Artist.......: Ralfe Band
Album........: Swords
Label........: Talitres
Genre........: Folk
Catnr........: n/a
source.......: CDDA
rip.date.....: 01-12-2007
str.date.....: 12-02-2007
quality......: VBR/44,1Hz/Joint-Stereo
Url..........: www.ralfeband.com
track title time
01. Frascati Way Southbound 03:58
02. Women of Japan 04:30
03. 1500 Years 03:16
04. Broken Teeth Song 02:37
05. Arrow and Bow 04:18
06. Sword 02:52
07. Bruno Mindhorn 02:28
08. Albatross Waltz 03:35
09. March of the Pams 04:38
10. Parkbend Blues 02:46
11. Crow 03:24
12. Siberia 02:34
13. Run Down the Lane 03:47
14. Moths 02:05
Runtime 46:48 min
Size 64,5 MB
Release Notes:
www.talitres.com/Ralfeband_e.htm
Moon will rise, moon will fall, Moon will rise and
fall but no-one sees me crawl, Along your darkened
hall, In your room amidst the gloom, I can see
geraniums are all in bloom, While you sleep in the
afternoon
So begins Albatross Waltz, the debut single that
introduced the wonderful, surreal world of Ralfe
Band. Their twisted folk ruminations conjure up a
dreamlike land that Terry Gilliam would be proud
of.
"It's difficult to know what they've been listening
to" said John Peel playing Ralfe Band on his show
in 2004, but if you imagine the gifted offspring of
The Beta Band (circa The Three Eps), The Kinks,
Will Oldham and Yann Tiersen the picture should be
coming into focus. "I'm inspired by a real mismash
of stuff" explains Oly Ralfe, "Dylan...Tom
Waits...early Beck...eastern European folk, film
music...Captain Beefheart, Eric Satie,
...painting..."
Such as scattered explanation goes partway to
describing the marvellous confusion of the Ralfe
Band sound. Their intruiguing tangle of folk-tinged
music absords Eastern European and American
influences whilst retaining a unique character that
is undeniably English. Debut album Swords takes you
on a jumble sale journey through ever changing
moods, atmospheric instrumentals and songs. It
gives us tales of curious lands, vivid characters
and strange predicaments, from dying kings and
broken swords to murderous accountants and thieving
wives.
Oly's fervent imagination has given us the kind of
vivid characters and stories in the tradition of
Edward Gorey, Cervantes and Rudyard Kipling.
"Strange souls in strange places" provides much of
the narrative, with nature, in a myriad of forms,
playing a key role. "The songs for me are often sad
and comic at the same time, like life" Oly
explains, a sentiment he successfully conveys as he
underpins the humour in his songs with an honesty
and gentle melancholy, ensuring that the sublime is
never far from ridiculous. The instrumentals, a
highlight of the band's live shows, are also about
creating an atmosphere, one it's easy to lose
yourself in as the music builds to a dizzying
crescendo.
From Women Of Japn's lifting waltz time melody,
through the shuffling beats of Broken Teeth Song to
the eerie free association of Bruno Mindhorn, Ralfe
Band utilise guitar, piano, accordion, viola,
mandolin, percussion and anything else he hand.
Songs are peppered with coughs, cowbells and
barking dogs, giving a wonderfully experimental
feel to their music.
"We like the homemade approach to recording,"
explains recording partner and
mutlit-instrumentalist Andrew Mitchell.
"Imagination in melody and production is important
to us...we're into using odd sounds, playing
antiquated instruments...throwing in an odd bleep
or tick...that kind of thing."
"I've been writing songs for years, but the bulk of
the album was produced when Mitchell got back from
teaching English in Japan" explains Oly. "I visited
him out there and tried unsuccessfully to learn
traditional paper folding. We found we shared
similar musical influences and a plan was hatched
to work together on his return". Back in South
London the pair pooled their collective material
and found they had the basis for an album. With the
help of Oly's flatmate John Greswell on viola and
mandolin, Oly and Mitchell set about recording in
Oly's home studio, playing most of instruments
themselves and co-producing the album with John's
help.
This homespun ethic extends to the bands videos and
artwork too, with Oly directing the video for the
single Fifteen Hundred Years - a black and white
silent movie featuring three of the band - and
providing all the illustrations for the artwork.
Visualizing the band's music plays an important
role in "creating a complete world from what we
do", explains Oly.
And so, get ready to luxuriate in the quaint lunacy
of Ralfe Band as they transport you to an alternate
musical dimension.