Rhythm & Booze An online music webzine created by music lovers for music lovers.

21 February, 2012

We Used To Have Horses-The World Above Us

Filed under: instrumental,math rock,post rock,Recorded Reviews,soundtrack — Tags: we used to have horses — willmunn @ 20:18

Right now if I was asked to recommend one band or artist from my local area, I’d be hard pressed to look beyond the stunning soundscapes of one man project We Used To Have Horses. Niall Jones (also of Rhythm & Booze favourites Inca Hoots) creates stunning, inventive suites of music combining strings, innoative, chiming, blissful cresendoing guitars and subtle rhythms, weaving an intoxicating spell over the listener, who’s drawn into a near trance like state.

Niall seems to be constantly working on a new EP, releasing four to date (in just five months!!), with the latest, The World Above Us being perhaps the most ambitious to date. The latest release is a two part, thirty minute track, slow building epic that opens with soft, subtle instrumentation before gradually building with intricate guitars, lush strings and delicate melodies slowly making way around the eleven minute mark for a stunning bombardment of hard hitting beats and fuzzy stabbing riffs. The second part of The World Above Us is equally as thrilling as Niall lays down layers of intricate guitars and shuffling beats, before pausing to add some expessive yet sparse almost ghostly piano to the mix. As the soundtrack like suite continues guitars, strings and beats soar and dip forming glorius, mesmerising peaks, taking the listener on a stunning flights of discovery.

The We Used To Have Horses project has been described as ambiet math-rock or post rock and sure there are elements of both in the sound that Niall creates but there’s more than that, his visionary music has a more widescreen cinematic feel than that, I could imagine his incredible instrumentals gracing soundtracks, in fact there’s an almost Clint Mansell (soundtrack to Requim For A Dream, etc) feel to parts of Niall’s soundscapes. The music really takes hold and grabs at the attention until you find yourself fully submerged in the bewitching sounds of We Used To Have Horses.

Each of the We Used To Have Horses are available for free download via bandcamp and if you’re a fan of instrumental music, post rock or you want a powerful, emotional thought provoking soundtrack I urge you to download each of these incredible, rewarding releases.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 10

http://weusedtohavehorses.bandcamp.com/

 

 

 

26 January, 2012

Phil Martin-Before We Go To Paradise

Filed under: acoustic,folk,jazz,Recorded Reviews,singer-songwriter,soundtrack — Tags: before we go to paradise, phil martin — willmunn @ 12:25

In recent times we’ve seen a influx of musical artists crossing over into the literally world, from the likes of Simone Felice, Joe Pernice, Willy Vlautin and Steve Earle all writing novels to the likes of Mike Scott (The Waterboys) recording albums heavily inspired by the poetry of yesteryear (in his case Yeats). Phil Martin has now followed in those lofty footsteps on his debut album, Before We Go To Paradise by welding together a collection of Shakespeare, Coleridge and Blake’s (among other’s) finest sonnets and set them to musicalong with a few originals scattered along the way.

Musically Phil sets his aim to quirky, acoustic jazzy folk with a side order of easy listening saxophone, whilst his vocal is something of a happy go lucky croon, that’s instantly likeable but perhaps lacks a little depth. Obviously lyrically Before We Go To Paradise is a strong album with Shall We Compare Thee and Kubla Khan being particular highlights for this particular reviewer.

Martin’s own Open Mic is a charming tale of the struggling musician, which I’m sure every weathered troubadour up and down the country will share affinity, however another original, Careless Love came across as a little too twee for these ears.

Before We Go To Paradise is a decent collection of showcasing Phil’s love of the written word and worldly musings, without ever really hitting the essential, must have chord. If you like calming folk balladry and light jazzy sax I’m sure you’ll find a great deal to enjoy on here but for me this one is best served as background music to a nice meal and a glass of red.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 6

www.philmartinmusic.com

1 March, 2011

Various Artists-Paul Soundtrack

Filed under: pop,rock n roll,soul,soundtrack — Tags: paul, various artists — willmunn @ 16:35

Now I haven’t been to the cinema in what seems like bloody ages, in fact I can’t even tell you the last film I went to see, sure there have been a few movies that have come and gone that I wanted to catch but there never seems to be enough time to do anything in the Rhythm & Booze household. So I rely a little on my sky plus box to catch up on all those releases that I’m missing on the big screen. 

Alot of the films I’m interested in are off-kilter (or off the radar in some instances) small releases that I’ve read about or caught a trailer, it’s not often I’m interested in a mainstream release but the latest Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz/Shawn Of The Dead) is an exception to the rule. The Film looks like pure stupid fun, a film that you can lose your worries to whilst laughing out loud. So I’ll be waiting for the Sky Premiere in a few months times with baited breath but until then I can contend myself with the brilliant and varied soundtrack.
Unlike most comedy movies Paul has a soundtrack that doesn’t merely plunder the charts for whatever happens to be popular at this minute, instead it’s a fun-filled soundtrack bonafided classics, quirky cult favourites and inspired instrumentals by the ever impressive David Arnold. 
The soundtrack opens with a short introductory piece by the aforementioned David Arnold before the evergreen pop punk classic Another Girl, Another Planet by The Only Ones crashes into view, now if you’ve not heard this addictive blast you must be another girl from another planet, it’s a stunning bouncy tongue in cheek number that throws me to my feet every time I hear it. 
From here we’re treated to further Arnold interludes, the gorgeous soul of Bill Withers and Grover Washington’s Just The Two Of Us, Got To Give It Up by Marvin Gaye, a slice of prime time (the criminally underrated) Todd Rundgren. A classic by the B52’s in the shape of Planet Clare, a couple of obscure rock n roll numbers such as the balmy yet brilliant Flyin’ Saucer Rock N Roll by Bill Lee Riley and all topped off with ELO with the timeless All The World Over.
As you can see the soundtrack is varied but it’s all brilliant fun, in fact I dare say it’ll leave you a smile as big as when you see the film, if you only buy one soundtrack this year thebn do yourself a favour and make it the soundtrack to Paul.
Rhythm & booze Rating 9

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