The Grey Lady Music Lounge, Sunday 4th April 2010

The Momeraths create an eruption of joyous pop magma forged from homemade instruments, toe tapping rhythms and boy-girl vocal melodies. After self-releasing a hand knitted debut EP and producing a highly collectable limited edition vinyl on the New Slang’s Singles Club, The Momeraths are back with a second EP on DIY label Smuggler’s Records. Recorded in various studios and bedrooms up and down the country, and mixed by Dave Bascombe (The Coral, Emmy The Great and Depeche Mode), The Momeraths have produced four tracks of chiming harmonies, rambunctious pop melodies and witty storytelling, offering some much-needed sunshine in these times of gloominess. Creating a shimmering accompaniment to the delicate motif of a couples’ unrest, title track ‘A Single Cup Of Tea’ moves the folk pop outfit into pastures new with 80’s inspired synths and sharp sonic sounds, whilst the clatter of bar stalls and ironing boards form a unique percussive backbone for the curiously titled summer sing along ‘Millipede Stomps’. Furthermore ‘The Boyfriend Song’, transports you to a tale of unrequited love and the rip-roaring excitement of its impossibility. Littered with squeaking doors, wistful glockenspiels and charming harmonies, the EP draws to a conclusion with a bedroom demo that will surely bring a warmth to even the coldest of hearts. The Momeraths are promoting the launch of the EP by bringing their vibrant live performance to venues across the country. Shows include a London Launch party at The Betsey Trotwood, a shared bill with Kurran and The Wolfnotes and a show for Radio 1’s Bethan Elfyn.

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Singer-songwriter, Paul Dunton leads his own unique cross-over orchestra providing an atmospheric fusion of alternative and pop with a classical twist. Paul & his Orchestra take influences from varying modern day artists such as Pink Floyd, Elbow, ELO, Turin Brakes, Massive Attack, Damien Rice and contemporary composers such as Samuel Barber, Ludovico Einaudi, John Barry and Hans Zimmerman. The Orchestra performs Paul's own compositions and a varied selection of uniquely arranged standards from a wide range of artists. The line-up of 8 violins, 4 cellos, guitar, flute, bass and percussion accompanies Paul on vocals and piano, joined by his lead vocalists, Charlotte Andrew and Poppy Raine. Paul and his Orchestra regularly perform at concerts, festivals and private events throughout the UK and internationally, including headlining the Theatrium Wilhelmstraße Festival in Wiesbaden, Germany and an 8 state tour of the USA which culminated in a spectacular roof-top performance on top of the New York Strand Hotel. Increased attention and success led to the orchestra being featured on BBC Radio 2 by Joan Armatrading with interviews and airplay of one of Paul's songs, 'Don't Forget'. This led to Paul supporting Joan Armatrading on five occasions during her recent UK tours.

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Local songstress Josie Lee has established herself as one of the leading female artists at the Grey Lady. Her haunting vocals carry a unique pure tone that is full of atmosphere and feeling. She has produced a distinct medley of contemporary, melodic songs with influences such as Jeff Buckley, Tori Amos, Joni Mitchell and Nirvana. She originally started out as a solo artist playing regularly at various local Tunbridge Wells venues and has performed here at the show previously as a duo. Josie started university at Falmouth in late September 2008 where she is reading English and creative writing although she fully intends to keep her songwriting and singing ticking along in the process!

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COCOS LOVERS (pronounced co-cos, as in the Cocos Islands) are an eight-piece band made up of husbands, wives, brothers, sisters and friends that hail from Deal on the Kent coast.

Cocos Lovers formed in early 2008 and they have not looked back since. The summer of 2008 saw them feature at a number of festivals, as well as performing at various venues around the country. Towards the end of 2008 the band embarked on a European tour. The tour took them to Holland, Belgium, France, Germany and Spain. They busked and gigged they're way from place to place and stayed in communes and squats, where this unusual troupe of musicians were welcomed with open arms. The tour lasted three months and proved to be an incredible eye-opening experience, with many of their adventures inspiring new songs.

The band members play a variety of instruments including violin, tenor banjo, mandolin, guitars, flute and ukulele, which are often interchanged during they’re live shows. Their songs also feature four and six part harmonies, which make for a rich, dynamic and interesting sound.

In 2009 the band released two limited edition EP’s. Their debut EP, ‘The Story of Lunatic Van Rogue’, was released in April 09, with the follow up ‘Time to stand’ released in July 09. Both EP’s were limited to a 1000 copies, which both sold out. The band have been described as ‘one of Kent’s most promising new bands’. They have also received radio play on Tom Robinson's BBC6 Music show, as well as various internet stations.

Their live shows are winning rave reviews and they have been described ‘as one to watch’ and ‘one of the bands most likely to break from the folk circuit and into the mainstream’.

They performed to a capacity crowd in the Folk Tent at the award winning Lounge on the Farm festival, with a performance described by some reviewers as ‘Legendary’. The band played a number of other festivals in 2009, such as, Small World, Coed Spring Gathering, Secret Garden Party, Emerge, Triban, Full Circle, Green Man Festival and Sellindge Festival. They also made appearances at Broadstairs and Sidmouth folk weeks.

They have supported artists such as 6 Day Riot, Mumford and Sons, Fionn Regan, Danny and the Champions of the World and Alessis Ark.

The band have just released their debut album ‘Johannes’ through Smugglers Records and shall be touring the UK in April, as appearing at a number of the UK festivals over the summer.

REVIEWS:

“Made up of husbands, wives, friends and siblings they succeed in creating a whirlwind of glorious unfettered joy in a way that is reminiscent of a more organic Noah And The Whale or Mumford And Sons imbued with greater urgency. Flutes, violins, tambourines and banjos are interchanged throughout an electrically charged performance, which even inspires a bout of crowd surfing from one eager soul. Their heavenly harmonies are a beautiful substance that soothes the soul one beat at a time. “ -- CLICKMUSIC REVIEW @ Lounge on the Farm

“My good gosh!!! This band is one of our most exciting MySpace finds of recent memory. It would not be out of place to mention them in the same breath as the likes of Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling or Cherbourg. Or Christ!...even Leadbelly, Merle Haggard and Woodie Guthrie. Simply breathtaking. One of those acts that have the ability to grab your attention just by mic testing, hold your gaze by string tuning and simply take your breath right out of your body on the first song and send your heart raising round your body on the second. And you won’t stop trying to catch it till well after they've left the stage.” -- Bloody Awful Poetry

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