The Creatures We Were Before We Are Ghosts

 

I'm probably not the only person who was intrigued by The Son(s) when they first came on to the scene in 2011 with the backing of their label Olive Grove Records.

The fact they had backing was quite something, given that their identities were a secret and they didn't play live, so it was quite a chance for a small DIY label like Olive Grove to take. I greatly admire both artist and label for that - they simply let the music do the talking.

Here we are, 9-years later, in the grip of COVID, restrictions and worrying about just how dark the winter ahead is going to be.

And here are The Son(s) with their new album The Creatures We Were Before We Are Ghosts. 

Following the creation of a new band line-up in 2018 into 2019, the band played low key support slots to the likes of Kathryn Joseph and Randolph's Leap, playing entirely new songs.

These songs were then recorded in Leith Theatre in March 2020, just as the country was going into lockdown. The atmospheric setting has been transformed on to the record, the songs have a beautiful feel to them

Opening Lord, I Am Grateful starts off with a kind of Spiritualized feel to it, before things kick in to lift the vocal melody higher, while the second song A Prick In Gold Lame is beautifully fractured and harmonious.

The Things I Love Are Not At Home starts off with a sparsely picked electric guitar, vocals and strings. The simplicity draws you in, demanding a listen. The song builds beautifully and dramatically before falling back to just electric guitar. 

Throughout this beautiful album, you get the impression that everything is remarkably unhurried, like The Son(s) are in their own little bubble. I think that's always a good place for a band to be

There Are No Sharks & It's Time For Bed Now highlights this rather beautifully, as does the brilliantly titled I'm Glad You Kept Your Hair John Travolta. Me too!

The last 2-tracks are real highlights for me. All We Are Is All There Was & All There Ever Shall Be is absolutely gorgeous, lasting 5-minutes yet making you wish for a few minutes more.

The closing For When It Hurts is barely there, yet the picked electric guitar and the gentle vocals have you hanging on every word.

As you grow old

Whatever you need

I will hold you

I'll be here just when it hurts

The limited edition clear vinyl is sold out. Sorry, I'm a little late blogging on this! But check it on Bandcamp or all other digital channels.

2014 review by Olive Grove Records

One of the hardest working guys in the Scottish independent music scene must be Lloyd Meredith who runs Olive Grove Records and manages Randolph's Leap. Lloyd also used to run the highly respected Peenko blog, but after having a beautiful daughter something had to give!

Olive Grove Records is growing from strength to strength, enhancing its reputation year on year through consistently brilliant and interesting releases. Releases by The Son(s) and Skinny Dipper have been favourites of mine in 2014.

I caught up with Lloyd to find out how 2014 had been for him. I'm off to check out some of his musical highlights! I also caught up with some of the acts from the Olive Grove Records so expect their reviews to follow through the week.

1. What singles/songs that have been released in 2014 have stood out for you?

I don't think all of these tracks were necessarily released in 2014, however, they are 3 of my favourite songs that I've listened to this year.  

The Notwist - Kong

Poor Things - Halcyon Days!

The Burning Hell - Amateur Rappers

Ezra Furman - My Zero

2. What albums released in 2014 have you enjoyed?

Excluding the albums that I have personally been involved with releasing, I have found a lot of time for the following albums this year: 

Jenny Lewis - The Voyager

The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream

Bonnie Prince Billy - Singer's Grave a Sea of Tongues

The Notwist - Close To The Glasss

Honeyblood - Honeyblood

The Twilight Sad - Nobody Wants To be Here And Nobody Wants To Leave

Benjamin Booker - Benjamin Booker

3. What old music/bands have you discovered/gone back to in 2014?

I have found myself gorging on old Belle and Sebastian albums a fair bit this year. I am really intrigued about what their new album will be like and I can't wait to see them at the Hydro in May!

4. What has been the musical highlight of 2014 for you?

2014 has been a pretty amazing year for me, both in terms of the label and managing Randolph's Leap. I honestly don't think I could pick out one single thing, the Olive Grove showcases at Celtic Connections and as part of the Pleasance Sessions were massive for me, seeing Call To Mind play with the Cairn String Quartet up at Eden Court Theatre was pretty damn special. Releasing actual records with The Son(s), Skinny Dipper and Call To Mind was really important for me, having never released anything on vinyl through Olive Grove, it meant a lot to me. If you add in everything that Randolph's Leap have achieved since the release of their debut album, Clumsy Knot, then it's safe to say that the past 12 months have been pretty damn ace!

5. What are you plans for 2015?

Hopefully we'll be releasing new albums from Woodenbox and the State Broadcasters, plus there might be another addition to the Olive Grove family. Also, Randolph's Leap are just in the process of recording their first ever studio album, so hopefully that will be out at some point too.

The Son(s) - Leviathan EP

To keep your identity hidden in the current age is pretty impressive and I personally find it quite refreshing. That is exactly what The Son(s) have done following the release of their self-titled debut album last year and Leviathan, the excellent 6-track follow up EP. The album is available to buy NOW and the EP is released on 7th May. Both are released via Olive Grove Records, the DIY label that may well make the jump to a respected indie within the next 2 or 3 years if it continues its current approach.

I was going to write this review on first listen, a write-while-I-listen approach, that can either work well or hopelessly mis-fire as songs grow on me.


That approach went out the window very quickly and I am now on my fourth listen of the opening track 'Roaring Around The Houses'. There are some beautiful harmonies, gentle acoustic strums, a stunning melody played on an instrument I don't know, (maybe a flute sampler or something?). The vocals are exquisite, as is the recording and production. I would highly recommend listening to this on headphones.


Only two-and-a-half minutes long, be warned, you may be like me and go back and listen to this again and again.


'If I Hear You Talk Apostrophes Again' takes me by surprise as it comes in on a Bowie type riff, there is another nice melody plonked out from a piano, the vocals are completely different - hushed yet with a menace about them, the harmonies are close and brilliant again but in a different way. As it is The Son(s) I have no idea if it is a different singer or the same person who sang the opener. I did read somewhere it was one person, if it is then the guy is incredibly talented.

'When I'm King you're first against the wall'

'Cocksure Boys' slows things down again. I don't know if The Son(s) listen to The Beach Boys or not, but I am kind of guessing they do. The intricate melodies and variety of instruments are so special that you could play this to a stranger and pass it off as a long lost gem from the 'Smile' sessions or something. Seriously, this is special music. The production is sublime again as it is throughout this gem of an EP.

'You, you're just the kind of fellow, who likes taking things apart, 

but can't put 'em back together'

Again, I had to go back and listen to this a few times. It truly is a gem.


The quality and variety of music on this EP is truly remarkable. One of those few occasions where the music hits you instantly yet you know it also has so much depth that you will keep going back to it. 


I do hope The Son(s) eventually play live. I do also like and appreciate the fact they remain a mystery. Apparently promoters and festivals wanted them to play last year...they turned them down. 


'Half Lived' changes pace again. It has a dream like feeling to it and has the hook that turns into a mantra;

'Please cover the kids in kisses from me'

'Shot Out A Cannon' has an Elbow like feel and quality to it. The lovely instrumental to close the song ends too soon, you could get hypnotised by it. 


'There Is No-one To Thank' is just over 2-minutes long, yet that is more than enough time for The Son(s) to work their magic. The guitar playing is exceptional and the melody picked out on a xylophone is just beautiful.

'There is no-one to thank. There is no-one to turn and say thank you too

You don't know where they've gone, and it's no consequence of where you come from'

This is the best thing I have heard in ages. I don't really know what else to say, hopefully the references to The Beach Boys, Elbow, melodies, hypnotic instrumentals, hooks, etc etc will lead you to check it out.


For now, you can stream the EP from the Olive Grove Records Soundcloud page....but you will want this on your ipod. Or you can buy a cassette!