian Owen. And for this show she’ll also be joined by the very special Martha Rose on violin and Jakob Jonsson on trumpet. There’s a bit of information about KM’s upcoming album and new collaborations here. I’ve heard some of the album and it’s going to KILL YOU ALL.
