long beach convention : daisy house

More new groups are looking into rocks history to find their own sound. Why shouldn't they, confronted with the all consuming commercialisation that eats up and spits out manufactured pop and rock on an industrial scale there are more and more artists that want the freedom to explore and let their music breath.

Tatiana Hammond of Daisy House -
"The Sixties (and the folkies, also present in the Seventies). I love the sounds of the Sixties. I love the enthusiasm and the freedom they had to be playful and innovative that I hear in things like Sandy Denny and Joni Mitchell especially, but also in Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Merry Go Round, The Association, The Left Banke etc. I like the fact that experimentation was more ubiquitous in pop culture. Creativity and “weirdness” and “music for music sake” seemed to be more encouraged back then by record labels...
...I think that creativity is coming back today, though. I think there are a lot of people turning away from over-commodified music, and a renewed search for what feels more like “authentic art and expression.”
from an interview with Elizabeth Klisiewicz at BigTakeOver

Tatiana and her father Doug Hammond have just released an album that is about as good a set of folk rock songs you'll hear today. The influences are less a copy of the past more an atmosphere of an era. It's instantly recognisable if you're familier with Fairport Convention's Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson.

Doug Hammond -
"That was part of the appeal of using Fairport as a template; it felt fertile and abandoned by the world, at the same time, and it seemed to fit the global economic moment. Handmade music for a world that may or may not find itself using hand tools again
From an interview by Elizabeth Klisiewicz at BigTakeOver

The new recording 'Beaus And Arrows' was released last month. Beautifully produced tracks all with class arrangements. It's one of those rare albums that finishes as strongly as it starts. You can tell it's been a labour of love and respect for the genre.
The full lineup will give you an idea of the variation in the songs.

Tatiana Hammond: vocals
Doug Hammond: Guitar, bass, keys, vocals, string arrangements, Octave Mandolin, Dulcimer, Banjo etc...
Bill "Blaze" Price: Drums
Camilo Barahona: Fiddle

It's a bit special that on this July 4th an American duo from Long Beach, South California have been so influenced by music that was grown here in the UK some 50 years ago, because some 50 years ago it was happening completely the other way round.

Pick this gem of an album up at their Bandcamp page or from the widget below.

the journey of tir na nog

It is one of the better stories you'll hear about the business of making music, when two young guys from Ireland first set out on their musical story in the late 60's / early 70's, it has now come full circle for them after their last recorded music, just some 30 plus years ago (!), with the release of Tir na nOgs new vinyl 7" EP released this month on Fruits De Mer. (See previous post for the fuller story).
With the general consensus by old fans and new that their record is a joyous thing to behold Tir Na Nog have now given us all an added bonus and recently commissioned a promotional video for one of the tracks from the 'I Have Known Love' EP.
In what looks very much like a location shoot on the west coast (?) of Ireland they play the song "You In Yellow". And with the sound of the Irish Sea or is that the Atlantic we hear (on the video only), it holds all the charm and magic of the green Isle with the very highest song writing quality that Sonny Condell, who wrote this one, and Leo O'Kelly are producing in 2014.

The vinyl is available in the UK for just £5.50 from Fruits De Mer or Overseas for £7 from Shiny Beast. And it's worth every penny of your hard earned.

Now be transported to the world of Tir na nOg. It's been a 30 year journey.

the return of tir na nog

In the next few posts we're going to focus on the new upcoming albums from London's truly independent label, Fruits De Mer. No rubbish is guaranteed. They'll all be vinyl releases, 'cause that's what FDM do, and packaged in a wondrous way, 'cause they do that as well.
But before the albums are previewed here's the not so small matter of a new single from a couple of guys that have been going since the days of yore (60's) and sound as well if not better than ever before.
It certainly is a most welcome sighting of Tír na nÓg.
What's that?... you've never heard of them. Well that's because they have been hidden away in Ireland since the mid 70's with only a few gigs here and there since the 80's, mostly in Ireland. Until 2010 when some one had the good sense to get them to play a couple of gigs in the UK. From that they've made a speedy recovery to many more live performances collecting many a new fan on the way until here they are in 2014 teaming up in the best possible partnership, with a record on Fruits De Mer .
Sonny Condell and Leo O’Kelly are they that are Tir na nOg and during those long gone days were regular names around the college circuit and festivals. They toured with some of the big names in rock at the time (Tull, Procol Harum, The Who, Roxy Music) but more often seen in a folk line-up because.. well they're two guys with guitars right, and that's what your meant to do.
But there's much more to these guys than folk music. Their website is tirnanog-progfolk.com so they're obviously at ease with using that description. There's no doubt these two lads have a most remarkable sound. We say "lads" because you know what Tír na nÓg means? .... it's Gaelic for "land of eternal youth". What a great name. They fully deserve to still be around to befit that inspired title.

In this clip from the new single you'll hear the ageless roots of Irish music and yet a song craft that is born of that unmistakeable era, and one that many a young band would envy. The voices are rich and full of expression, the music is sonorous and timeless. It is a joy to hear. And all this short 1.34 clip does is make you long to hear more. But Keith at FDM is no mug, he wants you to buy this recording to hear the rest. Which surely we must.

Here's the business end - Coloured vinyl 7" (33rpm) four-tracker, including three new songs and a unique cover of the Silver Apples' 'I Have Known Love'. Price is £5.50 ( more information here.
Pre-ordering outside the UK, from Heyday Mail Order or Shiny Beast.

The duo will be gigging in the UK during May and June, playing old songs and tracks from their new EP. (see their website link above)
Now here is the superb clip from the song 'The Angelus'