Sam & The Plants

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release

4...according to our Ant on Thu 12 Mar, 2009.

Another day of chaos in the office as we pluder through our daily tasks and the Sam and The Plants 'The Eft' CD is playing. Among the folk elements which dominate are all kinds of unexpected twists and turns and curious little sounds are revealed. Although the songs do have tunes and are deeply rich in melody, it's an album that's pushing some experimental elements with tape loops and electronics. There's a mass of strange, beautiful and magical sounds to absorb from this 21 track long player. An incredibly accomplished album you'll want to be playing whilst scoffing a big Lancashire hotpot. Occasionally I'm reminded of Ergo Phizmiz without the warped sense of humour. CD and LP on Twisted Nerve.

Partially separating the frostbitten fells that make up
Lancashire’s lucid landscape are small clusters of naked black
trees and hedgerow that provide shelter for a host of
disgruntled inhabitants hibernating from typically cruel British
Winters. In a wood not dissimilar to this you’ll find a welcome
co-inhabitant who spends his time making fractured
folk songs with limited electricity and a wide range of
mutant, mechanical music machines ranging from
zygotic zithers to 10 second tape loops, lutes and
flutes.
· Imagine Delia Derbyshire in deepest Lancashire
recording a Nepalese Incredible String Band with
members of Os Mutantes and Faust keeping the
generator warm and the kitchen operating in audible
proximity.
· Sam McLoughlin’s viscously self-sufficient, fair-weather
commune band make the type of acid soaked folk and
handicraft punk-rock that unified Gong and Soft Machine
fans before he was born.
· Released alongside Andy Votel’s brand new mixtape
‘Twisted Nerve Mixed’, to mark the 10th anniversary of
Manchester’s very own homemade, house-proud, singular
minded and independent non-record label.