So then, it’s back to normality and the annual post TT slump!
The Small Bear Records label based in Douglas has been up and running since 2011. Run by label boss and producer/engineer, Phil Reynolds, the imprint has released offerings from the likes of Matt Bouvier, Ian Thompson, John Smiley, Dog, Paper, Submarine, Eight To Infinity, Phil’s own project, Phil Reynolds and the Dearly Departed, Veto, The Bordellos, and most notably, local alternative noisemakers Postcode.
In May 2014 the label also released the second album from local singer/songwriter, Clara Barker (pronounced ‘Sarah’, it’s noted!). Clara came onto the scene in 2007 and began playing shows across the island before eventually venturing further a field and completing a number of dates in the UK. In March 2011, Small Bear Records released her debut album ‘Indigo’, a collection of songs taken from Clara’s back catalogue. At the time Banter Magazine praised Clara’s ‘lyrical honesty’ which was described as ‘refreshing in today’s musical landscape which, lyrics-wise, is so saturated by faux teenage angst or ambiguity disguised as profundity’. The album also spawned the ‘Christmas In New York’ single.
The second album entitled ‘Fine Art & The Breslins’ is a collection of 15 tracks, 12 of them penned in the three years since Indigo. Also included is an acoustic cover of ‘Miss You’ by Blink 182, plus two remixes, one being undertaken by Gypo Buggane of Ballagroove Records, which has a feel of Beth Orton about it.
Lyrically, vocally and musically, to me the influences range from Kirsty MacColl and Paul Simon to the more contemporary, Lily Allen. The songs are still light-hearted, good feeling pieces, however there is certainly a pretty huge leap forward in the song writing from the first album. Not that there was anything wrong with the songs on Indigo, but these new tracks show a pretty big step up and there’s more of a feeling of a complete package here. It also shows that Clara has grown a lot as an artist in the last three years. The production once again handled by Phil Reynolds is also a step up from the Indigo album and absolutely shines, a great job all round. If you need some light-hearted, uplifting escapism then you can’t go far wrong in giving this album a spin.
For more information on how to purchase this album and all of the other releases on the Small Bear Records imprint, please go to www.smallbearrecords.com
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Steve Leach brings the latest rumblings, murmuring, news and views on forthcoming events in and around the Manx music scene. Help support the scene by emailing leachsteve@hotmail.com