Running with a Timid Deer

An absolutely spellbinding new electronica jazz-blues single out this week, of which Iโ€™d expect nothing less from what I believe to be one of Wiltshireโ€™s most underrated bands, Salisburyโ€™s Timid Deer, and produced by the brilliant Jason Allen.

With a grand piano opening, their evocative part-indie-part-trip hop ambience is accomplished to a new standard here, with Naomi Henstridgeโ€™s both soothing yet haunting vocals embracing howling strings and, wow, this rolling piano. Itโ€™s reflective of nineties nu-cool, the brilliance of Morcheeba or Portishead, yet without so much inspired of acid jazz or trip hop to make it clichรฉ, rather itโ€™s owning this refreshing edge to appeal to the more guitar-laced indie fans, too.

Run, their first single since Februaryโ€™s Crossed Wires, and they never cease to amaze me. This is cooler than the climate outside, just beautiful. โ€œHere’s something we’ve been working on for what feels like an age,โ€ Timid Deer say, finishing by saying theyโ€™re aiming for a new EP early in New Year, and for some Salisbury gigs, but I say no, please gig organisers, letโ€™s get these guys aiming much further afield too; we need to see you in Devizes (Deborah Bufton Barnett, Ian Hopkins and Phil Moakes, Iโ€™m talking to you, make my Christmas wish come true!) Trowbridge, (Mr Moore) too!


And yes, Find Timid Deer with 45 other amazing artists on our 4 Julia’s House Compilation by clicking here!

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Dulcet Tones Rock Back to Bassett!

You’re a teenage Tom Cruise, at least you wish you were, but stay with me on this! Your parents are away, you’re home alone withโ€ฆ

Crossed Wires with a Timid Deer

OMG, and coming from someone who refuses to use OMG on principle, rather than its blasphemous connotations, that old dogs, new tricks, I donโ€™t usually conform to trending words or abbreviations. I just donโ€™t get the irony. I mean, kids use the word sick to mean something thatโ€™s good. Why canโ€™t they just use wicked like we used to do?

Anyway, itโ€™s my third music review of the day, and while I may be knocking them out, tangents tend to creep in without apologies. But hereโ€™s my new favourite discovery while washing the dishes, Salisburyโ€™s Timid Deer, a band Iโ€™ve seen listed here and there, supporting our Lost Trades, a track I loved on Screamliteโ€™s New Hero Sounds NHS fundraising compilation, et all, but had yet to delve fully into. And the result is the reason I used OMG despite all I said about it.

Ah yeah, at the Lost Trades launch at the Pump!

All I will say is, if our mission is to seek out new local music, new bands and boldly go where no blog has blogged before, Captain Kirk needs a crew therefore so do I. Mind you, my own daughter suggests I look more like Suru on Discovery, which I beg to differ; the guy walks like the back end of a donkey while Iโ€™ve got the more Charlie Chaplin swagger, and I excuse another tangent. Why didnโ€™t someone least hint, oi, Worrow, I reckon youโ€™d like Timid Deer, reckon its right up your street?

Before Iโ€™d even put the fairy liquid in the sink, Iโ€™m warmed to these mellow electronic and soulful vibes. Akin to Portishead and Morcheeba, without the need to be locked in the nineties trip hop era, Timid Deer is a blessing in the indie-fuse of euphoric keys by Tim, with Tom on double bass, guitarist Matt, drummer Chris, and the mind-blowingly gifted vocals of Naomi, who has the vocal strength of Mayyadda, but with the childlike uniqueness of Bjork.

The name-your-price single Crossed Wires came out end of last month, unbeknown to me. An uplifting piano three-minute masterwork, engulfing your soul and building layers with smooth electronic beats. Evocative as Enya without the orchestrated strings, as expressive as Clannad without the folk roots, and closer to Yazoo via electronica, rather than the aforementioned influences of Portishead and Morcheeba. Ticks all my boxes.

There are two gorgeous previous albums, Mountains stretches back as far as 2012 and Melodies for Nocturnal from 2019, and there you go, see, Iโ€™m nocturnal, why didnโ€™t someone nudge me further towards this great band? I dunno, if a jobs worth doingโ€ฆ..


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Whatever Happened to Pancake Races in Devizes?

It seems Shrove Tuesday celebrations in Devizes have fallen as flat as aโ€ฆ.well, you get the gagโ€ฆ Traditionally organised by Age Concern Wiltshire, and oftenโ€ฆ

Rowdefest 26 Lineup Reveal!

Drizzly Sundayโ€ฆagain. Iโ€™ve just finished designing the poster, so allow me to reveal the lineup for Rowdefest this coming May, might cheer us up aโ€ฆ