Folk-Rock / Americana duo Delta Howl have released their second single ‘Mary’. Grant Ashman and Mark Neat both grew up in the small town of Dudley, in the heart of The Black Country, England. Both experienced musicians they first met during a live music showcase in the West Midlands over 8 years ago and since then worked diligently on various music projects including various shows in the States and tours with the likes of Simple Minds & Blackberry Smoke. During late 2016 the duo re-united and spent the rest of that year writing and recording the material that has become Delta Howl. ‘Mary’ was recorded, mixed and mastered by the duo in their own studio. It’s the second single off a four track EP which is due to be released in late August of 2017. ‘Mary’ is a toasty track that sounds like summer. Drenched in youthful free vibes with slide guitars adding a wind in your hair carelessness and bongo drums giving a bounce and dance quality it’s instantly likeable. Sweet elegant piano introduces the song until it erupts into a breezy warm heartland county rock track. The big chorus featuring “hey” lyrics on backing vocals gives life and comradeship to the track filling you with oodles of daydreaming emotion.
When asked about the track vocalist Grant said: “It’s a song that sounds like the summer, it describes a crazy relationship but the best kind of crazy, we hope it transports the listener to a past, present & future time. One that looks happy and fun and that’s what the song is all about, making people have a good time”
South Wales four-piece Climbing Trees consists of members Matthew Frederick (Piano, Guitar, Vocals), Colenso Jones (Guitar, Bass, Vocals), Martin Webb (Guitar, Bass, Vocals) and James Bennetts (Drums, Percussion, Vocals). They describe their sound as Cymrucana (mixture of folk, country and Americana). The band formed in 2011 and came to the attention of BBC Introducing with the distinctive sound of their critically acclaimed debut album ‘Hebron’, which was recorded in isolation in the woods of Carmarthenshire, the band were announced as one of twelve artists to take part in the inaugural year of the BBC and Arts Council of Wales’ Horizons project in the Spring of 2014. They have had appearances at Green Man Festival, Festival No.6 and The Hay Festival and have also performed at the Dylan Thomas Centenary celebrations in Laugharne Castle. With a live session at London’s legendary Maida Vale Studios , a television appearance alongside the BBC National Orchestra of Wales as well as soundtracking the BBC’s Real Valleys season and featuring in American documentary Fade To Winter, Climbing Trees have had a busy few years and gained an ever growing following.
The band have finished their eagerly-awaited and much anticipated second album ‘Borders’ which has been shortlisted for this year’s Welsh Music Prize. This month they released their new single ‘Amber’ which is the third to be taken from the album. The track is flush with bright warm tones and richly entwined with lush melodies and glowing textures. The addition of the string quartet adds a delicate sweet elegance and sway to the track lifting it up and giving it flight and motion. The piano is also gentle and tender and compliments the track perfectly adding a beautiful graceful quality. The vocals are warm and soothing with smooth soft country tones. The guitars glitter and glisten while also adding depth to the elevating song. Climbing Trees continue to progress and perfect their unique sound and give us a track that is feathery light yet dense with warm golden textures.
Stream ‘Amber’below
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
