Bellowhead Album Launch Party and Album review
I’m finally back after a least a couple of months of not posting. I must apologise for this, a combination of getting a nasty bug and just never having much time to write has gotten in the way but I am hoping to now post regularly and release a new post at least every SUNDAY.
To kick us off I am going to do a review for my favourite band Bellowhead. This eleven piece folk band has just released their latest album ‘ Broadside’ which has already reached number 16 in the UK top 40 charts!
When you listen to the album it is not difficult to work out why, they have once again excelled themselves with an excellent 12 tracks. This latest audio feast even has a nautical theme which works it’s way into all of the sets and the album style. Their promotional picture featuring all of the band dressed up in various nautical and buccaneer dress makes for a soft smirk before even putting the CD into the tray!
Before the realise of the album Bellowhead did release one track ‘ 10’000 Miles’ as a music video to wet the appetites of awaiting fans. The video is not too serious and it comes across extremely quickly how fun it must have been for the group to actually record! Please check it out here:
I’m finally back after a least a couple of months of not posting. I must apologise for this, a combination of getting a nasty bug and just never having much time to write has gotten in the way but I am hoping to now post regularly and release a new post at least every SUNDAY.
To kick us off I am going to do a review for my favourite band Bellowhead. This eleven piece folk band has just released their latest album ‘ Broadside’ which has already reached number 16 in the UK top 40 charts!
When you listen to the album it is not difficult to work out why, they have once again excelled themselves with an excellent 12 tracks. This latest audio feast even has a nautical theme which works it’s way into all of the sets and the album style. Their promotional picture featuring all of the band dressed up in various nautical and buccaneer dress makes for a soft smirk before even putting the CD into the tray!
Before the realise of the album Bellowhead did release one track ‘ 10’000 Miles’ as a music video to wet the appetites of awaiting fans. The video is not too serious and it comes across extremely quickly how fun it must have been for the group to actually record! Please check it out here:
I ordered the play.com special edition CD which came in a book which had little amusing profiles on each of the band members and of course the lyrics to all of the sets. I like this little book, the artwork inside alone is very well done and it just gives us something a little different from an ordinary CD.
The best track for me (closely followed by 10’000 Miles) is the tracked called ‘Lilliburleo’. I just love everything about this track! I find with each Bellowhead album there is usually one or two tracks which has me literally jumping around the living room and on this album that is the one. The lyrics are about a farmer’s wife abducted by the devil but quickly been returned after she quickly shows the power of a woman’s wrath. For me however it really isn’t the lyrics that I like, the fast paced melody and blast of different noises and the chorus of “LERO LERO LILLIBULREO !” Being yelled really gave me Goosebumps.
Most of the other tracks are typical folk ballad usually involving lost lovers and sinking ships and general sad or gruesome tales. The band has changed much of their overall tone from the session type folk of songs like ‘Sloe Gin’ and ‘Frogs Legs and Dragon’s Teeth’ to much more brass based folk with hints of rock mildly worked in. This isn’t completely new for the act as previous tracks such as ‘Little Sally Racket’ also followed this pattern but generally they would be in the minority!
I’ve really enjoyed the album and can’t wait to see them again during their November tour. Hopefully it will not be long until they release another album but until then we have new Faustus and Belshazzar’s Feast albums in the works.
My only issue with the album is this: Buying the itunes album gives you two bonus tracks.
Well thanks guys. First of all I never saw this advertised anywhere, I only saw the play.com exclusive. Secondly I am currently unemployed. I cannot afford to buy a CD and the itunes album just for two extra tracks, it’s not fair to do that to people. I am also a collecter of CD’s, I like having the physical thing, I always feel as though I am losing out slightly simply downloading music and you never know when your itunes or computer could get corrupted and break and somehow wipe out or music library. This latter part is just a general peeve of mine though.
ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY
I entered a competition to win some free tickets to the ‘ Broadside’ album launch party down in London. Now I entered this on a whim, I got an e-mail so I put my name down. Much to my surprise I won 2/20 free tickets. I was then faced with a problem, I had to cough up the money to go down to London. I then hit another snag, I had to attend a JSA interview the next morning which could not be changed. After very nearly having to give up the tickets I did manage to find some cheap accommodation and reasonably cheap train tickets (Trainline... seriously it really is cheaper) and could go down.
Now any other huge fans like me, or indeed members of the band yourselves, please do not be offended by this next part, keep in mind the context that I have had to spent a lot of money to go down without really any idea what I was going to.
I was at first disappointed with the launch. We were greeted with a free token for a shot of rum and a black beetle pie and this was great, but then as far as I could tell all we were then getting was another hour and a half concert. At this point I was feeling very miffed.
There was nothing wrong with the performance, it was of course a brilliant atmosphere and a fantastic gig. However, I am going to see them twice on their tour in November which already has cost me a lot of money.
Thankfully that wasn’t ‘it’, the band then spent the rest of the night mingling with the 200 or so guests, taking pictures generally chatting and in the end the whole thing was most defiantly worth it. I guess I was just anxious because of all the money I’d spent and really wanted to get my money worth.
I spent a good portion of my time discussing squeezeboxes with John Spiers as well as catching up with Paul Sartin whom I have met twice before and Benji Kirkpatrick who I met at Shrewsbury. I was very glad to finally meet Rachael McShane (although I feel I may have come across as annoying to her woops...) and have a bit more of a chat with Jon Boden.
Overall the album and the party have been great successes and I will be sure to review the two concerts I attend in November.
Until then please check back next Sunday for my next post!
DFTBA
