Tag: liverpool

Hannah Rose Platt’s Fragile Creatures

If Whitney Houston set a benchmark for female vocalists many did before her too, but while others were influenced by them, they never felt obliged to attain a sound precisely mimicking them, as, it seems to me, many modern female singers striving for pop success do with Whitney’s. And when they do, it sounds, well, manufactured and impassive. A Liverpudlian now residing in Bristol, Hannah Rose Platt releases a concept album tomorrow, Fragile Creatures, of which I’d compare more to like of Kate Bush, whereby Hannah can weave beautiful tapestries, adapting her voice to reflect the sentiment of her narrative, mood and style of the track; and there’s a lot going on in Fragile Creatures….

It is undoubtedly a concept album, anatomising the complex relationship between women and medicine throughout history. It explores how antiquated myths and misconceptions in the pursuit of science have impacted female health, while creating countless injustices and inequalities. If this comes across sounding more akin to a poignant lecture, Hannah Rose Platt shifts between a collection of musical influences to imprint her wisdom, causing Fragile Creatures to be an altering and compelling journey of prowess and refinement.

It opens introductorily with a spoken word sample of Helen Andelin’s Fascinating Womanhood, a controversial sixties manual encouraging women to uphold their conventional marital role. Ataraxia is as calming as the meaning of its Greek philosophical title, ambiently floating over an acoustic guitar riff and drumbeat, musically reflecting on Diazepam-flavoured tranquillity, as if conformity to the sample will land us all in a world to make Aldous Huxley quiver. In this, Hannah’s voice is bitter, eerie, to convey the point.

But by the second tune, Curious Mixture, a drifting acoustic vibe, Hannah’s voice is as silky and smooth as Kylie, which shifts to a sharper more indie-punk feel as the songs progress. There’s a definite Bristol trip hop scene there too, causing me to consider Portishead as an influence. By the fourth tune we’re blessed with the most gorgeous ballad to Mary Magdalene, reminding me of Daisy Chapman’s folk angle. It’s at this conjunction I realise Hannah is reciting her deepest thoughts and observations on the theme, historically, and they’re gender ecumenical rather than bitter stabs of feminist vendetta. I didn’t feel under attack as a guy listening to this, provided I ponder the meanings Hannah so poignantly expresses.

This is eleven tracks strong, melding myths of pseudoscience, superstition and patriarchy with medicine and chronicles of the resilient and defiant women who unyieldingly fought for equality and autonomy. At times it’s Kate Bush vocalising for Massive Attack, as is the tune The Yellow Wallpaper, at others, such as La Grande Hysterie, it’s a contemporary Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill covered by Siouxsie and the Banshees. It ends playfully like musical theatre, but penultimately is horrific and beautiful in equal measure.

The album is a themed anthology. Each song has its own narrative, weaving into each other. From the tale of Anne Greene, accused of infanticide under the Concealment of Birth of Bastards Act, and pardoned after being revived from hanging to reflections on the health gap that lingers to this day. There’s so much more I still need to discover exploring its sheer brilliance as a concept and how the music compliments it.

Hannah explains the concept, “This record is both an offering and a tribute to female pioneers in medicine; and an endeavour to honour, and give voice to, the unsung heroines in the history of our health. What struck me most during the research and creation of this album was the deeply ingrained, sinister nature of myth and misconception surrounding women’s health, and the harmful, cyclical dismissal of experiences; decade after decade, century after century, often reinforced by outdated and dangerous practices. My hope is that listeners will not only be intrigued by these stories but also inspired to dig deeper and empowered to challenge the systems that have long ignored or misrepresented women’s voices, as this dismissal remains so prevalent today.”

At this I could agreeably sigh, like any poignant art which usually preaches to the converted those who really need to take heed of its message will likely overlook it. Nevertheless, if others cite Fragile Creatures as the work of an upcoming artist, I’d favour to compare the depth and production of this fantastic album to Dark Side of the Moon. And with that the right audience might spare its lesson a thought. A high but deserved accolade, in considering it took Pink Floyd seven albums to accomplish this magnum opus, when this is Hannah Rose Platt’s second; what comes next will be astounding because Fragile Creatures is a sublime keeper.

The advance single Curious Mixture is out now. Full album is released tomorrow (April 25th) via Xtra Mile Recordings and mastered at Abbey Road, with production and playing from Ed Harcourt. Launch party is Friday 25th at Rough Trade, Bristol.

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Lady Nade; Sober!

Dry January, anyone? Well, Lady Nade just plunged into an outdoor 4°C eucalyptus sauna for a social media reel. But whilst I’d require a stiff…

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Rooks; New Single From M3G

Chippenham folk singer-songwriter, M3G (because she likes a backward “E”) has a new single out tomorrow, Friday 19th December. Put your jingly bell cheesy tunes…

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Signs and Wonders of The Burner Band

Popping immediately into your head with fun songs you’ll be singing for the rest of the week, while breaking out in denims, Leeds’ The Burner Band kick off their debut album, last week, Signs and Wonders with a rock n roll blinder, but that’s not all they’ve got in them.….

The subsequent tune to Blues Came In, though, Block out the Sun, suggests, rather than mellowed blues, the blue is here cowboy-boot-tapping bluegrass, with spurs. A fast-moving fashion which continues throughout the album, fusing all Americana influences, and yeah, it sure is above snakes catchy.

As a solo artist, vocalist and guitarist Lewis Burner has supported the likes of Bob Log III, The Coal Porters and The Legendary Shack Shakers, appearing at Broadstairs Folk Week, Orwell Bluegrass Festival and Strummer Camp, and released two albums. Here he collaborates with Ian, absent surname, to create the duo The Burner Band, and it certainly does burn!

Company Man is acoustic goodness, nods towards Simon Garfunkel’s more upbeat moments; deep-rooted Celia, for if as their PR document suggests punk is an influence as well as bluegrass, and rock ‘n’ roll, it’s coming through remarkably subtle, typically folky. I say this because there’s a professional feelgood factor to The Burner Burner, rather than the rawness and unskilled tenet of punk; the simple country pop sound of it Takes Two, four tracks in, is enticingly gratifying, yet afterwards, this album takes serious themes, without losing the appeal.

You, the Devil and Me deals with grief, Search Deep, Find Out assesses morals and judgements. There’s subjects of mental health and murder, but it retains, above all else, it’s catchy charm and slither of flippancy, just by the upbeat nature.

Voodoo Queen, seven tunes in, being the most diverse with its Latino undertones, whereas with Pray for the Light, the folk-punk is now coming across, and it’s welcome to. Thing is, even suggestions of blues, as in Too Much Blues, is only in topic, sound-wise it’s rock n roll, leaving one to ponder if The Burner Band are capable of mellow! Though maybe they just held out for the memorable title track at the very end, with its Springsteen-esque narrative.

It’s certainly lively, filled with exhilaration and excitedness. It also sounds sincere Americana, even when dealing with satirical themes; Liverpool’s campaign to rid the city of The Sun, being most poignant. Penned wise, though, I loved Don’t Have To Listen the most, reflecting on teenage ignorance against the face of authority, for secretly in my own mind, I’m still a adolescent tearaway, and maybe, in a nutshell, that’s the appeal here; forget skin cream, this entertaining, quality toe-tapping bluegrass rock n roll merger will knock years off you!

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Burning the Midday Oil at The Muck

Highest season of goodwill praises must go to Chrissy Chapman today, who raised over £500 (at the last count) for His Grace Children’s Centre in…

For Now, Anyway; Gus White’s Debut Album

Featured Image: Barbora Mrazkova My apologies, for Marlborough’s singer-songwriter Gus White’s debut album For Now, Anyway has been sitting on the backburner, and it’s more…

Asa is Back in Devizes

Give or take a week, it’s been two years since Devizes Corn Exchange reverberated rock n roll when Liverpool’s entertainer Asa Murphy presented his Buddy Holly tribute show. An amazing fundraising night, in dedication to local music hero Bruce Hopkins, the show had perfect renditions of Buddy’s songs wrapped in a simple narrative to set the scenes, and by the end, Age Concern need not be called as young and old, the audience danced in the aisles!

Deja-vu on many preview pieces we wrote about this time last year, including announcing Asa set to return without the Buddy specs in April with a variety performance and handpicked guest appearances.

Obviously and sadly, it couldn’t be, but I’m pleased to now re-announce the Corn Exchange is booked for this show on October 16th, and will feature the original lineup; superb sixties singer, Sandy Collins and Lennie Anderson, an excellent comic.
Tickets are on sale at Devizes Books, which you can call to secure your seats until the shop is bookshop is open again for business.

For more details you could check last year’s preview, by clicking here; saves me writing it all again, but don’t look directly at the old date, look around that date and concentrate your mind on October 16th 2021! Oh, and I hope to see you there!

The Monkey with no Bum!

No, looks to me like, from the front cover picture, the monkey does indeed have a bum, albeit it quite small and the motion lines suggest it’s shrinking. No matter the outcome of the debate, it cannot be good news for this monkey called Charlie. I could ask the author Asa Murphy why, but we don’t need spoilers. All you need to know is Charlie has either no bum or an incredibly shrinking bum, and that’s plenty of background, cos, kids like the word bum, and I don’t blame them. I like the word bum, and intend to use it as much as possible here today.

If this Liverpudlian now children’s author’s name rings a bell, it’s because he loves Devizes and in honour of our late local fundraising musician, Bruce Hopkins, he staged his most prestigious performance at the Corn Exchange, a self-penned musical about the life of Buddy Holly.

Asa just glows with the charm and entertaining charisma of a one-man Ratpack. With sell-out shows at Ronnie Scotts, topping the bill at the famous Liverpool Empire, he also has a decade under his belt with a popular BBC Radio show up in Liverpool. Last year he turned to writing, the intention being stage musicals, of which he’s crafted three shows, Buddy Holly Lives, Mack The Knife and Irish Annies.

But if you think changing from musical writer to children’s author is tenacious, think again. Asa plans to launch a children’s musical from his debut book, and will be at the Corn Exchangein 2021. For now, though it’s self-published book (Murphy-World Books,) that tale of monkey with no bum, and was taken from a story Asa told to his nephew, and continued to tell to my own children. “I wanted them to be aware that in my eyes,” Asa explains, “they were perfect in every way. The story developed into an idea that I felt all children should hear, so I sat down and wrote the story with the dream of it being turned into a children’s illustrated book.”

I asked Asa if there was more to come, whether Charlie might be back, with or without his bum! “It’ll be a series of five books, all featuring Charlie the Monkey, and with valuable lessons for children.” Might make a great Christmas pressie for the young ones, or anyone, I like saying bum, and I think, if we’re honest with ourselves, we all do!

You can buy it here, or it’s now stocked at Devizes Books for £6.99.