It's really great!! but hey - don't take my word for it...Will Sergeant loves the title track, and Paul Simpson loved it so much he got Jonathan signed to the Occultation label! :-)
Here's a great review, and Jonathan's myspace link is at the bottom of the review, in case ya wanna go have a listen for yourself (do!!), and while you're there you can check out Will's post on Jonathan's myspace page! ;-) ...and I've also included a link for Paul Simpson's full length blog about Jonathan down at the bottom of this page. (the bit in the review is only a portion of it)
review:
Occultation means something which is hidden by another object passing in front of it, like an eclipse of the sun, for example. It's also the name of a wonderful small record label, and I hope that the occultation in question means the artists becoming so successful that they eclipse the label rather than the label being lost behind the morass of ghastly manufactured pop pap that passes as music these days.
They have a small rosta of innovative and interesting music, each item of which is beautifully packaged with wonderful artwork. When you buy a CD or vinyl (yessss, old fashioned vinyl!) version, you also get the download which is instantly accessible so you don't even have to wait for the post to be able to hear the music. Or spoil the vinyl by actually playing it. I'm buying up everything they release because not only have I liked every bit of the music so far as well as loving the artwork, I also think that in years to come these items are going to be highly collectable.
My favourite is the most wonderful singer/songwriter Jonathan Beckett who's She's A Vampire EP was released a few months ago and which I play at least once a day, and often on repeat. It's stunningly beautiful music, something we don't hear enough of these days in my opinion. I like a good thumping bass as much as anyone, but I adore a soaring guitar and a gorgeous voice, both of which Mr Beckett's CD has in abundance. Actually, forget my feeble attempts to decribe it, I can't do better than this from the Occulation website:
"I'm a sucker for musical beauty, lyrical sadness and outsiderism, and they don't come more beautifully outsider than Jonathan Beckett. For me, stumbling upon Jonathan's music is a bit like chancing upon the ivy-covered remains of an architecturally significant stately home while out walking in the woods; a little decayed, ever so slightly scary perhaps, but beneath the ivy lie elegant mullioned windows, intricately carved stone bestiary and secret doors in the oak paneling."
Paul Simpson, The Wild Swans
Paul Simpson happens to be a hero of mine, but that's another blog for another rainy day. Meanwhile, just go out and buy Jonathan Beckett's EP if you would, please. It's brilliant and he needs the money (and it's only £2). Go on...
It's available from Occulation Records here:
http://www.occultation.co.uk/Shop/mp3shop.html
Or you can listen on Jonathan's Myspace page here:
http://www.myspace.com/jonathanbeckett
http://furzeflower.blog.co.uk/2010/11/2 ... -10018779/
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Paul Simpson's full length blog about Jonathan: http://www.myspace.com/paul__simpson/blog/536938388
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...and if anyone already knows Jonathan's music and wants to see him live, check this out:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?ei ... 3038271609 (sorry, the link won't paste properly)
Wish I could go.
i'm still luvin the EP.