Jingo – Black Flowers

Earlier this year, London based Jingo more than impressed with a trio of single released a couple of weeks or so apart from each other. Each was a distinct emotional soundscape with scenery of melodic and colour drenched narratives lyrically and musically capturing the imagination. It is fair to say each of the three left thoughts and emotions eager and happy to declare the promise and an assumed potent horizon of the band. Well it turns out that we were merely on the appetisers for greater things, the songs just hints and temptations of what was to come ahead and certainly with their fourth release. Black Flowers is simply magnificent, a flame of creative mastery which leaves as great as they were, its predecessors well back in the shade. Jingo have truly arrived and in a fire of adventure.

Consisting of husband and wife guitarist/vocalist Jack and vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist Katie Buckett, alongside drummer Joseph Reeves, and Sahil Batra on keys/bass/guitar/vocals, the quartet certainly took no time in drawing attention, their first gig as Jingo coming as support for Graham Coxon of Blur in March this year at a sold out charity night at Mother London. That same day saw the release of debut single IQ84 soon after followed by Same Without You and subsequently Matador. Each song left a stronger and increasing appetite and thirst for their descriptive musical narratives and rich lyrical expression, something Black Flowers more than quenches. Comparisons in many ways to bands such as Fleetwood Mac and The Magic Numbers have been mentioned but it is fair to say Jingo have already managed to stand alone, and even more so with the more intensive and formidable single.

As soon as the drone kissed riffs of guitar and bass opened up the air there is a feeling of darker more intensive things afoot. The addition of the glorious vocals of Katie offers an immediate seduction but they cannot dismiss the shadows draping eagerly over the ear. It is a magnetic welcome which only deepens in lure and intensity as the drums flex their forceful sinews and the guitars bring a greater gnarly caress to the encounter. With the keys expanding their richly hued imaginative presence within the veins of doom spawned  corruptive contagion, the blend of light and dark is pure ingenious whilst the exceptional enchanting vocals and harmonies act like a beacon to restrain the musical and lyrical darkness. Other songs maybe have sparked thoughts The Magic Numbers etc. but Black Flowers seem to find a kind of kinship with bands such as Blood Ceremony and Jess & the Ancient Ones.

Black Flowers is outstanding, a track to thrust the band into the heart of British rock music, though you get the inkling that Jingo will never settle in one camp, and that makes them and their new single even the more exhilarating.

Stream/download Black Flowers @ https://soundcloud.com/jingomusic/black-flowers

https://www.facebook.com/jingomusic

10/10

RingMaster 07/09/2013

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Listen to the best independent music and artists on The RingMaster Review Radio Show and The Bone Orchard from

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Imagination bred caresses: an introduction to Jingo

It is always a strong pleasure to be introduced to a band who impress beyond hopes and without warning. Such is the situation with London based band Jingo, a quartet who dances with the passions as they wrap the senses in colour rich melodic embraces and emotive landscapes. Consisting of members originating from both sides of the pond, Jingo creates flames of riveting pop expanses which tenderly or feistily whatever is their want at the time, takes the listener by the hand into vivid emotion packed scenarios sound-tracked by seductive aural tangos.

Jingo is guitarist/vocalist Jack Buckett, his American wife vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist Katie, drummer Joseph Reeves, and newest member Sahil Batra on keys/bass/guitar/vocals. The quartet of musicians have been playing and creating music in bands in Brooklyn, New York and London for many years before coming together as Jingo but once formed they took no time in making their mark, their first gig seeing the band supporting Graham Coxon of Blur in March of this year at a sold out charity night at Mother London. The day of the show also saw the band release their debut single IQ84, followed within a couple of weeks by second track Same Without You and in the same time gap again by third release The Matador, all available as free downloads from their Soundcloud profile. The three distinctly unique and individual tracks show a band which is already skirting the precipice of truly great things with songs which are adventurously and gloriously sculpted, employing equally scintillating textures, imagination, and beauty in their striking presences. It is impossible not to be excited by the band as their sounds coax thought and emotion to play within their descriptive musical narratives and potent lyrical expression, and hungry to hear so much more from the foursome.

Debut track IQ84 instantly has ears and attention rigidly alert and it is no surprise the track has received heavy traffic in its direction. Opening with choppy riffs soaked in pop mischief and reminding of Oingo Boingo in many ways, the song soon soars from its impressive opening stance into a greater temptation through the outstanding vocals of Katie Buckett. Her voice is drenched in captivating lures, a melodic pull which is strong and firm in its hold on the listener whilst making a mesmeric call which initially distracts such her quality. All the time the song is unveiling a wealth of respectful yet eager to impact rhythms and sonic whispers which almost sneak up on the listener, though once into its stride with the drums of Reeves adding more throat to their thumping presence and the guitar toying with a mix of riveting hooks and flames, everything is in the open. The song goes on to further enthral with flumes conveying suggestive atmospheres as the persuasive lyrical and visual craft ado their work with the result an excellent and exciting first taste of the band.

    Same Without You was the next song unveiled and stood openly distinct from its predecessor yet seemingly part of its core story. The gentle piano touch of the ear is soon joined by the again strikingly emotive temptress that is Katie’s voice, their melancholic union an irresistible beckoning into the emerging guitar resonance and brooding bass line. All coming together with energy lifting its keen head into a bolder stance, the smouldering burn of the song brews little fires of elegance and classical tones through keys and harmonies whilst rhythms ensure there is a fever constantly waiting to break out, which it does in small climatic expulsions of invention and intrigue across the length of the incendiary seduction. A track which reveals more glorious depths with each encounter whilst leading the passions into inescapable lust, it is a sensational enticement and thrilling dive into fascinating emotive hues.

Their third song The Matador instantly stands proud with a Latin American coaxing from the guitar and mutually sultry vocal cry grabbing the ear before a sultry sway of melodic kisses and narrative casting vocals tread brightly but gently across thoughts. They cannot retain their restraint for long though and soon erupt in a blaze of sizzling heat and sound before repeating the course again with additional harmonies raising the temperature of the ambience enveloping the senses. There is a folk lilt to the Spanish caressed pop rock voice of the track, a blend which lifts the imagination into a cabaña hailing heart and its emotive tale and once more leaves a blissful pleasure in its wake.

Jingo, through just three songs, leave a lasting and inspiring allurement in their wake, an aural taste which the lips of passion can never get enough of. The band has given themselves a strong plateau to build upon with a very potent horizon safely in their own hands and we for one will be impatiently awaiting their next melodic alchemy.

Steam and Download the three singles @ https://soundcloud.com/jingomusic

https://www.facebook.com/jingomusic

Check out the Jake Strunk created video for Same With Out You below as well as upcoming live dates.

Fri 19/07 – Tramlines Festival, Sheffield

Sat 20/07 – IYAF Festival, Kingston, London

Thu 29/08 – Northern monkey, Leeds

Fri 30/08 – The Green Room, Stockton

RingMaster 14/06/2013

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Listen to the best independent music and artists on The RingMaster Review Radio Show and The Bone Orchard from

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Funeral Suits – Hands Down

Hands Down is the stunning new single from Dublin quartet Funeral Suits, a song as mesmeric and captivating as it is bold and inciteful. Taken from the excellent Lily Of The Valley album, the song is a dramatic and atmospheric weave which leaves one lost in thought and imagination whilst igniting the fullest pleasure.

The quartet of Brian James, Mik McKeogh, Greg McCarthy and Dar Grant, lit up the year with their album within which Hands Down was a golden moment amongst a plethora of melodic fires. Arguably it was a little overwhelmed within the context of the heated inspiration the album brought but standing alone it truly unveils its impressive and beautiful heart and invention. Released via Model Citizen Records and produced by Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur), the majestic track is aural gold, a melodic treasure to immerse within.

Funeral Suits begin the song with smouldering harmonies, solemn beats, and with the guitar leaving little sonic fires across the roof of the song.  The vocals shimmer with energy and restraint within equally gaited music for a sensual ambience. As the rhythms quicken their pace there is a sense of something still to be defined brewing within the pulsating heart of the song. Eventually the passion and insatiable breath of the song erupts in a burning crescendo of energy and emotion, the full rock stomp incendiary and compulsive.

Hands Down is three minutes of instinctive and glorious invention, a thoughtful and evocative song to spark imagery and ignite raging emotional fires. It is a real gem and an absorbing experience which all should pay attention to.

There is also a video to the release which carries on the theme from the video for previous single All Those Friendly People. It is not for the faint hearted and can be seen below.

http://funeralsuits.com/

RingMaster 12/10/2012

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Funeral Suits : Lily Of The Valley

Sometimes an album comes along to elevate anticipation and expectations nurtured through previous releases far beyond what was imagined. Such is the case with Lily Of The Valley from Irish indie band Funeral Suits. Based on a trio of singles there was a keen belief that an album would match and please as much but there was no real indication of the unsettling mesmeric aural swarm that was coming. Individually the songs contained within the album are not strikingly better or worse than the already unveiled songs which also find a place on Lily Of The Valley, but as a whole there is a much deeper and absorbing experience going on than from songs taken alone.

    Funeral Suits has created an album with on the surface an underwhelming diversity but with a deeply expressive breath, each track playing like a limb or organ within a vibrant emotive body. They have an intelligent and warming similarity across them but taken one away and there is a hole the others cannot fill, and given the fullest of focus one does find a beautifully crafted and imagined individuality to the songs.

From North Country Dublin the quartet of Brian James, Mik McKeogh, Greg McCarthy and Dar Grant has spent two years creating the album and that attention and time spent pours from each carefully and thoughtfully placed note, word, and passion. Released June 4^th through Model Citizen Records and produced by Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur), the album is a stunning enveloping heart borne piece of composing. It does not arguably ignite the fiercest of fires at any point but rather wraps itself around and within mind and senses for a further reaching and fuller impact. From their 2011 debut single Colour Fade the band has gained an ever growing mass of devotees and acclaim. The further singles as well as shared stages with the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Passion Pit, The Maccabees, and Local Natives plus appearances at SXSW, Great Escape and Reading/Leeds Festival the same year have only reinforced their increasing stature, something the album will surely explode in dramatic style.

The album opens with Mary’s Revenge and takes no time in capturing the ear with vocals harmonies and electronic waves of sound. The deep Tubeway Army like electronic melody is an instant beckoning as guitars scramble the air with their discord and impressive voice. The track is an exceptional electro pop song but with a bite and intent which brings deeper intrigue and an unsettling energy to its pulsating mass. By its end the track has overwhelmed the ear with a heavy whisper to elevate it wonderfully from just mere pop.

   Colour Fade and Health, two of the previous singles come next, the first an immersive enchantment of simple heart and mesmeric beauty from vocals and music. The crystalline melodies sparkle against the thumping rhythms and niggling guitars for an undemanding but attention seeking piece of music. Health is very different, from its awakening atmosphere and flexing electro muscles the song stamps its authority across the senses with punchy rhythms and lingering acidic guitars. Both songs are the perfect entry point to the band alone but within the album gain an even fuller resonance and height.

Tracks like the newest single All Those Friendly People with its shadowed anthemic undertow, the emotive enchantment that is We Only Attack Ourselves with its wonderful dark stringed vein, and Stars and Spaceships are further highlights, though there is not a weakness or lull in the sweltering invention and consuming ingenuity anywhere. The third of these three is a mesmeric and equally disarming track which encapsulates the band and its impressive creativity alone.

Ending on the haunting and sinister I Still Love The High, a song of emotive grandeur seemingly disentangled from the sounds around it, the album is truly impressive and impossible to leave without at least one more swim within its warm beauty and darkened depths. Funeral Suits unveiled their promise with the singles, Lily of the Valley realises it and more for the most gratifying experience you could wish for.

Ringmaster 31/05/2012

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