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Timbre Obscura #5 - Welsh Music
 
I find myself this November evening in Cardiff, capital city of Wales and it seems quite fitting that this happens to coincide with the publication of this long-planned Welsh music special.  During the relatively short period of time that TO has been in existance, I have come across some fine music from this small country steeped in history.  This edition features among others some excellent music from Alun Tan Lan, Gwildor, Gwilym Morus and new releases from the excellent Welsh label Peski: Texas Radio Band and Jakokoyak.  Also featured is a track from one of TO’s favourite artists Pulco, the wonderful Wrightoid and a track from a great album by Fiona & Gorwell Owen.
 

 
1. Angylion - Alun Tan Lan
http://www.myspace.com/aluntanlan
2. Walking War - Gwildor
http://www.myspace.com/gwildor
3. Look Away Now (If You Don’t Want To Know The Score) Plyci REMIX - Jakokoyak
http://www.myspace.com/jakokoyak
4. Dinas Bangor - Gwilym Morus
http://www.dressinggowngoddess.com
5. Jungle - Pulco
http://www.myspace.com/pulco
6. I Will Be Coming Home - Texas Radio Band
http://www.myspace.com/texasradioband
7. Tren Sgrech - Alun Tan Lan
http://www.myspace.com/aluntanlan
8. When Stars Are Out - Wrightoid
http://www.myspace.com/wrightoid
9. December Song - Cymbient
http://www.myspace.com/cymbient
10. Tywod - Alun Tan Lan
http://www.myspace.com/aluntanlan
11. Soaks Away our Scorn - Gwildor
http://www.myspace.com/gwildor
12. Rhwng - Fiona & Gorwel Owen
http://www.myspace.com/fionagorwel
13. Isho - Gwilym Morus
http://www.dressinggowngoddess.com
14. Lump It - Texas Radio Band
http://www.myspace.com/texasradioband
 
Alun Tan Lan
 
 aln
 
Alun Tan Lan is a singer-songwriter from Gwynedd, North Wales.  He’s a former member of the band Seain but turned solo in early 2004. Since then, he has released three albums, Aderyn Papur (which Gruff Rhys, of the Welsh band Super Furry Animals, said set a “new benchmark for Welsh-language rock”), Y Distawrwydd (which the Observer ranked the fifth best rock album ever to come out of Wales), and Yr Aflonydd, released in 2007.  An impressive CV!
 
The 3 tracks featured here are recent solo recordings and are probably best described as acoustic folk-rock.  Personally, I find his music really appealing and look forward to discovering more.  Go check him out at: http://www.myspace.com/aluntanlan
 
Gwildor
 
gwil1
 
Gwildor are a 6-piece band from Wrexham, North Wales. They released their ‘Shattered Fragments’ EP through Nottingham-based Folkwit Records in 2005 followed by their debut album, ‘Tales From A Town’ in 2007. Their influences include “Belle and Sebastian, Leonard Cohen, The Beach Boys, and the West Wales coast”.  All of which I can vouch for as sound influences.
 
The core of the band are brothers Andrew and Gareth Salomon.  They write what would best be described as folk-pop but with large helping of melancholia - Andrews voice is deep, soft with the hint of a Welsh accent and fits perfectly the music and sentiment.  The arrangements vary from stripped-down guitar and vocal through to huge, almost orchestral soundscapes.  One of my favourite bands of recent years and as engaging live as they are on record.  I have heard them compared to Willard Grant Conspiracy but personally, I think of them as the Welsh Lambchop.  Let’s hope there’s lots more to come from this unique and exciting band.
 
Gwilym Morus
 
gwil
 
Gwilym Morus is a musician and songwriter from Bangor, North Wales.  Most of his songs are performed in the Welsh language and the arrangements evolve from collaborations with a plethora of fine musicians.  His music ranges from deceptively simple folk tunes through to rhythmic and complex full-band pieces referrencing influences from world music and jazz.  The tracks here are taken from his latest project ‘Dressing Gown Goddess’.  Well worth checking out - http://www.dressinggowngodess.com
 
Peski
 
You may remember that the song’Mas Mas’ by Cate Le Bon was featured on a recent edition of TO.  Peski are one of Wales’ foremost new indie labels already racking up quite an impressive roter of artists.  This edition features tracks from Texas Radio Band and Jakokoyak.
 
 
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Texas Radio Band are described as a “creative yet ramshackle group from West Wales”. (Not Texas!) They formed in the late 1990s by Matthew Williams and Rhodri Davies in the south Wales village of Llansteffan, near Carmarthen. Beginning by jamming at each other’s houses on guitar, keyboards and bass, they took their name from The Doors’ album track Texas Radio & The Big Beat.  Their music strikes me as unique and unusual - see what you think.
 
jakokoyak
 
Jakokoyak is a Welsh lo-fi experimental electronic music project, with leanings towards psychedelic folk.  It’s the brainchild of Rhys Edwards. A native of Mold in Flintshire, Wales.In 2003, he won a Pop Factory award for Best New Talent and the new album was awarded Best Album at BBC Radio Cymru’s music awards. Jakokoyak has released the critically acclaimed album ‘Am Cyfan Dy Pethau Prydferth’ (the title was taken from a badly translated poster on the walls of the Cardiff Union) in 2003 and re-released in Japan in 2004. Since then, he has supported the Super Furry Animals in Japan, and performed at the Maida Vale studios with Mogwai. The EP ‘Flatyre’ was released in 2006 and the song ‘Eira’ was voted record of the week on London’s Xfm radio station.  The track here was taken from his latest EP out on Peski.  Also check out the video below. 
 
Video
 
Here’s great video from Jakokoyak - Dim Syniad & Eira (2005)
 
 
The Plural Of Deer
 
BTW This does not relate to Welsh music but we thought it well worth a mention.
 
pluraldeer-1-1-1
 
You may remember TO favourite Jon Forrest Little (aka Church Camp) from El Paso, TX. Well, Jon has been working with a small indie press in Tijuana MX called Curriculum Nouveau and has published a collection of short stories & poems entitled The Plural of Deer.  We think it’s well worth checking out.  Check the hype!
 
The underground critics are describing it as a tiny critter creating a monstrous Buzz:
 
“Jon Little comes rolling over the hill tops like a little roll of silk, small and slight, but onceunfurled that flash of silk is a white horse with diamond wings. Jon writes tiny moments full ofheart that make me believe I have a soul.”
 
- Rennie Sparks.  Author & acclaimed lyricist for Handsome Family
 
“Jon Forrest Little Lambasts the status quo with charm and wit.”  
 
- Lisa Rivera.  Project Equity / New Urbanism
 
“Muy linda tu musica dixie deer! cool stuff, veo que eres de todos lados, yeah! muchos besos.”    
 
- Julieta Venegas.  SONY Recording Artist
 
“More relevant than missives from Chinese cookies, more relentless than a church hymn, more up to date than the phone book, this little book soars big, feisty as bird, sleek as a whale, the hop-scotching book that got me wishing I could be a jon deer too.”
 
- Marianne Dissard.  Calexico Collaborator & LePop Muzik, Köln Germany
 
“Your songs are so amazing & cool .For my birthday I’m asking my family for two copies of your
book, one for me and one for my best friend Tanya so we can read them at the same time and have awesome conversations afterward!  Also I’m asking them for black skinny jeans.”   
 
- Mia Jaramillo.  No Mas Muertes Volunteer
 
The new book, The Plural of Deer is available online or Direct:
Book is sold at Cost - a non-profit adventure!
 
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