"Paint The Ground" by THE JUNIPERS – A Review Of The 2012 Download Now On VINYL In 2014 on Sugarbush Records

Here is a link to the Download avialable on Amazon UK (go to Sugarbush Records for the LP):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007CQD0V6

"…Let The Feeling Flow…" – Paint The Ground by THE JUNIPERS

Initially released in 2012 as a 10-track Download only – someone in Sugarbush Records thinks "Paint The Ground" deserves another shot at stardom – and I’d say when it comes to Leicester’s Folk-Rock act THE JUNIPERS - they'd be right. 

This is a gorgeous little album – chock full of pleasing melodies – and now it’s being reissued in April 2014 with a bonus track on the VINYL LP (“Everywhere Was You” – Track 3 on Side 1). It's a limited edition of 300 copies (with a different sleeve) on Sugarbush SB600.

Stylistically - think a folksy variant of The LA’s with just as many catchy tunes. A sort of English BIG STAR with perhaps a taste of MATTHEWS SOUTHERN COMFORT and even the country melodies of THE JAYHAWKS. The painted art of the front cover might make you think this is perhaps Retro Psych – it isn’t (although the swirling song structures ape that sound at times). The Junipers feel more New Folk than Psych - like a hybrid of all of the above but with the added stew of Sixties Pop like THE ASSOCIATION or even the jangle of THE BYRDS.

Beautifully produced by Gavin Monhagon (Kings Of Leon, The Editors and Ryan Adams) - the opener "Look Into My River" hooks you immediately with its guitars, flute and layered soft vocals - while “Dandelion Man” ups the happy pace to a point where you may feel an uncontrollable urge to place a dandelion in the Afro hair of a foreign student on the London Underground.

“Golden Fields In Golden Sun” is pretty but perhaps takes the hippy lyrics a step too far – but the superb “Antler Season” is a musical nugget that will surely grace a “Juno” type soundtrack any day now. “Phoebus Filled The Town” even has a Steve Hackett guitar vibe (lyrics from it title this review) - sounding not unlike “Horizons” on “Foxtrot" at times. Very tasty indeed…

On the lovely “They Lived Up In The Valley” The Junipers sing of “such a quiet family…kept things to themselves…”

Well when you succumb to this gorgeous album – like me - you won’t be keeping quiet about them or this…well done lads.

“Centaur” by ORGONE BOX – A Review Of The 2013 CD and LP Featuring Rick Corcoran...

"…Find The One You Love…"

"Centaur" by ORGONE BOX

The first thing that hits you about ORGONE BOX is the sheer musicality of the tunes – part Seventies TODD RUNDGREN part BECK part BIG STAR part JIM WHITE and even THE BEATLES circa Peppers – and that’s an impressive line-up in any man’s book.

Lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Rick Corcoran writes all the songs - and named after a device that captures energy - 1996 saw the debut album "The Orgone Box" released in Japan only (reissued elsewhere 2001). "Things That Happened Then" followed in 2002, "My Reply" in 2004 - and now a mere 9-year gap until this - "Centaur" – released December 2013 on Sugarbush Records.

It opens with the lush acoustic strums of "Anaesthesia" and its multi-layered chorus - "I'm not into psychedelia but I’ve a psychedelic mind…" The swirl of the vocals continues on "Mirrorball (What I Want To Feel)" which some added fuzz guitar that really works. "Ticket To Return" is bound to turn up in a movie soundtrack somewhere – superbly hooky and full of great lyrics about sisters worried about their nerdy brothers. But even better ends Side 1 – "Judy Over The Rainbow" – so “Revolver” in ways that Macca and Lennon would love.

Side 2 highlights feature more fuzz-swirling catchiness in the shape of "Wurld Revolz" while the acoustic strum of "Find The One" is an obvious single/radio play hit (lyrics from it title this review). There’s a gorgeous musicality to "Disposable" which will draw in Karl Wallinger/World Party fans. And it ends on the Beatlesque “Bubble” evoking the spirit of 1966 yet again to superb effect.

On the lovely “Wethouse” Corcoran sings “Loving me shouldn’t be hard to do…”

It isn’t. Fabulous stuff...and a wee bit of an undiscovered gem frankly…