Sunday Sound #5

What day is it? Sunday? Really? I don't even know anymore, working in the wonderful world of retail seems to have completely bemused me and my knowledge of the days of the week has completely disappeared from my brain. The only way I seem to know today is Sunday is from the X Factor and Roast tweets, how horrific? I've had a very busy week, filled with lots of travelling, radio and meeting new people. Of course with a superb soundtrack along the way & this is the band I'm loving right now.

Sons & Lovers

As they embark on a UK tour supporting the magnificent Ellie Goulding, I think it's safe to say this london based band are fully in their element. Though difficult to actually find any information on them, no matter what you Google, this doesn't hinder the fact they are really quite good at making music. I caught them on the BBC introducing stage at Underground Festival in Gloucester this year and after being utterly disappointed by PEACE, these guys definitely lifted my mood. 

Currently they only have a few tracks available for you all to listen to but I can assure you that they are brilliantly crafted works of pop-rock. With pulsating drum patterns and catchy guitar melodies, you'll find yourself hitting the repeat button continuously. Earlier this week they also posted a link on their Facebook to a new track they had recorded called Golden, which is available to download for FREE. Golden is definitely my favourite song by Sons & Lovers, give me a song using the ocean as a metaphor and you have me in the palm of your hand. With lyrics such as "...and I know you love the ocean, where the light is golden, that's where we'll be, where the city meets the sea" you can understand my love for it, seeing as it has an uncanny resemblance to the name of this blog! 

So if you do have tickets to see the lovely Ellie Goulding, then please make sure you catch Sons & Lovers beforehand, they're also playing a bunch of shows at Club NME in London in January so head there for a bloody good evening! 

For Fans Of: Futures, One Night Only, Harbour

Find Them: http://www.facebook.com/sonsandlovers

https://soundcloud.com/sonsandlovers

Benjamin Francis Leftwich: Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm

Ever since i got my hands on a copy of this album it has been played non-stop on my iTunes/iPod.  It is quite difficult to actually try and sum up how beautiful this record is!
I first head about Benjamin Francis Leftwich whilst listening to Huw Stephens' show on Radio 1, in which he interviewed Ben and played his track Box of Stones which i instantly fell in love with.

From beginning to end of his debut album Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm Ben's enchanting vocals and harmonies swirl around your head and the acoustic guitar is the perfect accompaniment to them. As soon as I pressed play I went off into my own little zone of calm and peacefulness, which i thoroughly enjoyed, each song fills you more and more with this warming feeling which i am sure is desired by many.

The tracks on the album are all quite similar in style, there isn't a track that stands out as being 'more up-beat' than the others or anything of the like, which has been a fuel for criticism from the press. However this is what Benjamin Francis Leftwich does and it is what he does best and i cannot find a single fault with it. This is an album to accompany you on a long journey somewhere, one to sit down and enjoy on a rainy afternoon with a nice cuppa!

If you're one who tends to get bored of songs and frequently skip tracks then it probably isn't for you, but for anyone who are fans of Newton Faulkner, Charlie Simpson, Bobby Long, Laura Marling, Ellie Goulding etc i would expect nothing less than pure love for this record. Personal favourites include; Box of Stones, Pictures, 1904 & Shine but each song truly is wonderfully written.

Ben will be touring throughout the UK during October, as well as appearing at a number of music festivals in the last months of the summer season. To see a full listing of the show dates go to his website here