Eagleowl
Encyclopedia
Eagleowl are a lo-fi
, post-folk band from Edinburgh, Scotland.
, vocals, glockenspiel
), Clarissa Cheong (double bass
, vocals), Malcolm Benzie (violin
, mandolin
, vocals) and Rob St John (harmonium
, mandolin
, vocals).
The Scotsman
, in a 2009 interview, described the band as "the soundtrack to the saddest, most beautiful art-house film you've never seen." The band's sound has been compared to Low
, Galaxie 500
, The Dirty Three, John Cale
, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and The Low Anthem
. In an interview with The List, Bart Owl cited Bert Jansch
, Fairport Convention
, Alasdair Roberts, Smog and Edinburgh contemporaries Broken Records and Withered Hand as influences on the band.
They have released two EPs and a single to widespread national critical acclaim: For the Thoughts You Never Had EP (2008: Fife Kills Records); 7 inch single Sleep The Winter (2009: Kilter); and Into the Fold EP (2010: Kilter). Sleep The Winter was featured on the soundtrack to BBC drama Lip Service
on 9th Nov 2010 and Into the Fold EP has received radio play from XfM
, BBC Radio Scotland
's Vic Galloway
and BBC 6 Music
's Gideon Coe.
In 2009 eagleowl were commissioned by the Edinburgh International Film Festival
to soundtrack a series of films from the Scottish Screen National Archive alongside Meursault
and FOUND
. In February 2010, Eagleowl recorded a live studio session for Vic Galloway
's BBC Radio Scotland show.
Eagleowl played a number of notable festivals in 2010: End of the Road
, Fence Records
Homegame, and Haarfest and the Edinburgh Popfest (run by Gordon McIntyre of Ballboy). At the Homegame festival in March 2010, eagleowl recorded a camper van session for BBC Scotland.
Malcolm Benzie played in a short-lived band called Woodpigeon Divided By Antelope Equals Squirrel in Edinburgh
with Mark Hamilton
who went on to form Woodpigeon
in Calgary
, Canada
. Eagleowl and Woodpigeon
have regularly collaborated since. Bartholomew Owl and Malcolm Benzie played with Woodpigeon
on their 2008 tour of UK and Ireland, and feature on the EP Balladeer / For All The Guys I've Loved Before (2010: Boompa). Eagleowl also collaborated with Woodpigeon
on their 2010 UK tour, culminating with a main stage set at End of the Road Festival
. The creative friendship is celebrated in the Woodpigeon
song Woodpigeon vs. Eagleowl (Strength in Numbers).
Bartholomew Owl also plays regularly with Iceland's Benni Hemm Hemm, and has appeared as guest vocalist on the Meursault
single William Henry Miller Pt. 2 (2009: Song, by Toad Records), and Withered Hand's album Good News (2009: SL Records).
Lo-fi music
Lo-fi is lower quality of sound recordings than the usual standard for music. The qualities of lo-fi are usually achieved by either degrading the quality of the recorded audio, or using certain equipment. Recent uses of the phrase have led to it becoming a genre, although it still remains as an...
, post-folk band from Edinburgh, Scotland.
History
Eagleowl are Bartholomew Owl (guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals, glockenspiel
Glockenspiel
A glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone...
), Clarissa Cheong (double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, vocals), Malcolm Benzie (violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, vocals) and Rob St John (harmonium
Harmonium
A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, vocals).
The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
, in a 2009 interview, described the band as "the soundtrack to the saddest, most beautiful art-house film you've never seen." The band's sound has been compared to Low
Low (band)
Low is an American indie rock group from Duluth, Minnesota, formed in 1993. As of 2010, the group is composed of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker , both founding members, and Steve Garrington ....
, Galaxie 500
Galaxie 500
Galaxie 500 was an American alternative rock band that formed in 1987 and split up in 1991 after releasing three albums.-History:Guitarist Dean Wareham, drummer Damon Krukowski and bassist Naomi Yang had met at the Dalton School in New York City in 1981, but began playing together during their time...
, The Dirty Three, John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and The Low Anthem
The Low Anthem
The Low Anthem is an American indie folk band from Providence, Rhode Island, formed in 2006. The band consists of multi-instrumentalists Ben Knox Miller, Jeff Prystowsky and Jocie Adams, and rose to prominence with the re-release of its third studio album, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, in 2009.In...
. In an interview with The List, Bart Owl cited Bert Jansch
Bert Jansch
Herbert "Bert" Jansch was a Scottish folk musician and founding member of the band Pentangle. He was born in Glasgow and came to prominence in London in the 1960s, as an acoustic guitarist, as well as a singer-songwriter...
, Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
, Alasdair Roberts, Smog and Edinburgh contemporaries Broken Records and Withered Hand as influences on the band.
They have released two EPs and a single to widespread national critical acclaim: For the Thoughts You Never Had EP (2008: Fife Kills Records); 7 inch single Sleep The Winter (2009: Kilter); and Into the Fold EP (2010: Kilter). Sleep The Winter was featured on the soundtrack to BBC drama Lip Service
Lip Service (TV series)
Lip Service was a programme broadcast in the UK on ITV2.Holly Willoughby, of ITV's Dancing on Ice, and Spencer Brown take a look at the best, weirdest and funniest bits from celebrity chat shows around the world....
on 9th Nov 2010 and Into the Fold EP has received radio play from XfM
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
, BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. It broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including news, sport, light entertainment, music, the arts, comedy, drama, history and lifestyle...
's Vic Galloway
Vic Galloway
Michael "Vic" Galloway is a DJ on BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio 1, Vic presents a self-titled show on Radio Scotland every Monday from 8:05pm-10pm and does the BBC Introducing Scotland Radio 1 programme Wednesday evenings/Thursday mornings from 12:00-2:00am...
and BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
's Gideon Coe.
In 2009 eagleowl were commissioned by the Edinburgh International Film Festival
Edinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival is an annual fortnight of cinema screenings and related events taking place each June. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival...
to soundtrack a series of films from the Scottish Screen National Archive alongside Meursault
Meursault (band)
Meursault are an alternative indie band from Edinburgh, Scotland, led by singer-songwriter Neil Pennycook. Their musical style has been variously categorised as folktronica, alternative rock and indie folk...
and FOUND
Found
FOUND are an experimental pop band and arts collective from Edinburgh, Scotland. The founding members, Ziggy Campbell, Tommy Perman and Kevin Sim met while studying fine art at Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen. They began working on sound art installations together whilst in their final year at...
. In February 2010, Eagleowl recorded a live studio session for Vic Galloway
Vic Galloway
Michael "Vic" Galloway is a DJ on BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio 1, Vic presents a self-titled show on Radio Scotland every Monday from 8:05pm-10pm and does the BBC Introducing Scotland Radio 1 programme Wednesday evenings/Thursday mornings from 12:00-2:00am...
's BBC Radio Scotland show.
Eagleowl played a number of notable festivals in 2010: End of the Road
End Of The Road Festival
End of the Road Festival is an annual music festival in England which focuses on alternative music, mostly folk, alt.country and Americana. It is hosted at the Larmer Tree Gardens, on the border of north Dorset and Wiltshire, and usually takes place over the first or second full weekend in...
, Fence Records
Fence Records
Fence Records is a record label based in Fife, Scotland which is owned and run by musicians King Creosote and The Pictish Trail...
Homegame, and Haarfest and the Edinburgh Popfest (run by Gordon McIntyre of Ballboy). At the Homegame festival in March 2010, eagleowl recorded a camper van session for BBC Scotland.
Malcolm Benzie played in a short-lived band called Woodpigeon Divided By Antelope Equals Squirrel in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
with Mark Hamilton
Woodpigeon (band)
Woodpigeon are an independent rock band from Calgary, Alberta, consisting of eight core members: Mark Hamilton , Kenna Burima , Michael Gratton , Annalea Sordi , Daren Powell , Peter Moersch , Foon Yap , AJ Benoit...
who went on to form Woodpigeon
Woodpigeon (band)
Woodpigeon are an independent rock band from Calgary, Alberta, consisting of eight core members: Mark Hamilton , Kenna Burima , Michael Gratton , Annalea Sordi , Daren Powell , Peter Moersch , Foon Yap , AJ Benoit...
in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Eagleowl and Woodpigeon
Woodpigeon (band)
Woodpigeon are an independent rock band from Calgary, Alberta, consisting of eight core members: Mark Hamilton , Kenna Burima , Michael Gratton , Annalea Sordi , Daren Powell , Peter Moersch , Foon Yap , AJ Benoit...
have regularly collaborated since. Bartholomew Owl and Malcolm Benzie played with Woodpigeon
Woodpigeon (band)
Woodpigeon are an independent rock band from Calgary, Alberta, consisting of eight core members: Mark Hamilton , Kenna Burima , Michael Gratton , Annalea Sordi , Daren Powell , Peter Moersch , Foon Yap , AJ Benoit...
on their 2008 tour of UK and Ireland, and feature on the EP Balladeer / For All The Guys I've Loved Before (2010: Boompa). Eagleowl also collaborated with Woodpigeon
Woodpigeon (band)
Woodpigeon are an independent rock band from Calgary, Alberta, consisting of eight core members: Mark Hamilton , Kenna Burima , Michael Gratton , Annalea Sordi , Daren Powell , Peter Moersch , Foon Yap , AJ Benoit...
on their 2010 UK tour, culminating with a main stage set at End of the Road Festival
End Of The Road Festival
End of the Road Festival is an annual music festival in England which focuses on alternative music, mostly folk, alt.country and Americana. It is hosted at the Larmer Tree Gardens, on the border of north Dorset and Wiltshire, and usually takes place over the first or second full weekend in...
. The creative friendship is celebrated in the Woodpigeon
Woodpigeon (band)
Woodpigeon are an independent rock band from Calgary, Alberta, consisting of eight core members: Mark Hamilton , Kenna Burima , Michael Gratton , Annalea Sordi , Daren Powell , Peter Moersch , Foon Yap , AJ Benoit...
song Woodpigeon vs. Eagleowl (Strength in Numbers).
Bartholomew Owl also plays regularly with Iceland's Benni Hemm Hemm, and has appeared as guest vocalist on the Meursault
Meursault (band)
Meursault are an alternative indie band from Edinburgh, Scotland, led by singer-songwriter Neil Pennycook. Their musical style has been variously categorised as folktronica, alternative rock and indie folk...
single William Henry Miller Pt. 2 (2009: Song, by Toad Records), and Withered Hand's album Good News (2009: SL Records).
Discography
- "For the Thoughts You Never Had" (Fife Kills, 2008)
- "Sleep the Winter" (Kilter, 2009)
- "Into the Fold" (Kilter, 2010)
External links
- Official Site
- Eagleowl on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Eagleowl at Avalanche