IPO London 2013
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Artists From London
The 286 – A seven-piece band, which also features members of The Fore (who played the first ever IPO London), The 286 dare to cross the genres of indie rock and classical music. By clashing rock n’ roll riffs with cellos and violins, The 286 create a unique sound that you expect to be reminiscent of a musical collaboration between The Beatles and Ludwig van Beethoven! Check out their A Victory for Battalion CD, and you’ll hear what we mean!
Glenn Aitken -Fans of melodic acoustic-based pop rock need look no further than Extraordinary Lives, the debut CD by this London-based singer/songwriter. Possessed of a beautiful voice, and songs that bring to mind such artists as Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, John Mayer, and Donald Fagen, Aitken has the goods to become a music industry darling!
Ellamore – A girl group that should have been born in the ‘60s with their amazing harmonies, glorious riffs, smooth tones and clever lyrics. They are sure to impress with their take on modern Motown and definitely differ from your usual girl group of today. If you love Motown, they are sure to win you over and are certainly a group to keep watching!
Et Tu Brucé – A rock n’ roll band whose sound has been described as “West London meets West Coast”, blending pop, rock, folk, and country into a signature harmonic sound. Their triumphant debut album, Suburban Sunshine, was bestowed the title of “the sound of summer” by Best of British Unsigned and remains one of the UK’s most critically lauded albums of 2012. Fans of The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Wilco, and The Beta Band need to check them out!
Maria Evangelou – Drawing on a diverse range of genres, from R&B, Soul, Pop, and Jazz, all with one thing in common – passion, the ability to entertain and provide thought provoking, well crafted songs, Evangelou has begun writing and performing her own songs, with a debut EP due out later this year. With influences such as Nina Simone, Etta James, Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye, one would hope that Maria Evangelou’s own vocal style aspires to her idols. Thankfully, it does…just come to her IPO showcase and hear for yourself!
Wendy Ip – This very impressive Londoner (by way of New York and the Canadian prairies) writes some of the coolest songs around, with eccentric hooks that sneak up on you and hit you hard! Her latest full-length CD, A Different Kind Of Life, is replete with unforgettable melodies that linger in your head even if you’ve heard them only once. The long-awaited follow up, The Ip EP, is also available, and she’s working on material for her next opus, Bad Example!
Ben Jones and The Rifle Volunteers – Jones is a very talented singer/songwriter/producer from the London/Medway area who was the main force behind The Lovedays, and has released a couple of excellent albums under his own name. His current project will appeal to both longtime fans of The Lovedays, as well as fans of artists from The Beatles to The Beach Boys, The Who, and Roy Wood! The band’s new album, Shangri-la, is due out this Spring, perhaps even in time for IPO (or at least we certainly hope so!!)
The Len Price 3 – Hailing from the Medway Delta, their sound is forged in the Medway tradition, fusing driving energy, catchy hooks and a raw ‘60s garage sound. They’ve got three excellent CDs (with a fourth one complete and about to be released!!), and a live show that will blow you away and re-define what it is to be a power trio…as a testament to this fact, at one of their IPO Liverpool performances, the manager of another band was heard to say: “These are TOO GOOD…I’m going to go home and cry!”
The Lightwings – Their passion for Merseybeat, Britpop, and Motown help them to create a fresh new sound they call “Beatpop.” The rock n’ roll rhythms and infectious melodies never fail to stir up a frenzy, so get ready to dance!
Mothboxer – The musical outlet of Dave Ody (with a little help from his friends), Mothboxer has been releasing music since 2007, has played several gigs in and around London and the South East and has released three albums to date. The perfect powerpop confection, Mothboxer combines insanely catchy hooks, sweet harmonies with lush orchestration, and mind-bending chord changes that fans of Jellyfish, The Beach Boys, and XTC are sure to appreciate. Check out any of their albums – which are recently released in CD format! – and you’ll hear what we mean!
The Past Tense – As their name might imply, The Past Tense are a power trio who offer an alternative to the dour state of current musical fads by offering an enthusiastic take of the powerpop/mod revival sound of the ‘80s and a lively and fun nod to the Garage greats, both past and present. They proudly display their collective love of ‘60s beat, mod, psych, garage and punk, and blend them to make music that they hope will appeal to the many (rather than the few). They are most certainly appealing to IPO!
The Penguin Party – These Londoners are purveyors of quintessentially British pop par excellence! Even the title of their most recent CD, Sex Furniture Warehouse and Other Stories, conveys their quirky pop sensibilities and their playful pushing of all the boundaries. The influences of Squeeze and Nick Lowe present in their prior work can still be heard, along with a healthy dose of Madness. The CD also comes with a nifty 84 page booklet with all the lyrics, tons of pictures, and behind the scenes info. A third album is nearly complete and should be available soon! Pretty cool!
Nathan Persad – Inspired by the likes of The Hollies, The Marmalade, The Move, The Beatles, ELO, Rolf Harris, The Beach Boys, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry, Persad’s songs have a classic ‘60s garage/mod pop feel, but with a touch of whimsy, due in large part to the fact that he often tends to write songs about anything that happens to him or just happens to strike his fancy. Check out his latest CD, Nathad Persad in Colour, and you’ll hear what we mean! He’s also known to throw in a few random covers and requests in his live sets, so you won’t want to miss his IPO showcase!
Phenomenal Cat – An artsy powerpop sextet from Sandgate whose quirky lyrics and pretty melodies will appeal to fans of artists from The Beatles to XTC and The Kinks. Their brand new album, Postcards From The British Empire, is a culmination of having spent 2012 releasing a new single each month, and is available in a deluxe double CD collection with goody bag, postcard, and other secret bonus stuff!
The Provisos – A London-based five-piece who write and perform their own material which reflects a strong ‘60s Mod and soul influence plus late ‘70s and early ‘80s new wave, mixed with a healthy dose of contemporary social comment. Their big sound comprises guitars, keyboards, bass and drums; their songs are upbeat, energetic and melodic. Very cool!
The Reflections – Some glowing industry and press quotes have stuck with this four-piece combo as words of encouragement and personal vindication in their pursuit of trying to create an element of melodrama and romanticism in their songs. Their debut self titled album has been called “A lolliping Spector kinda vibe made by people with probably impeccable record collections” (Simon Fraser, Fierce Panda Records). And if you like Gene Pitney, Del Shannon, or Scott Walker, The Reflections debut would make an excellent addition to your collection!
Semion – A five-piece band from all over England whose latest disc, Help Me I Work In An Office, falls nicely between the moody jangle of R.E.M. or Bobby Sutliff which marked their previous work, while turning the dial a bit more to classic powerpop. The long awaited follow up, Spent, (which should hopefully be available soon!) kicks it up a notch or two! They claim to be inspired by everything from the Shangri-Las to the La’s. Although their songs can often be a bit cheeky, they are also really fab!
Steve Somerset: The Man From The Shadow Kabinet – “Steve Somerset, AKA The Shadow Kabinet, deserves to take his place among the distinguished company of several English ‘60s-inspired psych-pop troubadours. If you are so inclined you can detect in his music traces a bit of Bowie, Syd, Donovan, Ray Davies, Robyn Hitchcock, XTC, Martin Newell and a score of lesser lights… The songs are simply too good to be derivative.” (Phil Suggitt, Shindig Magazine). If this sounds intriguing, you owe it to yourself to check out his IPO showcase and to pick up a copy of his latest CD, Smiling Worlds Apart!
Shush – Shush is a four-headed, eight-eyed, thirty-two-fingered rock n’ roll monster featuring Milena on vox, Andy Brook on guitar, Dean on bass and Ben on drums. They exploded onto the rock scene with their twisted sound of rock with dark pop melodies, lush vocals, crunchy guitars, pounding bass and thundering drums. Check out their debut album, Soundtrack Of My Life!
The Soundcasters – Maidstone and Medway’s The Soundcasters were formed through a mutual love of a variety of music ranging from latin jazz to ‘70s punk. Influenced by such bands as The Beatles, The Band, The Animals, as well as more current ones like The Arctic Monkeys, their first EP had a ‘60s pop feel to it and received a huge response from a mixed audience. With the release of their brand new debut full length album, Slight Of Hand, The Soundcasters have returned with a more mature image, feel and sound, which will blow you away!
Spygenius – Inspired by bands like The Beach Boys, The Beatles and Robyn Hitchcock, Spygenius offer ulta-melodic music with a light ‘60s influence. The London-based four-piece play original guitar-based pop for people with an appreciation for harmonies and clever wordplay….and who among us can’t appreciate that!? Fans will also appreciate their latest CD, Comforting Suture!
Statuesque – Statuesque is the voice and songs of pop auteur Stephen Manning, composer of genius guitar hooks, mesmerizing melodies and clever lyrics, put together in a rich tapestry of “hi-lo-fi” recordings. “Manning’s stuff stands up alongside your favourite Smiths, Morrissey and Radiohead records, while sounding totally unique and individual.” (The Big Takeover) The latest Statuesque album, Pop Full Stop, is available in download format.
Emma Stevens – An extremely talented singer/songwriter, Stevens has been playing guitar since the tender age of three (!), but has since expanded her music to include piano, ukulele, banjo, and mandolin! The sparkly upbeat folk pop on her Dreaming Trees EP will appeal to fans of artists from John Mayer to Kate Bush to Hillary Duff! Although she hails from Surrey, she’s scored a #1 hit in Korea, as one of her songs was recorded by Korean boy band “SHINee.” Pretty cool!
Mick Terry – Piano power-pop at its finest, generously laced with influences from the ‘60s and ‘70s is what you’ll find throughout Terry’s work, including his latest release, The Grown Ups. The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Randy Newman, Jellyfish, and Todd Rundgren are just a few of the artists who instantly come to mind!
Nigel Thomas – The lead singer of indie pop band The Foxes appears at IPO London in his solo guise. Thomas’ solo music is heartfelt, original and passionate, with echoes of Elliott Smith, Paul McCartney and Graham Coxon. A debut demo acoustic album called Third Movement is available now for download, and a studio album backed up with session players is in the works, so watch for it!
UK Artists From Outside Of London
KingBathmat – KingBathmat are a powered-up independent/psychedelic/progressive/alternative rock band, hailing from Hastings. Imagine Pink Floyd, ELO, and Deep Purple all rolled into one, and you begin to get the picture…but better yet, pick up any of their fine CDs or check out their IPO London showcase!
Mark Mikel – The main man of psychedelic pop darlings, The Pillbugs, is going it alone these days, and with splendid results. A purveyor of fine Beatle-esque and psychedelic sunshine pop from Toledo, Ohio, Mikel fits right in at IPO L:iverpool! Fans of The Partridge Family and The Fifth Dimension will also dig his latest CD, Cosmic Surprise!
Shake 101 – A band from Essex who re-create the visceral feel of ‘60s beat music. Those well-versed in the genre may recognize a portion of their set as being made up of the lesser known songs by bands such as Sonics, The Count V, and The Eyes…but they may throw in a few Beatles covers too!
The Silver Factory – A jangly melodic pop quintet from Leicester influenced by bands such as The Velvet Underground, The Beatles, and The La’s, as well as by the original ‘60s pop psych movement and its many revivals. Their second elephant records release, a mini LP entitled If Words Could Kill, has recently been made available, and should find a happy home in the collection of many a fan!
These Reigning Days – Coming to IPO London from Torquay/Teignmouth, These Reigning Days are fronted by ex Quails lead singer/songwriter Dan Steer, and they are fast establishing a reputation as an impressive live band playing grown up indie-rock layered with synths, keys, guitar, drums and harmonies! A debut album is due out soon!
Three Minute Tease – The latest project led by the irrepressible Anton Barbeau, who comes to IPO London from Berlin, Germany (by way of Sacramento, California!). He’s teamed up this time with a couple of UK gents (including Andy Metcalfe and Morris Windsor of The Soft Boys/Egyptians!) to create a self-titled album filled with psychedelic pop goodness topped off with the quirky lyrical twists that have characterized all of his previous work. “If there were a modern day prodigal son created from the lineage that links Julian Cope, Andy Partridge, The Beatles, Early Pink Floyd and even Frank Zappa, then Barbeau is a hot contender for the title.” (Green Man Music)
Artists From Outside The UK
Dave Rave – He began popping very powerfully indeed a near quarter century ago as part of the legendary Canadian bands Teenage Head and The Shakers, and has often been referred to as “The Canadian Nick Lowe.” His latest CD, Live With What You Know, was nominated for a Grammy, as was one of its songs “Anne Marie”!! He’s played every IPO the past three years, with many more to come. Thank you, Dave!!
nrwy – The latest project featuring Erik and Per Christian Grov, of The Generous Days, whose ‘60s styled sunshine pop was (and is!) always welcome at IPO. While at its heart still uplifting and jangly, with nrwy they add a folk rock intensity and indie rock bite that will appeal to an even wider range of audiences. Fans of Neil Young, The Jayhawks, Teenage Fanclub, and Wilco will want to check out negatives, the brand new CD by these boys from Oslo, Norway!