On Feb 25th The Mariner’s Children will be releasing their stunning new Sycamore EP. You can stream a track from it, “In My Bed”, below. You can pre-order the EP now at Broken Sound.
The EP launch will be at The Lexington in London on March 18th (tickets here) and the band will be on tour supporting Willy Mason.
It’s The Great Escape in Brighton next weekend (10th-12th May). There are many Willkommen related bands playing as part of the Alternative Escape on Friday and Saturday, thanks to our friends at Neighbourhood Music. These events are free to wristband-holders and “normals” alike.
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
After their packed performances at The Great Escape and Brighton Festival, The Leisure Society return to Brighton to play Communion. It’s a great club that finds its home at Notting Hill Arts Club but has recently been on a summer holiday by the sea. Also playing are Josh Weller and The Mariner’s Children – who are totally unmissable. Tickets available at Resident or on the door. More details on the Communion II facebook event.
