Tag Archives: Album

Stephanie Manns Come Closer Album Review

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Stephanie MannsMy first thought on Stephanie Manns album is how cool the actual CD is; it is designed like a vinyl record. Pretty cool. Next up is how upbeat and happy the album is. Starting with the optimistic and happy ‘Follow You’, singer/songwriter Stephanie Manns has made a truly impressive debut album. She has a beautiful voice and a talent for songwriting. She writes wonderfully heartfelt lyrics.

Country, Americana and folk artist inspired; the use of guitar and ukulele really adds to the (mostly) upbeat tracks. The album is 10 tracks long and there is not even one dud song. An accomplished debut. Impressive.

“Without a doubt, Stephanie Manns is a singersongwriter with the raw talent, and sure promise of future success.” – Maverick Magazine

 

“Anthemic Americana… Catchy guitar and pristine vocals.” – Diva Magazine

 

Stunning Debut Album from Glasgow Based Singer-Songwriter Stephanie Manns

Multi-talented singer-songwriter Stephanie Manns has released her debut album Come Closer – a positively beautiful collection of original songs from the UK’s most exciting new country, Americana and folk artist.

 

From the heartfelt and optimistic tones of opening track “Follow You” to the genuinely moving missive “The Way You Want Me To” and the melancholic yet hopeful “All Over”, Come Closer is an accomplished album of exquisitely performed songs, infused with inclusive and attractive melodies, which also deeply captivates the listener through Manns’ heartwarmingly sincere lyrics.

Refining her skills on the Scottish acoustic music scene, Stephanie has supported Blues Legend Joan Armatrading, Ultravox’s Midge Ure, alt-country troubadours Ahab and Brit award winner Emeli Sandé. It was during this time that Stephanie was discovered by national arts organisation Creative Scotland, who strongly supported her cause, helping Stephanie to fund the album as an independent artist.

Manns’ songwriting has been heavily influenced by Tift Merritt, Madison Violet and Patti Griffin, which is apparent throughout the album and serves to enhance the body of work as a whole. Come Closer illuminates Manns as a brilliantly gifted artist, who writes charmingly enjoyable songs that have the ability to move a diverse array of music lovers.

 

Come Closer is available to buy on iTunes

 

www.stephaniemanns.com/

 

https://en-gb.facebook.com/Stephaniemannsmusic

 

https://twitter.com/StephanieManns

 

Killing Fields of Ontario Release Free Download Prior to Album Drop Monday #Halloween

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Killing Fields of Ontario

 ‘How the World Ends’ out 4th November

Ft Lead the Single, ‘Cloud’ (23rd Sept)

Out on KFoO Records

Killing Fields of Ontario, free download, music, download

With Halloween and the release of folk rockers Killing Fields of Ontario’s second LP ‘How the World Ends’ looming, one of the stand out tracks on the record is being offered out as a timely free download today (Halloween), as the band reassure you there is actually ‘Nothing To Be Frightened Of’.

Killing Fields of Ontario have a gift for turning the unspoken fears and realities of life into a fluid musical product. Combining tender progressions with climactic eruptions of madness, their new album ‘How the World Ends’ is at times elevating in its honesty and beauty, and at others wholly scornful of emotive truths. Wonderfully diverse elements of leftfield pop and contemporary folk are hardened by an immutable grit that spits and attacks, as showcased in its leading single, ‘Cloud’.

‘Cloud’ is a whirlwind of lament delivered with an urgency that will blow you away; its tortured plea reluctantly accepts the energetic orchestration offered by the proficient rhythm section providing the listener with a certain ambiguity. At first offering you its hand, Cloud promptly takes you by the arm on a journey through the warmest of acoustics and the most sensitive of themes.

HTWE, due to be released October 28th is decorated with a shimmering melancholy, reminiscent both in palette and texture; of the orchestral grandeur of Broken Social Scene, while other tracks demonstrate stylistic versatility as well as a more streetwise modern angst like Frightened Rabbit’s ‘Pedestrian Verse’ or the seasoned insight and worldly lyricism of Interpol.

Other influences include hints of We Are Augustines, Arcade Fire and Local Natives. In the arena, the band have shared stages with Sparrow and The Workshop, Broken Records, Chris Mills and Mount Eerie.

This is a band who clearly have a wonderful ability to engage with dark emotions, yet can still format to become radio darlings. Tom Robinson recently hailed them as ‘long-standing 6Music Introducing favourites’ and ‘Tired of Being a Man’, the frontrunner on their last record, was in Amazing Radio’s ‘Top 20’ for a month in summer 2011.

The upcoming record was produced and mixed by the band’s own Tom Loffman – whose album credits as engineer include VV Brown, Idlewild, and Billy Bragg – having cut his teeth working alongside some of the county’s top producers in Phil Brown (Robert Plant) and Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers). With all tracks mastered by Ed Woods (Bloc Party, The Futureheads), this is all sure evidence that ‘How the World Ends’ will be as enthralling a listen as its titled suggests.

 

Track Listing

01 Twisted Little Theatre

02 Nothing To Be Frightened

03 When We Were Born

04 Cloud

05 Weight

06 Left In Shadow

07 Creeper

08 Our Place to Drown

09 How The World Ends

10 God Or Country