Gravenhurst (band)

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Gravenhurst

Nick Talbot (Gravenhurst) at Hokaben Festival, London, November 2008
Background information
Origin Bristol, England
Genres Alternative rock
Years active 1999–present
Labels Warp
Associated acts Bronnt Industries Kapital
Website http://www.gravenhurstmusic.com
Members Nick Talbot
Past members Dave Collingwood
Huw Cooksley
Alex Wilkins
Robin Allender

Gravenhurst is a vehicle for the music of the English singer-songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist Nick Talbot, who lives in Bristol, England and is signed to Warp Records.

History

While Talbot began performing solo, since 1999 additional musicians have helped expand Gravenhurst into a powerful live band, with drummer Dave Collingwood also contributing performance and production work to several recordings. From 2004 to 2006 Gravenhurst performed as a trio with Huw Cooksley on bass guitar. On tour throughout 2007 and 2008, Robin Allender played bass, and Alex Wilkins played guitar. The release of The Ghost In Daylight in 2012 saw the formation of a new three-piece Gravenhurst Ensemble, featuring Rachel Lancaster on vocals, bass guitar and keyboards, and Claire Adams on vocals and percussion. Talbot also performs solo with a guitar and phrase-sampling, looping and droning devices.[1]

Gravenhurst's fourth album, The Western Lands, was released on 10 September 2007. May 2008 saw the release of a double A-sided single, "Nightwatchman’s Blues" / "Farewell, Farewell". The fifth album, The Ghost in Daylight, was released on 30 April 2012 along with a 10" vinyl single "The Prize".

Gravenhurst is described as dark and atmospheric, veering between the noisy shoegazing sound of guitar bands such as My Bloody Valentine, the harmony-laden singer-songwriter territory of Simon and Garfunkel, and the intricate fingerpicking guitar styles of Bert Jansch and Nick Drake.[2] Earlier releases were grounded in acoustic and folk styles, while Fires in Distant Buildings made moves towards psychedelic rock. Flying Saucer Attack, a cult Bristol outfit who released a series of feedback-drenched, folk-inspired albums in the early 1990s, have been cited by Talbot as a major influence.[3]

In 2007, Talbot did a Take-Away Show acoustic video session shot by Vincent Moon.

A constant in the Gravenhurst sound is Talbot's fragile voice and vocal harmonies, intricate guitar work and unsettling and mysterious lyrical themes.[2]

Gravenhurst wrote and recorded original soundtrack music for the film Ein Freund Von Mir. As well as the bespoke "Song Among the Pine", the Gravenhurst songs "Animals", "The Velvet Cell" and "Song from Under the Arches" feature prominently in the film. An instrumental version of the song "Nicole" is featured in the acclaimed Shane Meadows film This Is England. The song "Black Holes in the Sand" is featured at the end of an episode of "The Unit," entitled "Johnny B. Good."

Gravenhurst has recorded cover versions of Hüsker Dü's "Diane", "See My Friends" by The Kinks, "Farewell, Farewell" by Fairport Convention, "Longest River" by War Against Sleep, "Song To The Siren" by Tim Buckley, "Only A Northern Song" by The Beatles, "Human Nature" by Michael Jackson, "Paint A Face" by Neil Halstead, "The Tourist" by Radiohead and "I Found the F" by Broadcast for the 2009 Warp20 (Recreated) 20th anniversary album.

Talbot also played guitar on "Changing of the Seasons" and "Borderline Personality" from the second War Against Sleep album, Invitation to the Feast.

Silent Age Records

Talbot has contributed to Guy Bartell's electro-acoustic ensemble, Bronnt Industries Kapital. In 2000 the pair set up Silent Age Records, a co-operative label which helped gain exposure for their own music as well as artists SJ Esau (Anticon), War Against Sleep (Fire Records), Mole Harness (Stray Dog Army), and Exercise One.

Talbot keeps a weblog entitled "The Police Diver's Notebook."[4]

Gravenhurst Ensemble (live performances)

  • Nick Talbot (vocals/guitar)
  • Claire Adams (vocals/drums)
  • Rachel Lancaster (vocals/bass/synthesizer)

Discography

Singles

  • Gas Mask Days EP CD (Silent Age Records)
  • "The Diver" 7" (For Us Records)
  • Black Holes In The Sand EP (2004, Warp Records)
  • "The Velvet Cell" / "See My Friends (edit)" 7" (Warp Records)
  • "Animals" / "Herne The Hunter" Download only single (2006, Warp Records)
  • "Trust" / "Underfoot" 7" (Warp Records)
  • "Hollow Men" / "Longest River" 7" (Warp Records)
  • "Nightwatchman's Blues" / "Farewell, Farewell" 7" doublepack in hand-printed poster sleeve (2008, Warp Records)
  • "The Prize" / "Song to the Siren" 10" (2012, Warp Records)

Albums

Soundtrack and compilation appearances

Certain Gravenhurst tracks have also been contributed to soundtracks and compilations, some of which are not available elsewhere, including:

  • "Nicole (Instrumental)" - (This Is England soundtrack - May 2007)
  • "Song Among The Pine" - (Ein Freund Von Mir soundtrack – October 2006)

N.B. According to the credits on the soundtrack CD, additional soundscapes were provided on this track by Bronnt Industries Kapital collaborator Guy Bartell.

  • "Entertainment" - (Ein Freund Von Mir soundtrack – October 2006)
  • "Stillwater" - (The Hospital Radio Request List Vol II compilation, track 4 – June 2004)
  • "Entertainment (live)" - (Comes With A Smile issue 20 “How They Wash Away…” - magazine, track 13 – January 2006)
  • "Herne The Hunter" - (bonus track on Japanese edition of Fires in Distant Buildings – 2005)
  • "See My Friends (edit)" - (available on Warp promo CD for "The Velvet Cell" single - 2005)
  • "The Laden Trees" - (Children Are Fascinated By Fire – Fire Records compilation, track 8 - 2004)
  • "Damage part III" - played solo on Irene Trudel’s WFMU radio show in 2003.
  • "Romance" - (played on Irene Trudel’s WFMU radio show in 2003)
  • "Black Holes in the Sand (edit)" – available on certain Warp promos of Black Holes in the Sand - 2004.
  • "The Diver" - (Dead Man's Shoes soundtrack - 2004)
  • "Long Way Home" - (555CD55 – 555 Records compilation, track 40 - 2003)

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.gravenhurstmusic.com
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Phares, Heather. "Gravenhurst - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-07-04. 
  3. ↑ Loose Lips Sink Ships Magazine, January 2005
  4. ↑ Nick Talbot (2013-01-30). "The Police Diver's Notebook". Policediversnotebook.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2013-07-04. 

External links

Reviews

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