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FIONN REGAN Live @ The Wedgewood Rooms, 22/02/2010

Posted: March 2nd, 2010 | Author: Justin | Filed under: Reviews | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments »

Loz Bridge

Loz Bridge is gaining a bit of a reputation. Having dropped the box social, he’s now all on his own. On the back of supporting David Ford, he’s Hampshire’s best kept secret, winning fans wherever he plays. It’s no exception to night as everyone shifts from the bar as China starts the evening. He seems very much at home, full of confidence on the big stage. Armed with only his acoustic guitar, the sound and lyrics really captures your attention and imagination, inventive yet uncomplicated. The folksy-blues sound you could say is meant for the old smoky blues club, but this very much a sound for now and should be appreciated on a much bigger level. The slow burner of ‘The Room’, ends the very accomplished set on a grandiose high.
Danny and the Champions of the World open with Henry the Van, a nice slow introduction to the band before they really bring the song to life. From then on its all proper Americana. Real feel good, toe-tapping goodness. The band themselves ooze enthusiasm and this really rubs off on the crowd and their cover of My Girl a personal highlight.
With Fionn on stage, his band is basically DATCOTW. Its more confusingly rather than being a novelty. In all honesty the music’s the same, but gone is that playful edge and replaced with his beautiful velvet voice. The band does a really good job in showing his songs in their full potential and thankfully doesn’t overshadow him. New single catacombs break out the biggest cheer of the night in what has generally been a subdued yet appreciative night of music.

DANNY AND THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD – Streets Of Our Time

Posted: January 22nd, 2010 | Author: Matt | Filed under: Reviews | Tags: , | No Comments »

Formerly the front man of Americana outfit Grand Drive, Danny George Wilson has turned to Roald Dahl’s classic children’s story to name his latest group. This, their debut album, is an intriguing one, on one hand it gives an idea of what Springsteen and his E Street Band may have sounded like if they’d been born and bred in middle England (never more so than on Follow The River, a lovely little track that evokes the sound of Springsteen’s similarly titled album).
Elsewhere the sound is more like Bob Dylan in his country phase, backed by Marcus Mumford & Sons. When Danny sighs and states that “I guess we’re both getting old” on opener Henry The Van, the tale of an aging and faithful tour bus, you really feel the emotion of the song and pine for the faithful old steed yourself.
We may be smack bang in the middle of the second coming of the synthesizer, but these guys prove that you can wring much more emotion from more primitive instruments like the pedal steel, banjos and strings that waft over these tracks. This album is full of loose folk jingles and soulful sound that warms the listener like nothing I’ve heard in a long while.