Gravenhurst (band)
Encyclopedia
Gravenhurst is a vehicle for the music of the singer-songwriter
, record producer
and multi-instrumentalist
, Nick Talbot, who lives in Bristol
, England
and is signed to Warp Records
.
Gravenhurst's latest 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".
Gravenhurst has been described as dark and highly 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
. 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.
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.
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 and "I Found the F" by Broadcast
for the 2009 Warp20 (Recreated)
20th anniversary album.
Talbot also played guitar on two songs from the second War Against Sleep album, Invitation to the Feast. These two songs were "Changing of the Seasons" and "Borderline Personality".
. 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 (now signed to Anticon
), War Against Sleep (Fire Records (UK)
), Mole Harness (Stray Dog Army), and Exercise One.
Talbot keeps a weblog entitled "The Police Diver's Notebook".
N.B. According to the credits on the soundtrack CD, additional soundscapes were provided on this track by Bronnt Industries Kapital
collaborator Guy Bartell.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
, Nick Talbot, who lives in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and is signed to Warp Records
Warp Records
Warp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....
.
History
While Talbot began performing solo and continues to do so, since 1999 many other Bristol musicians have helped expand Gravenhurst into a powerful live band, with long-time drummer Dave Collingwood also contributing significant performance and production work to the recordings. On tour throughout 2007 and 2008, Robin Allender played bass, and Alex Wilkins played guitar. As of 2009, Talbot has been performing solo with a guitar and various phrase-sampling, looping and droning devices.Gravenhurst's latest album, The Western Lands, was released on 10 September 2007. May 2008 saw the release of a double A-sided single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Nightwatchman’s Blues" / "Farewell, Farewell".
Gravenhurst has been described as dark and highly atmospheric, veering between the noisy shoegazing
Shoegazing
Shoegazing is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. It lasted there until the mid 1990s, with a critical zenith reached in 1990 and 1991...
sound of guitar bands such as My Bloody Valentine, the harmony-laden singer-songwriter territory of Simon and Garfunkel
Simon and Garfunkel
Simon & Garfunkel are an American duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They formed the group Tom & Jerry in 1957 and had their first success with the minor hit "Hey, Schoolgirl". As Simon & Garfunkel, the duo rose to fame in 1965, largely on the strength of the...
, and the intricate fingerpicking guitar styles of 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...
and Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
. Earlier releases were grounded in acoustic and folk styles, while Fires in Distant Buildings
Fires in Distant Buildings
Fires in Distant Buildings is an album by the British band Gravenhurst.-Track listing:# "Down River"# "The Velvet Cell"# "Animals"# "Nicole"# "The Velvet Cell Reprise"# "Cities Beneath the Sea"# "Song From Under the Arches"# "See My Friends"...
made moves towards psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
. Flying Saucer Attack
Flying Saucer Attack
Flying Saucer Attack was an experimental space rock band that formed in Bristol, England in 1992. David Pearce was the core member of the group, and Rachel Brook was a member for most of the band's lifetime....
, 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.
In 2007 Talbot did a Take-Away Show acoustic video session shot by Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon is an independent filmmaker from Paris mainly known for his field work music videos of indie rock related musicians as well as some notable mainstream artists like Tom Jones, R.E.M. or Arcade Fire. Besides making music videos he also makes experimental films and documentaries...
.
A constant in the Gravenhurst sound is Talbot's fragile voice and vocal harmonies, intricate guitar work and unsettling and mysterious lyrical themes.
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
Shane Meadows
Shane Meadows is an English film director, screenwriter, occasional actor and BAFTA winner.-Background:Meadows grew up in the Westlands Road area of Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. His father was a long distance lorry driver and his mother worked in a fish and chip shop...
film This Is England
This Is England
-Track listing:#"54-46 Was My Number" - Toots & The Maytals#"Come On Eileen" - Dexys Midnight Runners#"Tainted Love" - Soft Cell#"Underpass/Flares" - Movie Dialogue From This Is England#"Nicole " - Gravenhurst...
. 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
Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....
's "Diane", "See My Friends" by The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
, "Farewell, Farewell" by 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...
, "Longest River" by War Against Sleep and "I Found the F" by Broadcast
Broadcast (band)
Broadcast are an electronic music band, founded in Birmingham, England. Original members were Trish Keenan , Roj Stevens , Tim Felton and James Cargill . Various drummers played with the band, including Keith York, Phil Jenkins, Jeremy Barnes, Steve Perkins, and Neil Bullock...
for the 2009 Warp20 (Recreated)
Warp20 (Recreated)
Warp20 is a compilation album released by Warp Records in 2009. It contains covers of Warp artists, such as Aphex Twin, LFO, Boards of Canada and Grizzly Bear by other Warp artists, such as Plaid, Autechre and Mira Calix.-Track listing:...
20th anniversary album.
Talbot also played guitar on two songs from the second War Against Sleep album, Invitation to the Feast. These two songs were "Changing of the Seasons" and "Borderline Personality".
Silent Age Records
Talbot is also involved with Guy Bartell in their self-described 'Victorian Clockworktronica' ensemble, Bronnt Industries KapitalBronnt Industries Kapital
Bronnt Industries Kapital is a musical project from Bristol, England based around producer and multi-instrumentalist Guy Bartell. It has released three studio albums, Virtute et Industria, Häxan and Hard for Justice....
. 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 (now signed to Anticon
Anticon
Anticon is an Oakland based independent record label founded in 1997. It is collectively owned among six founding artists and one manager...
), War Against Sleep (Fire Records (UK)
Fire Records (UK)
Fire Records is an independent record label in London, England. The label was founded by Clive Solomon in 1986 and is currently run by James Nicholls.-Current roster:*Giant Sand*Guided By Voices*Howe Gelb*Josephine Foster*Wooden Wand*Bobby Conn...
), Mole Harness (Stray Dog Army), and Exercise One.
Talbot keeps a weblog entitled "The Police Diver's Notebook".
Line up
- Nick Talbot (vocals/guitar)
- Dave Collingwood (drums) - left May 2008
- Robin Allender (bass/backing vocals/synth)
- Alex Wilkins (guitar)
Singles
- Gas Mask Days EP CD (Silent Age Records)
- "The Diver" 7" (For Us Records)
- Black Holes In The Sand EP (2004, Warp RecordsWarp RecordsWarp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....
) - "The Velvet Cell" / "See My Friends (edit)" 7" (Warp RecordsWarp RecordsWarp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....
) - "Trust" / "Underfoot" 7" (Warp RecordsWarp RecordsWarp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....
) - "Hollow Men" / "Longest River" 7" (Warp RecordsWarp RecordsWarp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....
)
Albums
- Internal Travels CD (Silent Age Records)
- Flashlight SeasonsFlashlight Seasons-Track listing:# "Tunnels" - 4:44# "Fog Round The Figurehead" - 4:40# "I Turn My Face To The Forest Floor" - 3:52# "Bluebeard" - 4:26# "The Diver" - 5:29# "East Of The City" - 2:36# "Damage" - 4:23# "Damage II" - 3:05# "The Ice Tree" - 5:29...
CD (2003) (Sink & Stove Records), reissued on LP/CD by Warp - Fires in Distant BuildingsFires in Distant BuildingsFires in Distant Buildings is an album by the British band Gravenhurst.-Track listing:# "Down River"# "The Velvet Cell"# "Animals"# "Nicole"# "The Velvet Cell Reprise"# "Cities Beneath the Sea"# "Song From Under the Arches"# "See My Friends"...
LP/CD (2005, Warp RecordsWarp RecordsWarp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....
) - The Western LandsThe Western Lands (album)The Western Lands is a 2007 album by Gravenhurst, released on Warp Records.-Track listing:#"Saints" - 3:24#"She Dances" - 4:01#"Hollow Men" - 3:58#"Song Among the Pine" - 4:11#"Trust" - 4:06#"The Western Lands" - 4:14#"Farewell, Farewell" - 3:14...
LP/CD (2007, Warp RecordsWarp RecordsWarp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....
)
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 EnglandThis Is England-Track listing:#"54-46 Was My Number" - Toots & The Maytals#"Come On Eileen" - Dexys Midnight Runners#"Tainted Love" - Soft Cell#"Underpass/Flares" - Movie Dialogue From This Is England#"Nicole " - Gravenhurst...
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
Bronnt Industries Kapital
Bronnt Industries Kapital is a musical project from Bristol, England based around producer and multi-instrumentalist Guy Bartell. It has released three studio albums, Virtute et Industria, Häxan and Hard for Justice....
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 BuildingsFires in Distant BuildingsFires in Distant Buildings is an album by the British band Gravenhurst.-Track listing:# "Down River"# "The Velvet Cell"# "Animals"# "Nicole"# "The Velvet Cell Reprise"# "Cities Beneath the Sea"# "Song From Under the Arches"# "See My Friends"...
– 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 RecordsFire RecordsFire Records was an independent record label set up in 1959 by Bobby Robinson . Among others, it released records by Lightnin' Hopkins, Elmore James and Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup.-Selected discography:...
compilation, track 8 - 2004) - "Damage part III" - played solo on Irene Trudel’s WFMUWFMUWFMU is a listener-supported, independent community radio station headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, broadcasting at 91.1 MHz FM, presenting a freeform radio format...
radio show in 2003. - "Romance" - (played on Irene Trudel’s WFMUWFMUWFMU is a listener-supported, independent community radio station headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, broadcasting at 91.1 MHz FM, presenting a freeform radio format...
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)
External links
- Gravenhurst official website
- Gravenhurst MySpace
- Warp Records Site
- Nick Talbot's Weblog
- Silent Age Records
- Wfmu.org
- Wfmu.org
- Mstation.org
- Paul-sullivan.com
- Gravenhurst are back with Hollow Men