Pixy Jones New Album Bits and Bobs

El Goodo guitarist and songwriter 'Pixy Jones' has announced that his debut album entitled 'Bits n Bobs' is due for release on 16th of September via Strangetown Records.

Branching away from the familiar El Goodo platform, Welsh psych scene stalwart Pixy Jones has himself compiled a truly remarkable collection of tracks that fluctuate from 60's harmony-rich psych pop, to Alt-Country with ringing tremelo guitar.

First single, the swaggering 'I'm Not There' was the first single to be taken from 'Bits n Bobs' accompanied by a magical version of Beatles track 'And Your Bird Can Sing'

as it's B Side.

Pixy had this to say about the release:
The album was originally intended as a solo project under the pseudonym of “Wallace Russell”. I recorded it alongside the recording of Zombie (El Goodo) whenever I could get in the studio. There are some really old songs that have always been overlooked for 'El Goodo' albums for one reason or another, a few new ones which I wrote specifically for this, and a couple that would have probably ended up on the intended double album version of Zombie if we’d kept going with the double album idea. I’ve since ditched the 'Wallace Russell' name and gone back to 'Pixy Jones' as I figured there’s no need to have a pseudonym if nobody knows who you are in the first place. Even though I dropped the name I’ve kept the walrus mask for now as it is more photogenic than my actual face.

I had no recording budget so I had to fund it by quitting smoking and saving the money up to pay for studio time. It took, I think, two and a half years to record, which is by far the quickest I’ve ever recorded an album. Would have been quicker too if it wasn’t for Covid!

Originally I wanted it to just be a quickly recorded slap dash and get it out sort of thing but I had a year and a half during Covid to think about it a bit more and ended up taking more care to get it done properly. It was just me there so I played most of it myself apart from Stephen Black (Sweet Baboo) who played brass and woodwind on one song and Rhodri Brooks (AhGeeBe) plays some pedal steel on a couple.

Elliott and Canny from 'El Goodo' played drums and bass on Wind Street during the Zombie recording sessions.

The album was recorded and mixed in Aerial Studios with Tim Lewis aka Thighpaulsandra (Coil/Hawkwind/Spiritulized), a couple of songs were finished in the house during the lockdowns.

Pixy Jones third and final single from 'Bits n Bobs' entitled 'Hold Your Tongue' will be released Friday 26th August. Taken from anticipated debut album 'Bits n Bobs' released via Strangetown Records on the 16th September. Singles 'I'm Not There' and 'Maureen Dreams No More' have gathered support from Gideon Coe, BBC 6 Music, Adam Walton on BBC Radio Wales, and Pixy Jones was announced as Huw Stephens BBC Radio Wales Artists Of The Week in July. Support for the new releases have come from Music Blogs like Shindig Magazine, Circuit Sweet and Psychedelic Baby Magazine.

'Bits n Bobs' will be released Digitally / Vinyl / CD on the 16th of September on Strangetown Records.

Review: ‘When Paris Calls’ single by Emma Mae

Singer/songwriter Emma Mae has released her second single of 2021, ‘When Paris Calls’, and it’s the summer pop-bop we needed.

Leicester-born Emma has taken a slightly different path from her previous single, ‘Boys in Bands’, switching up the slowed-down, chilled out strumming for a quicker tempo and latin beat to make for a catchy song. 

Mae’s penned her lyrics about someone discovering their partner has done the dirty and cheated with a woman named, you guessed it, Paris. Her lyrical brilliance captures both the bitterness and sadness of the affair but portrays it in such a way that you can’t help but chuckle with admiration at the lines, one notably being ‘when Paris calls you run to her, getting over me, under her.’  

Before the track’s release, a series of murder-mystery style teasers were released across social media, with fans being left to put the pieces together and figure out the answer to the question ‘who’s calling’? With three suspects named and shamed, Destiny, Summer and Paris, it was ultimately the latter that was on the other end of the telephone, and the winner of the guessing game can now proudly pin an ‘Emma Mae think I’m awesome’ badge to their jacket.

Full of catchy notes, upbeat rhythms and Emma’s gentle, dulcet tones, this buoyant break-up anthem is the perfect song to have blasting in the car on a summer day (or when you’re singing bitterly in front of the mirror over your ex). 

You can listen to it here on Spotify!

Fiasco Rocks

Fiasco is a four-piece South-Welsh band, born out of the experience of Swn Festival, as well as a mutual love of rock and blues-rock. The subtle blend of these genes with an energetic writing style gives rise to a unique live experience.

While volunteering at Swn Festival (2018), Alastair and Archie began writing together and founded Fiasco and by the beginning of 2019, Fiasco were playing shows in many of Cardiff’s music venues.

Since then (outside of Cardiff) Fiasco have played shows in Swansea, Newport and Wrexham, highlights being: USW’s fresher shows with Carolines and The Rotanas, as well as opening for Wood Burning Savages in Clwb Ifor Bach.

In 2021 Fiasco signed to the collaborative independent record label - Smash Mouse Records.

We have all loved the journey so far and with the release of the debut single “Animal” on the horizon, we cannot wait to show the world what Fiasco’s about.

Please Help Fiasco Rocks by Liking and Following them on Social Media and Spotify.

(Click the buttons)

Support your local bands - KCL

Persona B

Persona B

Jerome , Matthew , Tim , Alex , Niamh

Persona B began following the demise of Jylt.

Jylt were a band predicted for big things that were making waves across the UK including in the eyes of the late, great John Peel. The band grew up together and, on a life changing day, one founding member contracted a devastating condition know as acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Nia George battled the condition for a year but eventually lost the fight and passed away at the age of 21. Without Nia, the band fell apart and could not imagine carrying on. One member, Sarah Howells eventually managed to regain creativity in a new project called Paper Aeroplanes (later to become Bryde).

Alex Cooper eventually started writing again and managed to convince Tim Ramsey to collaborate once more. The two joined with another old friend, Matthew Bearne on Bass and started messing with new creations never to officially release any music for 18 years.

Finally, one of the first songs created by the band and written about the loss of Nia has been completed. Though many attempts were made to find the right sound for the tune, it was never finished until now.

Niamh Macphail offered up her vocals to create the tone that was previously lacking and Jerome Davies with his many years of experience helped to glue it all together with his subtle yet massively complimentary counter melodies and production ideas.

The recording was all done internally from writing to recording and mastering.

The resulting “Next Best Thing” is now available across all major streaming services and available for download from I Tunes.

photo Jylt Nia, Tim, Sarah, and Alex

New Music - Ragsy

This is the second offering from Ragsy’s eagerly awaited forthcoming album ‘One More For The

Road' Volume 1 which was recorded at Northhouse studios, co-produced with friend and

producer Chris Peet and features the artwork of Ragsy’s partner Hannah Day.

Ragsy, whose debut single off the album ‘The First Time’ made the Wales A-List, said : “The

album itself has been a long time coming, with a delay in its release in early 2020 due to the

effects that the COVID-19 pandemic continue to have on the world, as well as the music industry.

“The second single ‘Under Clear Skies’ has been described as an upbeat, vibrant, soulful song full

of passion and driven by telling a story of the distance that being in a loving relationship can

sometimes bring. Followed by that yearning and deep routed desire we experience along that

journey, we go on in the hope of reuniting with that special person ‘The One’.

“Whether it be the distance that comes from having to work away, or having to make that difficult

choice to look after a family member as we have heard happening so often as we live in these

trying times that the COVID-19 global pandemic has brought, or in this instance is 200 miles

away and traveling through treacherous weather to get back to the woman I love. Again I feel this

is another song I’m sure we can all draw similarities to.”

The album ‘One More For The Road’ features the single ‘The First Time’ which has had

an overwhelming public response so far. It has been play-listed on many radio stations worldwide,

as well as being selected for the exclusive BBC Radio Wales Welsh A-List.

This first single off the album has been described as:

● Wynne Evans - BBC Radio Wales “A Belter of a song and an anthem”.

● Ben Dain-Smith - Bro Radio “The single begins with immediate heft, as distorted and reversed

sound makes way to a driving acoustic guitar track, swirling synths and Fleetwood Mac, "Big Love"

style, grunts, before layered harmonies take you into Ragsy's warm, somehow

familiar-on-first-listen, vocal ”.

● Steve Kenward - Welsh Connections “The punchy, spacious production by Chris Peet evokes the

emotional intensity of Echo and the Bunnymen and The Smiths. This clean, driving arrangement is

contrasted brilliantly with Ragsy’s soulful vocal – stretching and bending notes like Kelly Jones, but

with a distinct tone that is all his own”.

● Sadie Maude - Original Rock “The track has a tame, laid-back sound with the addition of Ragsy’s

swagger-filled vocals giving it that extra edge. The single has been taken from his forthcoming

album ‘One More For The Road’ and offers a great insight into the kind of vibe we can be

expecting. It builds hype all while not giving too much away!”

● Songwriters Magazine “If you’re a fan of classic songwriting with a rocky edge then the new single

from Ragsy is definitely for you. “The First Time” races along while looking back at the strength of

feelings which accompany a blossoming relationship”.

‘Under Clear Skies’ will be released on 16.04.2020 and available to stream and

download from all major online distribution sites. The Song also has an animated lyric

video to support its release.

New Music - Reboot 2020 Below 40Hz

More great new electronic music and Video from the mysterious 40Hz

New Music -OHIBO PARONTI -FITS LIKE A GLOVE

Forty years ago, Aberdare’s Rhode Island Red had a colourful past from being told to be quiet by boxer Howard Winston to waking the dead at a funeral parlour, cue the realisation that they were not the only band touring that moniker.

Unfortunately, they had just produced a pile of merchandise so with the help of some public house graffiti they picked a band name that wouldn’t be replicated elsewhere.

  Newly christened Ohibo Paronti the group performed BBC Wales showcases and high profile gigs including Hammersmith Odean led to them being muted as support for a forthcoming North American tour with the mighty Queen, then the wheels fell off, a management change at the record company left them out in the cold.

They carried on purveying a handy line in West Coast Harmonies and Steely Dan style musings with some harder edged covers (including a fabulous version of The Doors’ Been Down So Long) to local audiences before calling it a day.

An interesting side story in Welsh Music that took a Global Pandemic and a personal tragedy to rise Pheonix like to bring new and reworked tunes to help us through lockdown.

  OP’s guitarist Kelvin Edmunds passed away in the Summer of 2020 and the remainder of the band decided to work together again, albeit under covid conditions.

The album is out in the spring and feature tracks featuring contributions from Kelvin {ala The Beatles Real Love and Free As A Bird), the lead single is available now from all your usual download sites.

Fits Like A Glove has a soaring guitar leitmotif that will have you dreaming of Highway 66 and being on the bus in Almost Famous AOR Heaven,

CHRIS PHILLIPS

Send in the Suits

Steve Johnson is a regular contributor to Keep Cardiff Live but is also a stalwart of the Cardiff music scene, perhaps best known for his role as frontman with Cardiff’s Anonymous Iconoclasts. 

 A conversation with an old friend, ‘Big Al’ Davies led to his submitting a track for ‘Miniatures 2020’. ‘Send in the Suits’, is one of 124, 60 seconds-long, tracks on this highly unusual compilation, released on March 15th, by The 62nd Gramophone Company.

KCL will be posting a feature on the Album Monday 15th.