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'From Gardens Where We Feel Secure', Virginia Astley's debut album, was first released in 1983 and was re-released by Rough Trade last month to mark their 25th anniversary. An instrumental album, it paints a peaceful, gently seductive aural picture of a summer in the countryside.
This is a pastoral representation, warm and soft, and perhaps a little nostalgic, offering another world far from these November nights in the big city, the car alarms replaced by church bells. The record opens to bird song, a piano and flute following, to create a peaceful, floating melody - the dawn of the day in which our story is told. The record moves through moods: the strange, otherworldly flight of the title track; the early-afternoon languidness of 'Out On The Lawn I Lie In Bed' and the eerie distortions of 'When The Fields Were On Fire'. 'Its Too Hot To Sleep' closes the proceedings: an owl hoots, crickets chirp and slowly the day fades.
The whole album has a dream-like quality. Virginia Astley has taken her summer's day and let herself slip into it, investing every moment with an ethereal beauty, the beauty that comes from those moments of inner peace - when thoughts take seconed place to a sunset, where an imagination can go flying over the tree-tops, caught by a faint breeze, warmed by the glow of the sun.
Background sounds are worked into the music throught the album - sometimes to bring an abrupt halt to a mood (the donkey braying at the end of 'Hiding In The Ha Ha'); sometimes interwoven into the music, an extra instrument, adding to the layers of sound already present.
It may sound complex, but it feels very simple, that is its charm. It feels kind and honest, for a moment you allow yourself to wonder just what they had with mid-morning tea but, for the most part, its nicer to imagine this as an experience simply inspired by the world around it - an illustration of the beauty that can be found in those peaceful moments, in the other world within our busy world, that we don't stop to take in quite as often as we should. Perhaps it works even better when the dark nights come - a reminder of the potential of life, and an encouragement to notice the world around you, instead of pulling up that hood, tying the scarf and retreating into yourself.
The gentlest of wake-up calles, and as warm as you could wish for - this is an unexpected, eclectic choice for an anniversary re-release but rather a fine one. If there were more days like this, I reckon we'd all be a little bit happier.
Ian Anscombe
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I'm going to have to mention it. I promise to try to make it as quick and painless as possible.
Deep breath…
Here goes...
Bob Fairoull used to play bass Idlewild. Now he plays guitar in Degrassi.
Phew I did it! Now can I move on and talk about Degrassi themselves and more specifically their new EP The Form?
Degrassi, the band who's members include Micheal Branagh, Tom nicol, and Sott Smitt aswell as the the infamous Bob Fairoull, found themselves signed to the SL record label in 2001 after a demo was picked for the evening session by John Peel. Since then they have been touring extensively the country. The
Filled with fire, echoing frightenly, Lugar, the first song on the EP, rattles through 4 minutes of blaring rock. The aprupt end allows mere seconds to gain composure before you are thrown right into second track, Cabin Fever. Feel you mind explode with the force of the crashing guitars interspaced with gentle lulls. But this is just a gentle stroll in the park in comparison to the eponymous third track which blasts from high to low with such propensity that you'll it could knock you off your seat. The EP finishes with UFO. A crackly American sounding radio reports UFO sightings before easing into the electronic mellow sound of the finale Relax, tumble through the stars with this spaceage song, as your journey comes to an end.
Rachel Queen
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