Ricochet

Adelia

Premiere: Mensik - Lux - Cuando todo se acaba

Stream in full and get the album! http://www.shemakeswar.com/direction-of-travel

http://facebook.com/shemakeswar
http://twitter.com/warriorgrrl

Management: gordon@stratamusic(dot)com

Under exclusive license to The state51 Conspiracy state51.com

The queen of gloom-pop She Makes War is back with her much-anticipated third album Direction Of Travel, out on 8 April 2016 via The State51 Conspiracy.

Direction Of Travel was recorded in the winter months of 2014/15 in Bristol, Brighton and London. Produced by Laura, mixed by Dan Austin (Doves, Pixies) and featuring guest appearances from Tanya Donelly and Mark Chadwick, most of the instruments were played by SMW with a cast of supporting musician friends including Clive Deamer and Andy Sutor on drums, The McCarricks and Nicole Robson on strings and Cajita on piano.

The songs on Direction Of Travel reveal widescreen ambition, deepening the glittery, grunge-inflected guitar-driven sound of SMW’s back catalogue while exploring new worlds of cinematic orchestration and heartfelt, confessional songwriting. The songs vibrate with sadness but the album’s message is hopeful - we can all become strong enough to reclaim ourselves, to escape from suffocating situations, process sadness and sorrow, and emerge all the stronger for the experience.

As with all things, there are two sides to the story. ‘Drown Me Out’, ‘In Cold Blood’ and ‘Alone’ combine an unabashed love of 90s alt-rock with the gothic undertones of Sisters Of Mercy and early Echo & The Bunnymen. ‘Time To Be Unkind’ (featuring Mark Chadwick) and ‘The Best’ blend melancholy ukulele, cello and piano with a tearstained lead vocal and killer harmonies to deliver the bittersweetest Dear John letters to their anonymous but undeserving miscreants. At the bursting heart of the album sit ‘Stargazing’ and ‘Paper Thin’ (featuring Tanya Donelly); the former unashamedly sharing Kidd’s lowest point - “I don’t believe anybody any more” - and the latter contemplating a period of personal reflection and ultimately redemption – ‘All this is ours…let’s do amazing things with good hearts.

’  ‘I came up with the title Direction Of Travel a few years ago after hearing the phrase many times on trains while I was travelling to gigs, and it’s such a fitting name for this collection of songs. Life truly is about the journey, not the destination, so we should make it as bright and brilliant as we can. My nomadic, lonesome lifestyle has shown me the only direction of travel is onwards, no matter what the world throws at you. 2014 proved to me that I can weather many storms, and once the healing process had begun I was able to trust and love again.’

At the end of 2015, She Makes War teased listeners with the release of 5 track EP Disarm:15, which received praise from the likes of The Line of Best Fit, Gigwise and Songwriting Magazine. Laura has also received support from BBC 6Music’s Lauren Laverne and Tom Robinson and has toured with the likes of tUnE-yArDs, Gruff Rhys, Nadine Shah and Suede.

www.shemakeswar.com
facebook.com/shemakeswar
 twitter.com/warriorgrrl

“She’s ace” - Lauren Laverne, 6 Music

“The emotional resonance of Elliott Smith colliding with the barbed vigour of Sleater-Kinney” - Gigwise

"Why just sing songs, when you can build worlds?" - The Quietus

She Makes War - Drown Me Out

As part of Poetry & Lyrics Festival 2017, the Poet in the City Producers present this special edition podcast episode.

Together we explore how the realms of poetic language and music have helped map the search for a perfect world - be it personal, political, or spiritual. We examine the potential for Utopia, and its flaws, taking the listener on a creative journey to imagine the impossible.

A unique arrangement of performances, reflection and debate with Dr Ruth Padel, the Reverend Lucy Winkett, James Massiah and Niles Hailstones from Asheber & The Afrikan Revolution.

Poet in the City Producers is a group of talented 16-25 year olds changing the way we see poetry by producing innovative media and live events to promote this age-old art form in the modern world.

This special edition podcast episode is brought to you by Poet in the City Producers Axel Kacoutié, Amica Sciortino Nowlan, Ariel Silverman, Louisa Danquah, Milica Cortanovacki and Olivia Amura.

PinC Podcast Episode 6: Searching For Utopia

In a new podcast for Nature Unwrapped, composer and sound recordist Chris Watson follows the overgrown railway path between Aldeburgh and Saxmundham, a favourite haunt of composer Benjamin Britten, recording an array of elemental, animal and bird sounds, including the outpouring of a nightingale.

The Old Railway Path was originally conceived as an installation in Hall One. In response to the current situation Chris Watson has created a narrated podcast for the Kings Place audience.

The Old Railway Path - Chris Watson

<h2><a href="http://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on-book-tickets/music/plugged-and-unplugged-post-minimalist-piano-music?utm_source=Soundcloud&utm_medium=Music&utm_campaign=SCBrubaker" target="_blank"><h3>Bruce Brubaker 
Kings Place, London
Sunday 19 May, 4pm</h3></a></h2>

On Sunday 19 May pianist Bruce Brubaker presents the UK Premiere of Nico Muhly's Drones & Piano at Kings Place. Listen to a sample of the album ahead of the show. 

<h3><a href="http://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on-book-tickets/music/plugged-and-unplugged-post-minimalist-piano-music?utm_source=Soundcloud&utm_medium=Music&utm_campaign=SCBrubaker" target="_blank">Read more and book tickets...</a></h3>

Full programme:
Philip Glass Mad Rush 
Nico Muhly Drones & Piano (UK premiere)
Philip Glass Etudes 4 & 5 (1994 versions)
Missy Mazzoli Orizzonte (‘Horizon’)
Bruce Brubaker Stolen Symphonies (live piano improvisation with music by Tristan Perich, Leif Inge & Francesco Tristano)
Alvin Curran Hope Street Tunnel Blues III (UK premiere)

 
Thanks to Bedroom Community and Macbeth Media Relations for the recordings.

Bruce Brubaker: Nico Muhly's Drones - Part II

Bruce Brubaker: Nico Muhly's Drones - Part III (The 8th Tune)

Bruce Brubaker: Nico Muhly's Drones - Part IV

Bruce Brubaker: Nico Muhly's Drones - Part V

We caught up with producer, composer and musician John Metcalfe ahead of his curation at Kings Place which runs from 11 to 13 May 2013. 

As well as curating, John will perform with John Metcalfe Band, featuring Simon Richmond (Imagined Village), Ali Friend (Red Snapper) and Louisa Fuller (Duke Quartet). 

This special concert will create an environment where all unnecessary stimuli are excised to allow greater focus on the music and to explore the relationship between performer and audience when the lights are switched off.

Support comes from The New Radiophonic Workshop, who were re-born last year from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop - responsible for the iconic Doctor Who theme music. 

Also in the series are the London premiere of Thomas Dolby's new short film and Goldfrapp's Will Gregory with his Moog Ensemble, featuring Portishead's Adrian Utley.

<a href="http://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on-book-tickets/curated-weeks/john-metcalfe-monomedia?utm_source=Soundcloud&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=SCMetcalfe" target="_blank">Read more and book tickets...</a>

John Metcalfe: A Kings Place Podcast

Kings Place is a young, independently-funded arts and conference venue in the heart of Kings Cross, whose programme is as diverse, engaging and innovative as the city we live in. At Kings Place, we aim to explore an idea from multiple perspectives, through a diverse offering of music, spoken word, festivals comedy and visual art.