| Ellis Island Sound | |
|---|---|
| Origin | London, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Acoustic Folk Alternative |
| Labels | The Leaf Label |
| Associated acts | State River Widening Phelan Sheppard The Weather Prophets Continental Film Night Balloon |
| Website | Official Website |
| Members | |
| Peter Astor David Sheppard |
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Ellis Island Sound are an instrumental band from London, England. They started as a duo consisting of multi-instrumentalists Peter Astor (formerly of The Loft, The Weather Prophets) and David Sheppard (of State River Widening), and have since expanded to 12 members, including Darren Hayman, formerly of Hefner.
The band formed in 1997, and have recorded for a number of different labels. Their music varies from electronic-tinged soundscapes to neo-Krautrock and folk-tinged reveries.
Astor and Sheppard have also recorded and toured together with Matador recording artists The Wisdom Of Harry, which Astor helms, while Sheppard makes records with State River Widening and in partnership with SRW's Keiron Phelan (for The Leaf Label) and for Anglo-Spanish group, Continental Film Night (Tinhorn/Dock) amongst others.
As a duo, EIS recorded for labels including All City Chicago, Faux-Lux, Static Caravan, Warp and Island and EMI, as well as remixing for other bands, including the Manic Street Preachers single "Ocean Spray". The band released their debut album, in 2002, which was compiled from these recordings and released by Heavenly/EMI.[1]
This was followed by a limited edition, vinyl only mini album (Home Service released by Static Caravan in 2003) EIS regrouped to record a self styled 'agrarian' album, The Good Seed, in 2005. Released in February 2007 on the Peacefrog Records label, it was recorded in a tiny, deconsecrated chapel in the Waveney Valley on the Suffolk/Norfolk border.[2] The Good Seed features twenty rustic-yet-sophisticated new recordings concocted from acoustic instruments that range from parlour guitars and ukuleles to pump harmoniums, dulcimers, goat skin drums and washboards. Recorded on an arcane 8-track tape recorder, it presents a stripped down EIS, though still finds room for such instrumental exotica as stylophones, a mini-sampler, a Bentley Rhythm Ace drum machine and miscellaneous noise making devices. Josh Hillman (of the Willard Grant Conspiracy) contributes violin, viola and pedal steel.
Since the completing the record Astor and Sheppard have expanded the band into the current lineup of 12 members, sometimes described as 'The Ellis Island Sound Orchestra' for their 2007 tour. The current line up includes David Sheppard on guitar, Peter Astor on ukulele, Iain Lowery (from the Lost Levels) on guitar, Dan Mayfield on violin, Darren Hayman on bass, Nick Buxton on harmonium, Matthew on trombone, Aki Paivarinne on saxophone, Helen McGrath on violin, Josh Hillman on viola, Tom Colman on drums and Josh Weller on percussion.
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