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| Ralfe Band |
Continuing from 'Swords',
their brilliant dada road-movie debut on Skint Records, 'Attic Thieves' confirms Ralfe Band a special
place as one of England's most original, melodic and richly
poetic bands.
Inside its old mirrored room you will find Oly Ralfe's
latest almanac of twelve richly varied songs and instrumentals.
The recordings here range from the beautifully personal
to the eerily comic, with song lyrics peppered with mysterious
alter-egos, all reflecting an inventive band journeying
across a dreaming landscape uniquely Ralfe Band's.
Attic Thieves was created by Oly Ralfe and
his music brother Andrew Mitchell. Oly sings, plays upright
piano, organ, accordion and Spanish guitar. From Mitchell
emanate beatnik drums, scattershot percussion, electric
guitar and arrangements borne from a love of great rhythm
masters from Django Reinhardt to The Ramones.
Other brigands contributing to the sound of Attic Thieves
include Messrs Garo Nahoulakian on electric guitar, double
bassist Ben Nicholls, Joe Bennett on violin and trumpet,
and Rowland Prytherch, mandolin, bass and wayward trombone.
The eclectic Mr Ralfe doesn't just content himself with
the music; he is the artist behind the band's artwork
and videos. Oly is also the director behind the award-winning
film The Ballad of AJ Weberman - the
movie is a feature documentary about the New York odd-ball
and infamous stalker of the mighty Bob Dylan.
The film premiered at Slamdance Film Festival 2007 and won the Raindance Award at the British
Independent Film Awards. In addition to all this
Oly is an occasional contributor of songs and cameos to
the Mighty Boosh radio and TV shows. Handwritten
poems and drawings by Oly will feature in the new Mighty Boosh book, published this Autumn.
Back to the music - Attic Thieves announces itself
with a blackly comic, raucous blues anthem 'Open Eye', which follows with the swinging gothic tale 'Stumble',
replete with harpsichord and fairground organ. Moving
forward, the mood quietly intensifies with 'Big Head'
a spine tingling, hypnotizing instrumental. We now encounter
the grand ramble of 'Mirror Face' which was inspired
by crumbling Palermo.
Heading into the half light, we hit the classic English
songwriting of 'Platform Boy' with its high melody
and bowed double bass. Half-time and piano, bass and looped
drums summon our bodies away with the zigzag polka stomp
of 'Attics'. The pace stays high with a born-again
chorus and dirty organ riff of 'Helmutsine',
before drifting into the stripped, plaintive lullaby 'St
Marks Door', all amply demonstrating the shifting
colours of this journey.
After a stolen moment with 'Two Lorenzos', the
trip gathers pace with, 'Lost Like Gods', an entrancing,
floating waltz that departs from view with wandering strings.
From here in contrast, garbage pail percussion jumps out
of the surreal swamp of 'Ice Is On My Hands',
an insomniac's ode to a lost teenage bride. And then,
in classic Ralfe Band circus fashion, the album bids us
a fond, drunken farewell with 'Queen of Romania',
a breakneck sing-along of queens, stolen cars and gin.
Sweet dreams.
So now the candlelit carnival is open, let us draw aside
the ragged red curtain, please remove all hats, and let
the show begin. |
| Press
& PR |
Praise for debut album 'Swords’
"a
whiskey-soured folk trip...Ralfe's moon-eyed beauty is
simply the work of one vivid imagination" ****
MOJO
"Ralfe Band have delivered
one of the most arresting debuts of the year" MUSIC WEEK
"chaotic and quirky...a law-unto-itself blend...works
for me" **** INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
"Ralfe Band are one of my favourite groups
right now and their records take you on a weird and wonderful
journey to their own little wonderland" MARK
RADCLIFFE / BBC RADIO 2
"a
fantastic album...put them right at the top of the 'albums
I must check out list', regardless of your musical persuasion" **** DJ MAGAZINE
"Ralfe Band are a brilliant new band
who play psychopathic folk-waltz music... epic and peculiar
and catchy as hell" JULIAN BARRATT (THE
MIGHTY BOOSH) |
| Links |
Official
Website
Official
Myspace page |
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| Press Images |
Album Cover - Attic
Thieves
1417x1417 / 300dpi / 983kb
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in a new window or right click here and select 'save as'
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Single Cover - Attics/Stumble
1181x1181 / 300dpi / 983kb
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in a new window or right click here and select 'save as'
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Press Shot 1
9449x6034 / 300dpi / 2.4mb
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in a new window or right click here and select 'save as'
photo by Victoria Bonn-Meuser |
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Press Shot 1
3368x2304 / 180dpi / 6.5mb
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in a new window or right click here and select 'save as'
photo by Victoria Bonn-Meuser |
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Press Shot 2
2192x3328 / 180dpi / 2.9mb
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in a new window or right click here and select 'save as'
photo by Victoria Bonn-Meuser |
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Press Shot 3
1965x3484 / 180dpi / 6.1mb
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in a new window or right click here and select 'save as'
photo by Victoria Bonn-Meuser |
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Press Shot 4
2232x3549 / 180dpi / 5.1mb
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in a new window or right click here and select 'save as'
photo by Victoria Bonn-Meuser |
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Press Shot 5
1758x2212 / 300dpi / 2mb
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in a new window or right click here and select 'save as'
photo by Victoria Bonn-Meuser |
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Press Shot 6
4000x3000 / 180dpi / 5.8mb
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in a new window or right click here and select 'save as' |
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Press Shot 7
4000x3000 / 180dpi / 8.1mb
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Press Shot 8
4000x3000 / 180dpi / 7mb
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Press Shot 9
3000x4000 / 180dpi / 3.5mb
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Press Shot 10
2912 × 4228 / 300dpi / 7.1mb
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in a new window or right click here and select 'save as' |
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| Details |
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* Quotes (text) |
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* Press Release (pdf) - 480kb |
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* Press Release (doc) - 456kb |
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The Ralfe Band
'Attic Thieves'
1. Open Eye
2. Stumble
3. Big Head
4. Mirror Face
5. Platform Boy
6. Attics
7. Helmutsine
8. St. Mark’s Door
9. Two Lorenzos
10. Lost Like Gods
11. Ice Is On My Hands
12. Queen of Romania
cat no: VJCD181
barcode: 5029432008021
release date: 13th Oct '08 |
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Ralfe Band
Double A-side Single - Attics/Stumble
Release date: December 1st 2008
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* Press Release (pdf) - 1.1mb |
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