Introducing... Oh Verona!

Oh Verona are a newly formed piano pop band based in London who are garnering increased attention around the area with their intelligent, soul-infused pop music. They formed as a progression of the acoustic duo Milltown's Grace (MYSPACE) six months ago, and Jamie Ross (vocals and keys), Owen McCormack (guitar), Alex Ford (bass) and James Dean (drums) have been playing at some of London's top venues since then. They make sunny and nostalgic pop songs, as the band put it 'standing firm against the rising tide of synth driven indie.' Their two recorded tracks 'Time' and 'River' are both strong and distinctive - 'Time' begins with vocals and piano and, wasting no 'time' at all develops into a cheerful and endearing pop song. 'River' originates from far colder beginnings to do a similar kind of thing, keeping back a sinister verse before dropping in a piano-driven sing-along chorus.

You can catch this new band live at 93 Feet East, Shoreditch on 30th November 2009 for their EP support show. I'll keep services updated on any more live dates and the full EP release, but for now, check out their tracks over at myspace, and watch the space right here for a download.

This band needs photos - right now you're stuck with a picture of a hotel.

Listen HERE (Oh Verona! Myspace)

Goldstein side project Arms left unshaken by Harlem Shakes break-up.

This may well be old news to some of you, but i figured some sort of post was in order to mark the end of Brooklyn's Harlem Shakes. Their hiatus in September has become a fully fledged break up to a band with some momentum going following the release of the brilliant indie rock album 'Technicolor Health'. The kind of music the band have always made doesn't really suggest to me the kind of band that could have a fall-out large enough to break up so quickly, particularly with all their successes and the relatively short time the band has been around. Now we are left with simply Todd Goldstein's long-running side project arms for our fix of Harlem Shakes members.

Arms has been around even longer than the Harlem Shakes and the latest album will be released digitally through Gigantic Records on October 27th. It goes by the name of Kids Aflame and you can watch the Youtube video of the eponymous title track below. Arms play music toned similarly to the Harlem Shakes but more as acoustic songs than the Shakes were ever known for. Arms certainly seems from the music a more personal project for Goldstein, who takes his turn to downbeat music the second he is given an opportunity. Arms are certainly shaping up to be a band to watch closely in the near future.

So finally, RIP Harlem Shakes (I am secretly holding out for a reformation) and good luck to Arms. Pick up a tribute Harlem Shakes mp3 from the latest album and a specifically cleared for posting mp3 from the new Arms album - Kids Aflame.

Arms - Kids Aflame (MP3) (taken from Kids Aflame, out October 27th)
Harlem Shakes - Strictly Game (MP3) (taken from 2009's Technicolor Health)



Also, watch them at the height of their momentum, March 2009, when all was well, performing TFO at SXSW festival.

SXSW 09 Harlem Shakes - TFO from Timothy Murray on Vimeo.

Mumford & Sons w/Shoreline & Pete Roe @ Talking Heads Southampton 8/10/09

Mumford & Sons have definitively come to an end of their packed out 2009 tour schedule, finishing up with their second to last date at the Talking Heads pub Southampton on Thursday night. They topped a mixed bill, consisting of regular fixture Pete Roe, and the not quite so well received Shoreline, whose ten member assembly of progressive folk packed out both the stage and, unfortunately, the unusually well-populated smokers area.

Pete Roe and his distinctly British storytelling opened the show. Topped in a black hat and beard, he told lightly fingerpicked and charismatically sung stories to an attentive crowd - sadly the same could not be said of Shoreline, whose overcrowded folk show left their remaining onlookers looking onwards in hope for the next act. They played technically well but lacking convictions that Pete Roe held, and Mumford & Sons excelled.

They took to the stage and left much of the tightly packed crowd slightly in awe. At first they appeared tired, but as they began to play their music, their momentum began to build. Album opener 'Sign No More' was also the show opener, and aside from providing a fantastic slow-started tension build and euphoric outro, it gave the signal that this was a band likely to stick to their studio structures rather that experiment on stage. Mumford & Sons somehow manage to be a truly original sounding band even within the fairly excessive boundaries of traditional folk. Their standard stage set-up always leaves them with little room to manouevre, but they definitely move how they can within their restrictions - whether it be Marcus' half dancing or Ben's headbanging, or even the improvised keyboard melodies ever present behind Mumford & Son's web of folk music.

As the show progressed, Mumford grew in confidence and live-favourite 'Roll Away Your Stone' came out half way through. The band finished their set with lesser known album track 'Dust Bowl Dance' which went down fantastically. M&S momentum is growing and growing and their plastering everywhere from Amazon to Itunes to the new music section in HMV is infinitely well-deserved. How many folk bands are their these days that can boast a high-chart position?

Marcus Mumford is brimming with talent and his unassuming crowd gaze begs the question, where has he been until now? His young early 20 year old self has spent years as tour drummer for Laura Marling and his London anti-folk connections have earn't the band a well-deserved kickstart in terms of promotion. It is fantastic to see that the music of 2009 (although currently residing at its electronic pinnacle) still has time for manic musical arrangements of acoustics, double basses and black banjos. Some of the most talented folk musicians of the day are still gaining respect for making incredible music. M&S's show is personal to the point that they could fill an arena with people and still speak to every one of them. The tour is on its way to the close and this end will hopefully mark an inspired return to the studio - where M&S can work their raw and euphoric bluegrass into the form of a follow-up.

Pete Roe on Myspace. (worth checking out) He also has a quite an in depth auto-biography in his about me section.

Mumford & Sons - Roll Away Your Stone (live) (MP3) (taken from BBC Radio 1 Live Sessions)
Mumford & Sons - The Cave (MP3) (taken from the 2009 album Sigh No More)
Mumford & Sons - Dust Bowl Dance (MP3) (taken from the 2009 album Sigh No More)