| The Lake Poets — The Lake Poets (September 25, 2015) |
The Lake Poets — The Lake Poets (September 25, 2015) 
Ξ★ SUNDERLAND SINGER RELEASES DEBUT ALBUM — WITH HELP FROM ROCK LEGEND DAVE STEWART
Ξ★ “I worked as hard as I could. I thought ‘I’ve got an opportunity in a world–class studio here.” The Lake Poets is certainly an album that’s easy to get lost in, drawing listeners in with intimate songs rich in painting the big picture about love and mortality by way of a keen eye for the vivid small details of life. ‘1996’s tale of a doomed childhood friendship is vivid enough for a novel; so too the crisp anecdotal thrust of the lilting ‘Edinburgh’. “All of my songs are autobiographical,” says Longstaff. “It’s overwhelming whenever someone says ‘I understand that, it’s what happened to my Mam too.’ There’s nothing better than creating music that connects with people and it’s what spurs me on to keep doing it, and to get out of bed in the morning.” — Marty Longstaff
Born:
Location: Sunderland, England
Genre: Singer–songwriter
Styles: Singer–songwriter, Chamber Pop
Album release: September 25, 2015
Recording date: at Nashville’s legendary Blackbird studios
Record Label: Dave Stewart
Duration: 54:13
Tracks:
01 Black and Blue 3:45
02 Edinburgh 4:49
03 1996 3:31
04 Friends 3:45
05 Your Face 3:11
06 See You Tonight 3:41
07 To the Lighthouse 5:16
08 North View 3:58
09 Vane Tempest 5:40
10 Shipyards 4:09
11 Orphans 5:25
12 Windowsill (Bonus Track) 3:38
13 Your Face (Radio Version) 3:35
℗ 2015 Dave Stewart Entertainment under exclusive license to Membran Rights Management Ltd.
Personnel:
Ξ★ Marty Longstaff voice, guitar,
Ξ★ Chad Cromwell (Neil Young, Mark Knopfler) drummer,
Ξ★ Dan Dugmore (James Taylor, Bob Dylan) pedal steel guitarist,
Ξ★ Michael Bradford (Ringo Starr, Stevie Nicks) bassist,
plus Academy of Country Music Award winners:
Ξ★ Mike Rojas keyboards
Ξ★ Michael Rhodes bass
© Credit: Ian West
ΞΞ “Within seconds of hearing Marty’s voice, I was scrambling to get directly in touch with him. I was sent a link to a YouTube video by a chap in my home town called Harry Collinson. He said when he heard this boy sing at a charity concert held in a church it made him well up with tears. Marty, aka The Lake Poets, is from Sunderland -which is also my hometown. So I not only connected with his voice, but every word that fell from his mouth was like a road map back home to the emotions and feelings I had growing up there. Marty sings the truth as it is – no holds barred, and his sense of melody is intrinsically linked to those huge stormy skies and the crashing waves that inhabit the North East of England — and weave their way into great songwriters minds. Marty is the real deal, one of the greats up there following a lineage of english songwriters from John Martyn, Nick Drake to Richard Thompson and Thom Yorke. The emptiness you feel in this recording comes from a deep sense of knowing — and allows the listener to follow the story all the way back to the heart.“ — Dave Stewart
Review
By NEIL MCFADYEN on 23 SEPTEMBER, 2015
Ξ★ The Lake Poets is the moniker adopted by Sunderland singer/song writer Martin Longstaff. This eponymously titled début album follows on from a very well received E.P. release, Honest Hearts; a series of live shows in support of Ben Howard, Daughter and Jake Bugg, and appearances at Union Chapel, The Sage Gateshead, Glastonbury and T in the Park. Fellow Sunderland native Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) has taken a keen interest in Martin’s work and over three days at Nashville’s Blackbird Studios produced this début collection of 11 songs.
Ξ★ Martin’s music is based around a delicate finger–style guitar, piano and a distinctive, ethereal vocal. These three elements combine to form a thoroughly engaging acoustic sound that’s quietly bolstered by electric guitar, organ, percussion and a host of the resources at Dave Stewart’s disposal. The softly powerful Black And Blue opens the album with a disquieting look at domestic violence and is typical of a forthright and often bitter lyrical approach. Woven expertly together by Ned Douglas’ samples, Martin’s songs talk to the past; often with deep–seated regret and asperity. Vane Tempest takes some of that acrimony, aims it at the the effect of the miners’ strike on North East families and employs a memorable guitar duet from Dan Dugmore and Tom Bukova. At times though, that retrospective gaze turns towards more positive memories. In Shipyards he calls out, and pays homage to, his grandfather in a beautifully sparse guitar/vocal offering.
On a ship you built, that’s where I see you most
With your smiling eyes
Ξ★ These intimate forays into the past include the nostalgic childhood memories of 1996 where Dave Stewart’s Fripp–like guitar adds a fifth voice to Colorado’s Holbrook sisters’ (SHEL) backing vocals. Or there’s North View; an upbeat folk/country approach and an impressive degree of fiddle versatility from Ann–Marie Culhoon delivers more wistful childhood memories.
You were lost and tired and lonely
When you left us in the spring
I see you in my dreams
And I feel the joy you bring
Ξ★ Martin certainly has his positive side. Your Face provides the album with an excellent single. An uplifting love song with a lighter–than–air approach and a full, rich sound. The violin provides added depth, but it’s still the reigned–back sound that pulls you into the lyrics. In a brief departure from the atmospheric, acoustic approach — See You Tonight is something to give the audience a nudge. More of a full band sound with bass, drums and guitars to the fore. The arrangement succeeds in lifting the pace but it’s as an acoustic act that Martin makes the most of his voice and his lyrical content. The finest example, and stand–out track of the album, being Edinburgh. Vocal, guitar and piano augmented by keyboard atmospheres, makes the best use of those arresting vocals and his impressive ability with a lyrical hook.
Ξ★ First impressions come from Martin’s distinctive voice. It has a pitch and a purity that immediately stands out — it’s a captivating sound. Soon, though, the lyrical content of this début album makes its presence known. Martin seems to bare his soul to give a song worthwhile content, the kind of deeply personal and emotional song–writing that can all too easily take its toll. For Martin, though, this is grist for the mill, his capacity for forging a strong lyric from his own experience shines through. When combined with his distinctive vocal it’s a heady mixture that’s well worth enjoying.
Ξ★ http://www.folkradio.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheLakePoets
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MartyLongstaff
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelakepoets
Press:
Agent: Germany:
Bandcamp: http://thelakepoets.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://thelakepoets.com/
John Earls:
Ξ★ http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Society_of_Sound/Society_of_Sound/Music/The-Lake-Poets.html
NE:MM Sun, Sep 20th 2015
Ξ★ http://davestewartent.com/news/
Helen Mitchell, Sept. 28, 2015
Ξ★ http://nemm.org.uk/magazine/popular/popular-gig-reviews/the-lake-poets-sunderland-minster-26-9-15/
Notes:
Ξ★ The Lake Poets were a group of English poets who all lived in the Lake District of England, United Kingdom at the turn of the nineteenth century. As a group, they followed no single "school" of thought or literary practice then known. They were named, only to be uniformly disparaged, by the Edinburgh Review. They are considered part of the Romantic Movement.
Ξ★ The three main figures of what has become known as the Lakes School were William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Robert Southey. They were associated with several other poets and writers, including Dorothy Wordsworth, Charles Lamb, Charles Lloyd, Hartley Coleridge, John Wilson, and Thomas De Quincey.
Ξ★ The beauty of the Lake District has also inspired many other writers over the years, beyond the core Lake Poets. These include their contemporaries Bryan Procter, Felicia Hemans, and Walter Scott, as well as the labouring–class and slightly later John Close, who catered particularly to the growing tourist trade. Other poets include James Payn, and Norman Nicholson.
© The Lake Poets — Sunderland Minster — 26 September, 2015 / Photographer: Graeme Baty
““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““”””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””
| The Lake Poets — The Lake Poets (September 25, 2015) |
Ξ★ “I worked as hard as I could. I thought ‘I’ve got an opportunity in a world–class studio here.” The Lake Poets is certainly an album that’s easy to get lost in, drawing listeners in with intimate songs rich in painting the big picture about love and mortality by way of a keen eye for the vivid small details of life. ‘1996’s tale of a doomed childhood friendship is vivid enough for a novel; so too the crisp anecdotal thrust of the lilting ‘Edinburgh’. “All of my songs are autobiographical,” says Longstaff. “It’s overwhelming whenever someone says ‘I understand that, it’s what happened to my Mam too.’ There’s nothing better than creating music that connects with people and it’s what spurs me on to keep doing it, and to get out of bed in the morning.” — Marty Longstaff
Born:
Location: Sunderland, England
Genre: Singer–songwriter
Styles: Singer–songwriter, Chamber Pop
Album release: September 25, 2015
Recording date: at Nashville’s legendary Blackbird studios
Record Label: Dave Stewart
Duration: 54:13
Tracks:
01 Black and Blue 3:45
02 Edinburgh 4:49
03 1996 3:31
04 Friends 3:45
05 Your Face 3:11
06 See You Tonight 3:41
07 To the Lighthouse 5:16
08 North View 3:58
09 Vane Tempest 5:40
10 Shipyards 4:09
11 Orphans 5:25
12 Windowsill (Bonus Track) 3:38
13 Your Face (Radio Version) 3:35
℗ 2015 Dave Stewart Entertainment under exclusive license to Membran Rights Management Ltd.
Personnel:
Ξ★ Marty Longstaff voice, guitar,
Ξ★ Chad Cromwell (Neil Young, Mark Knopfler) drummer,
Ξ★ Dan Dugmore (James Taylor, Bob Dylan) pedal steel guitarist,
Ξ★ Michael Bradford (Ringo Starr, Stevie Nicks) bassist,
plus Academy of Country Music Award winners:
Ξ★ Mike Rojas keyboards
Ξ★ Michael Rhodes bass
ΞΞ “Within seconds of hearing Marty’s voice, I was scrambling to get directly in touch with him. I was sent a link to a YouTube video by a chap in my home town called Harry Collinson. He said when he heard this boy sing at a charity concert held in a church it made him well up with tears. Marty, aka The Lake Poets, is from Sunderland -which is also my hometown. So I not only connected with his voice, but every word that fell from his mouth was like a road map back home to the emotions and feelings I had growing up there. Marty sings the truth as it is – no holds barred, and his sense of melody is intrinsically linked to those huge stormy skies and the crashing waves that inhabit the North East of England — and weave their way into great songwriters minds. Marty is the real deal, one of the greats up there following a lineage of english songwriters from John Martyn, Nick Drake to Richard Thompson and Thom Yorke. The emptiness you feel in this recording comes from a deep sense of knowing — and allows the listener to follow the story all the way back to the heart.“ — Dave Stewart
Review
By NEIL MCFADYEN on 23 SEPTEMBER, 2015
Ξ★ The Lake Poets is the moniker adopted by Sunderland singer/song writer Martin Longstaff. This eponymously titled début album follows on from a very well received E.P. release, Honest Hearts; a series of live shows in support of Ben Howard, Daughter and Jake Bugg, and appearances at Union Chapel, The Sage Gateshead, Glastonbury and T in the Park. Fellow Sunderland native Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) has taken a keen interest in Martin’s work and over three days at Nashville’s Blackbird Studios produced this début collection of 11 songs.
Ξ★ Martin’s music is based around a delicate finger–style guitar, piano and a distinctive, ethereal vocal. These three elements combine to form a thoroughly engaging acoustic sound that’s quietly bolstered by electric guitar, organ, percussion and a host of the resources at Dave Stewart’s disposal. The softly powerful Black And Blue opens the album with a disquieting look at domestic violence and is typical of a forthright and often bitter lyrical approach. Woven expertly together by Ned Douglas’ samples, Martin’s songs talk to the past; often with deep–seated regret and asperity. Vane Tempest takes some of that acrimony, aims it at the the effect of the miners’ strike on North East families and employs a memorable guitar duet from Dan Dugmore and Tom Bukova. At times though, that retrospective gaze turns towards more positive memories. In Shipyards he calls out, and pays homage to, his grandfather in a beautifully sparse guitar/vocal offering.
On a ship you built, that’s where I see you most
With your smiling eyes
Ξ★ These intimate forays into the past include the nostalgic childhood memories of 1996 where Dave Stewart’s Fripp–like guitar adds a fifth voice to Colorado’s Holbrook sisters’ (SHEL) backing vocals. Or there’s North View; an upbeat folk/country approach and an impressive degree of fiddle versatility from Ann–Marie Culhoon delivers more wistful childhood memories.
You were lost and tired and lonely
When you left us in the spring
I see you in my dreams
And I feel the joy you bring
Ξ★ Martin certainly has his positive side. Your Face provides the album with an excellent single. An uplifting love song with a lighter–than–air approach and a full, rich sound. The violin provides added depth, but it’s still the reigned–back sound that pulls you into the lyrics. In a brief departure from the atmospheric, acoustic approach — See You Tonight is something to give the audience a nudge. More of a full band sound with bass, drums and guitars to the fore. The arrangement succeeds in lifting the pace but it’s as an acoustic act that Martin makes the most of his voice and his lyrical content. The finest example, and stand–out track of the album, being Edinburgh. Vocal, guitar and piano augmented by keyboard atmospheres, makes the best use of those arresting vocals and his impressive ability with a lyrical hook.
Ξ★ First impressions come from Martin’s distinctive voice. It has a pitch and a purity that immediately stands out — it’s a captivating sound. Soon, though, the lyrical content of this début album makes its presence known. Martin seems to bare his soul to give a song worthwhile content, the kind of deeply personal and emotional song–writing that can all too easily take its toll. For Martin, though, this is grist for the mill, his capacity for forging a strong lyric from his own experience shines through. When combined with his distinctive vocal it’s a heady mixture that’s well worth enjoying.
Ξ★ http://www.folkradio.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheLakePoets
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MartyLongstaff
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelakepoets
Press:
Agent: Germany:
Bandcamp: http://thelakepoets.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://thelakepoets.com/
John Earls:
Ξ★ http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Society_of_Sound/Society_of_Sound/Music/The-Lake-Poets.html
NE:MM Sun, Sep 20th 2015
Ξ★ http://davestewartent.com/news/
Helen Mitchell, Sept. 28, 2015
Ξ★ http://nemm.org.uk/magazine/popular/popular-gig-reviews/the-lake-poets-sunderland-minster-26-9-15/
Notes:
Ξ★ The Lake Poets were a group of English poets who all lived in the Lake District of England, United Kingdom at the turn of the nineteenth century. As a group, they followed no single "school" of thought or literary practice then known. They were named, only to be uniformly disparaged, by the Edinburgh Review. They are considered part of the Romantic Movement.
Ξ★ The three main figures of what has become known as the Lakes School were William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Robert Southey. They were associated with several other poets and writers, including Dorothy Wordsworth, Charles Lamb, Charles Lloyd, Hartley Coleridge, John Wilson, and Thomas De Quincey.
Ξ★ The beauty of the Lake District has also inspired many other writers over the years, beyond the core Lake Poets. These include their contemporaries Bryan Procter, Felicia Hemans, and Walter Scott, as well as the labouring–class and slightly later John Close, who catered particularly to the growing tourist trade. Other poets include James Payn, and Norman Nicholson.
““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““”””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””