Author: MT. DESOLATION

Release Date: 19-10-2010

Details: THE NEW ALT-COUNTRY BAND FROM KEANE'S TIM RICE-OXLEY AND JESSE QUINbBR Featuring "Bitter Pill" and "Departure"BR Pi"Beautifully crafted, and unfailingly lovely"iBR -- THE TIMES (LONDON)bBR PMt. Desolationb, the new band of Keane's Tim Rice-Oxleyb and Jesse Quinb, release their debut album iMt. Desolationbi through CherrytreeInterscope Records.B PThose who have visited Dublin will know that sipping Guinness by a fire in a nice old pub while it's chucking it down outside is one of life's great pleasures. It's also, as you can probably imagine, the perfect setting for eagerly hatching wild ideas and schemes. And so on one such blustery and cold night in September two friends, Tim Rice-Oxleyb and Jesse Quinb, decided (whilst in wildly animated conversation about music and probably also well on their way to needing a taxi home) that they would make a country album. As with so many ideas that come about on a belly full of Jameson's, in the cold light of day it did not seem like such a good plan. Two English men trying to sing like Hank Williams was definitely a recipe for disaster. The whole thing was forgotten about in the time it took to recover from the headache that morning. But the headache was to return. POut of the blue a couple of months later Tim emailed Jesse a rough demo of "Departure."b Not wanting to be outdone, Jesse vollied back a demo of "Annie Ford."b Before they knew it there were half a dozen songs and without really putting much planning into it, the idea to make a record was resurrected. PEnlisting the help of friends from various other bands the newly formed group went into Eastcote studios in London at the snowy start of this year. With production wizard Emery Dobyns (Anthony & The Johnsons, Noah & The Whale, Patti Smith),b, patiently manning the controls, the idea was to record as much of the album as possible live. For the finishing touches, they experimented with whatever extra noises they felt like (cue dustbin lids, anvils, bullhorns and heavily distorted theremins) and a supporting cast of friends who would regularly stop by and add their ideas, whether invited or not. PWith the album completed in late May, Mt. Desolationb announced details of a free download, "State of Our Affairs,"b through their band blog after a deliberately low-key debut gig at London's Luminaire in early June. The MP3 was downloaded several thousand times and introduced Mt. Desolationb with a haunting, atmospheric ballad featuring a starkly plucked violin and a vocal by Jesse. Within twenty-four hours, YouTube was already awash with live recordings from the Luminaire show and to their fans, Mt. Desolationb had progressed from a tantalizing series of studio shots and cryptic messages on a blog, to a band with an arsenal of beguiling songs. PThe eponymous album opens with "Departure,"b a raucous, high-tempo hoedown of a song, written and sung by Tim. Featuring The Killers' Ronnie Vannuccib and Mumford & Sons' Country Winstonb, it is a hugely spirited tune that sweeps with an infectious rhythm and classic-sounding chorus. It's followed by "Annie Ford,"b a song written and sung by Jesse with a stetson doffed to Nashville. Jesse's rich timbre evokes the spirit of the rapturous Tennessee era of country, and serves as an accomplished introduction to another fine young songwriter. "Another Night On My Side"b is as reflective as it is warm and cocooning, and features a beautiful duet between Jesse and Jessica Staveley-Taylorb (one third of the hotly tipped band of sisters known as The Stavesb); "Platform 7"b revisits the high-octane country rambling spirit of "Departure"b; "Bridal Gown"b is a charming, soothing lament; and the bluesy "The Midnight Ghost"b takes its inspiration from Jack Kerouac's "The Dharma Bums."

UPC: 602527463254

EAN: 0602527463254

Languages: English

Binding: Audio CD

Item Condition: Used