Finley Quaye When Finley Quaye burst onto the British Music scene in 1997 his debut album Maverick A Strike quickly established him as one of the few truly innovative artists around. Providing hits such as Sunday Shining, Even After All and the much lauded Ultra Stimulation EP, Maverick was a groundbreaking record that defined the summer of 1997 and beyond, winning Finley a Brit for Best Male Artist in '98.
Fast forward to the year 2000 and the Maverick strikes back. The new album is "Vanguard". The single is "Spiritualized" - something of a departure from previous encounters - a rolling, rumbling track about love, life and learning.
The rule book is gone. Finley has embarked on a musical journey. Breaking down boundaries before they exist. Redefining himself and in doing so challenging what we know and understand. Smelting digital with the past and present to make the new sound of now.
With the album "Vanguard"- "it describes my position, my lyrics and music at this time in this country" - Finley has gone back to basics and discovered the future, through the way he has written and recorded this album and in the instruments he has chosen. Starting with guitar he has kept it very simple, picking out the suggestive chords and guiding the words with his soul. In doing so Finley has created "Vanguard", which more than lives up to it's name; 12 tracks of rich texture, depth, pure quality and originality.
The album came together from seeds of ideas planted over the past 18 months, and was recorded in around four months mainly in studios around North London. "The Emperor" is possibly one of the most beautiful and epic tracks on the album. A pulsating soundtrack heralded with exquisite strings that swirl around poetically heart wrenching lyrics "which climb around the rise and fall of babels tower", and are delivered with no effort by Mr Quaye.
One of the more driving and upbeat tracks on the album is "When I Burn Off Into The Distance", "a postcard to friends and family while I have been away", which introduces straight from the heart sentiment, over a rich tapestry of sounds.
"British Air Rage", is about "not conforming to unnecessary regulation, job seekers, liberty takers with a rising status - demonstrating musically more comfortable and wonderful regulations" it "makes a lot of nods and winks to different people, they know who they are". Capitalism and bad manners. Deeper than this though the psaltry (a biblical instrument) used on this track "creates a tension, like a plane suspended in the air".
"Chad Valley" is a pulsating melange of sounds and throbbing beats, probably the most contemporary track on the album, a strange title, Chad Valley refers to Finley?s youth when a friends dad used to call any kind of electronic music, Chad Valley music. "Calendar" is "trying to express how I create without any materials. Music, words, numbers, images in creation", whilst the beautifully wistful "Feeling Blue" is a song that everyone can relate to, "it's about feeling down but then saying that's all very well, what you gonna do about it".
When it comes to performing live Finley Quaye is in his element, "Playing live is one of the fundamental reasons I got into this game" and he will be back on the road with his band this autumn, "the more you can tour the better". Once again, as in all aspects of this spiritual man, Finley is keeping the family spirit running, a more mature artist, Finley Quaye has grown and gained experience in the time he has been away, musically, "Vanguard" shows new depth and proves that artistically he is on the next step in a voyage that looks set to see the Quaye lineage stretch long on into the future.
"Vanguard" - "The leading position in any movement or field or the people who occupy such a position".
Finley Quaye When Finley Quaye burst onto the British Music scene in 1997 his debut album Maverick A Strike quickly established him as one of the few truly innovative artists around. Providing hits such as Sunday Shining, Even After All and the much lauded Ultra Stimulation EP, Maverick was a groundbreaking record that defined the summer of 1997 and beyond, winning Finley a Brit for Best Male Artist in '98.
Fast forward to the year 2000 and the Maverick strikes back. The new album is "Vanguard". The single is "Spiritualized" - something of a departure from previous encounters - a rolling, rumbling track about love, life and learning.
The rule book is gone. Finley has embarked on a musical journey. Breaking down boundaries before they exist. Redefining himself and in doing so challenging what we know and understand. Smelting digital with the past and present to make the new sound of now.
With the album "Vanguard"- "it describes my position, my lyrics and music at this time in this country" - Finley has gone back to basics and discovered the future, through the way he has written and recorded this album and in the instruments he has chosen. Starting with guitar he has kept it very simple, picking out the suggestive chords and guiding the words with his soul. In doing so Finley has created "Vanguard", which more than lives up to it's name; 12 tracks of rich texture, depth, pure quality and originality.
The album came together from seeds of ideas planted over the past 18 months, and was recorded in around four months mainly in studios around North London. "The Emperor" is possibly one of the most beautiful and epic tracks on the album. A pulsating soundtrack heralded with exquisite strings that swirl around poetically heart wrenching lyrics "which climb around the rise and fall of babels tower", and are delivered with no effort by Mr Quaye.
One of the more driving and upbeat tracks on the album is "When I Burn Off Into The Distance", "a postcard to friends and family while I have been away", which introduces straight from the heart sentiment, over a rich tapestry of sounds.
"British Air Rage", is about "not conforming to unnecessary regulation, job seekers, liberty takers with a rising status - demonstrating musically more comfortable and wonderful regulations" it "makes a lot of nods and winks to different people, they know who they are". Capitalism and bad manners. Deeper than this though the psaltry (a biblical instrument) used on this track "creates a tension, like a plane suspended in the air".
"Chad Valley" is a pulsating melange of sounds and throbbing beats, probably the most contemporary track on the album, a strange title, Chad Valley refers to Finley?s youth when a friends dad used to call any kind of electronic music, Chad Valley music. "Calendar" is "trying to express how I create without any materials. Music, words, numbers, images in creation", whilst the beautifully wistful "Feeling Blue" is a song that everyone can relate to, "it's about feeling down but then saying that's all very well, what you gonna do about it".
When it comes to performing live Finley Quaye is in his element, "Playing live is one of the fundamental reasons I got into this game" and he will be back on the road with his band this autumn, "the more you can tour the better". Once again, as in all aspects of this spiritual man, Finley is keeping the family spirit running, a more mature artist, Finley Quaye has grown and gained experience in the time he has been away, musically, "Vanguard" shows new depth and proves that artistically he is on the next step in a voyage that looks set to see the Quaye lineage stretch long on into the future.
"Vanguard" - "The leading position in any movement or field or the people who occupy such a position".
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