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SoundsXP Presents

Friday 6th April 2012
All Day BBQ Festival

Sparrow and the Workshop
6 Day Riot
The Nuns
Singing Adams
Y Niwl
Colours
Dignan Porch
+more tbc

The Windmill
Brixton
Price tbc

On Our iPod

Golden Grrrls - New Pop 7”

Chris Devotion & The Expectations - Amalgamation & Capital (album)

Trailer Trash Tracys - Ester (album)

Throwing Up - Mother Knows Best 7”

Howling Wolf - Complete Chess Masters 1951-60

The Ketamines - A Rotten Bond/1 Yr (from Oddbox Singles Club Pt 2)

Cardinal - Hymns (album)

Proper Ornaments - Taking the Gamble Out of Buying 12”

Darren Hayman - January Songs (album)

Various: Marshall Teller EP 12”

Latest Forum Posts

Album Review

Dave Rotheray
The Life of Birds Proper Records

Article written by Paul M - Aug 1, 2010

Dave Rotheray

Dave Rotheray is Paul Heaton's former guitar toting sidekick with the Beautiful South and The Life of Birds is his first solo effort after albums with the South and then another act, Homespun. It's a collection of melancholic folk ditties, loosely tied around an avian theme, with vocals provided by an impressive list of contemporary singers including Kathryn Williams, Alasdair Roberts, Eliza Carthy, Nat Johnson and Jim Causley. It's musically fairly traditional folk fayre but what lifts it soaring, beak and wings above many others are the quality of the vocals and the emotional lyrics about mortality, sexuality, popular culture and illness. Probably not one to listen to prior to nipping down to the Ministry of Sound for a pilled up night of hedonism but bloody stirring stuff and if you don't shed a tear over Almost Beautiful then you're a hard hearted old puffin.

One to download: Flying Lessons with Nat Johnson

Full track listing:

1. The Sparrow, The Thrush & The Nightingale (with Jim Causley)
2. Living Before The War (with Bella Hardy)
3. The Road To The South (with Eliza Carthy)
4. Crows, Ravens & Rooks (with Kathryn Williams)
5. Draughty Old Fortress (with Alasdair Roberts)
6. Sweet Forgetfullness (with Camille O'Sullivan)
7. The Hummingbird On Your Calendar (with Bella Hardy & Jim Causley)
8. Taller Than Me (with Julie Murphy)
9. Almost Beautiful (with Eleanor McEvoy)
10. Flying Lessons (with Nat Johnson)
11. The Best Excuse In The World (Is The Truth) (with Jack L)
12. The Digital Cuckoo (with Bella Hardy)
13. Cover Your Garden Over (with Eliza Carthy)
14. The Sparrow, The Thrush & The Nightingale Part II (with Jim Causley)

Links:
http://www.davidrotheray.com/