Abbots Langley - Ollie Halsall

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...This follow up to their 1998 Mercury Prize winning "Bring it on " album sees the band taking a more mature angle on the well trodden path of blues rock. With only their guitars and obscure harmonies for company we hear Ollie and the lads storming new ground for the acoustically minded among us. Oscar winning director Sam Mendes, man of the moment in Hollywood, paid the "Revolutionary" troop a subtle homage by featuring "We haven't turned around" in the powerful, erotic yet thought provoking film, "American Beauty", proving that Gomez are working their way onto the CD players of teenagers America wide.... Read review

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Advantages: Distinctive vocals, relaxed acoustic sound
Disadvantages: Tails off a little towards the end

...Turin Brakes? Who are they? That’s what I thought until I heard the song The Door on a compilation cd. Well, it turned out that Turin Brakes consist of Ollie Knights and Gale Paridjanian, two extremely talented British musicians. The Optimist LP is one of the better albums I have heard recently. Instrumentally, the album is fairly simple with acoustic guitars and rhythmic drums. This is no bad thing, as it allows Ollie Knights' very distinctive and vocals to shine through. His voice is very impressive, capable of expressing all sorts of emotions in one breath. The album opens with the track Feeling Oblivion. This is a quietly pretty song that really paves the way for the rest of the album. This is one of those songs that, on first listen, might wash over you a little. However, the more you listen, the more it grows on you and soon you... Read review

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Advantages: It is the beginning of NAM, the alternative to alternative rock
Disadvantages: It is only a debut, so it's not perfect. But then there are very few albums that are (debuts or not)

...So here it is the accomplished debut from Turin Brakes (or Chewin Bricks as friend of mine keeps calling them.) One of several bands touted as the new "Coldplay" (I quite like the one we’ve got.) They are part of the New Acoustic Movement, which you may have heard me mention before. Turin Brakes are a duo from London, (one half is half Armenian); they are Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian (he’s male in case your wondering.) Their most notable release until now happens to be one of my favourite singles of this year, "The Door". Olly Knights voice is somewhere between Kelly Of Stereophonics and Jeff Buckley. He doesn’t quite have the gravel throatedness of Kelly; indeed he tends to croon not shout. I came across Turin Brakes after "The Door" was played on the radio a few months ago. I went out and purchased a vinyl copy of their E... Read review

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