Jane Weaver - The Fallen By Watchbird

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release
Soundclips

4...according to our Dave on Thu 03 Jun, 2010.

What's this nautical nonsense? Why it's over 70 minutes of aquatic folklore, flickering luminescent lullabies and hand plucked (?) pop from the Finders Keepers duo Jane Weaver and Andy Votel. Its an interesting concept for an album, and its held together by the most luscious voice and sublime production I've heard since I landed a freshwater Goober back in '65. The whole thing really evokes images of maritime life and how to live it. I wanted to don a sowester and grow a beard and go hunting the strange fish that this album is. Some say you cant catch a beast like this with just a hook you might have to use a child's toe. Some say death in Davy Jonses Locker is the most honorable way to go. Well seeing that the review now reeks of haddock I might have to agree. Some of this album enchants, other parts make you yearn for the sea, other parts are sinister and dreamlike. It really is a musical journey into the fishy wonderland of greatness. Barnacled berks every where will love this. Avast me salty flip jack jock strap piano tuners...

To play these clips you need to either update your browser (Norman Records recommends Google Chrome) or update your Flash plugin.

• Taking influences from Eastern European children’s cinema, Germanic kunstmärchen, 70’s television music and early murmurs of 80’s synth-pop, ‘The Fallen By Watch Bird’ is a new conceptual pop project featuring seven chapters of cosmic aquatic folklore by songwriter Jane Weaver (Misty Dixon / Bird Records / B-Music).

• Combining the sonic sisterhood of seven other musical actresses drawn from the past 40 years of soft-rock and femme-folk history under the collective moniker ‘Septieme Soeur’, the new album features rare appearances from Wendy & Bonnie (harmonic creators of 60’s soft psych teen-pop rarity ‘Genesis’), Lisa Jen (starry eyed Welsh language folk singer and female voice of Gruff Rhys’ ‘Candylion’), Susan Christie (1969 Philadelphian Top Ten pop starlet whose lost acoustic pop recordings were eventually released by Finders Keepers in 2006) alongside traditional Bosnian singer Behar and members of Misty Dixon.

• Casually alluding to a floating storyline based around missing seamen, telekinesis, avian messengers, white witchcraft and death and re-birth, Jane’s fifth album is released on her own label Bird Records and is her first fully realised concept album. Sharing themes explored in her acclaimed 2002 album ‘Like An Aspen Leaf’ (recorded with members of the embryonic band Elbow), ‘The Fallen By Watch Bird’ also revisits collaborative production techniques explored alongside Dave Tyack in her previous synth-fuelled girl group band Misty Dixon which drew comparisons to American Spring and Suicide in shining reviews across the board.

• The project, recorded sporadically over a two year hiatus, was initially conceived after assembling a one-off super group featuring Susan Christie and Wendy Flower under the direction of Andy Votel and Sean O’Hagan as part of Jarvis Cocker’s Meltdown Festival in 2007. ‘The Fallen By Watch Bird’ is a rare foray into the public eye for Miss Weaver, after leaving a trail of carefully placed musical crumbs marking her retreat from Manchester’s municipal public eye as one time omnipresent ambassador of Manchester’s vibrant indie scene as part of New Order’s management team, recording early singles with leading Mancunian cinematic alt rock group Doves.

Tracklisting:

Europium Allumiate * A Circle And A Star * The Fallen By Watch Bird * Turning In Circles * Hud A Llefrith * Whispers Of Winter * Noctilumina *
My Soul Was Lost * Silver Chord

Be the first to review this record. Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!