The Flowers of Despair
Birmingham has a large number of acoustic nights and acoustic artists, and it’s a world that’s well worth dipping into – from small open mic nights to larger events like Bohemian Jukebox (who are now doing some nights at The Victoria which is great news if like me you find it much easier to get to the city centre than Kings Heath)
It’s through Birmingham’s acoustic nights that I met people like Paul Busst and Rob Howard, and all of their many projects. One of which is The Flowers of Despair, made of Paul and Rob’s sister. I had to quickly mention them here as they’ve got their first gig coming up at Acoustic Brew at the Island Bar on the 24th Feb.
They did an EP last year which you can download off last FM, and which I gave a great review on Indie-MP3 last year.
It’s pretty, yet timid music, and that’s a wonderful combination which is very difficult to capture and even more difficult to do well. It’s made more wonderful because it’s something that is becoming less common in music as arrangements and singing seems to be moving in the entirely opposite direction – take for example the record industries BBC’s recent top tips for 2009 which is a push back towards the unwanted brashness and flamboyancy of the eighties.
There’s a facebook event for the Flowers of Despair gig here if you want to find out more. I’m really looking forward to seeing how it works live.
January 19th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
What, there are areas of Birmingham not on the 50 or 11 routes? I’ve heard this rumour before but never quite believed it…
It was hard enough getting anyone to come with me to Bohemian Jukebox when it was at my local, gonna be next to impossible now
January 19th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
BoJo is rotating it’s nights between The Victoria and the Hare and Hounds so still plenty of local gigs.
Tis true. For the hardy adventurer who can brave the tides and battle the monsters that live in the corners of the map there are many suburbs to travel to. I hear rumours of steel carriages on specially made tracks, and also of a fabled Black Country
January 19th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
“…and also of a fabled Black Country.
‘Tis a land of milk and honey.
And of Banks’ mild.
January 26th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Great stuff. Rec Malk Must for the best singing, maybe Into my arms just for the lyrics, and definitrly The ballad of Norah and him - my fav - for a light-hearted zap of duvet dayishness or launching a road trip. Serious mood-altering stuff.