RIVERS OF ENGLAND












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QUOTES:
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'Wholesome and finely crafted loveliness'
- BBC Introducing

'...the music here is first class and varied, folk augmented with a tad of Blues, a smidgen of jazz and a whiff of prog rock. It deserves a wide audience.'
- Ian Cripps, Fatea Records Magazine

'Immersive, simple but impressive music that is somehow quintessentially English, there is something quite wholesome, refined and altogether rather sweet about this music and the vocals are completely lovely.'
- Glastonbury Emerging Talent Contest

'A beautiful album that nourishes the soul through pure musicality and sublimely sensitive songwriting. A gargantuan triumph.'
- Chris Vaudin

'The stunning Meadow Sways is a piece that sounds like a lost timeless classic. It is so well poised in its writing, performance, arrangement, texture and blend that it is almost beyond criticism – its just a well made lovely thing.'
- Davey Ray Moor (formerly of Cousteau)

'Rob Spalding is a highly talented singer songwriter. Armed with an awe-inspiring voice capable of sending shivers down your spine, Rob has approached the folk acoustic scene with passion, soul and honesty.'
- Sam Rowe (sound engineer, composer & producer)

“'‘Of Trivial and Gargantuan’ is a strong and accomplished debut that gently drifts its unhurried way into the psyche, and its tender, sweet sounds seem to have arrived perfectly timed for the summer festival season.'”
 
- Ian Fildes - Americana UK

“'Immersive, simple but impressive music that is somehow quintessentially English, there is something quite wholesome, refined and altogether rather sweet about this music and the vocals are completely lovely. Rare but nice to find something reminiscent of Yo La Tengo and Nick Drake all at once.'”
 
- Don't Watch Me Dancing - Glastonbury Emerging Talent 2013 top 1.5% (longlist)

“'There is so much inventiveness and freshness in this music, that contains a large-scale potential of development.'”
 
Wolfgang Giese - Rock Times

"this is delicate folk music, given a hefty treatment through arrangements with plenty of strings to take the acoustic guitars high into the atmosphere."
 
- David Hintz - www.folkworld.eu

"Thoughtful but never painful, "Of Trivial And Gargantuan" is full of beautiful compositions: the folk-blues in two voices just tinged jazz of "To Feel Alive" line leaves a strong and clear in the footsteps of John Martyn, and "Bailbrook Lane "rereads years of the history of British pop for the more cultured passing of Peter Gabriel's" Solsbury Hill ", the Xtc of" Mummer "and David Gray, weaves between electroacoustic and memorable riffs that imprint in the mind the pleasant refrain." 

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BIO:
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Rivers Of England’s sound is reminiscent of the Nick Drake/ John Martyn era but with some heavy moments. They have a powerful yet warm string-infused alternative acoustic sound. The new album 'Astrophysics saved my life' (released February 26th 2016) has one foot also in the bluesy electric genre through inclusion on three tracks of the blues-rock legend and former Robert Plant guitarist Innes Sibun. Continuing the notion of greater perspective through considering yourself in the context of the universe, the new album also has a nautical theme present with a blend of rivers and the sea, alongside the more common personal themes of failed relationships, mental illness, family sailing holiday memories, complaints about jobs, childhood bicycle adventures, loneliness and universal love. On the album sleeve some of the tracks are given grid references pinpointing the places of inspiration. The opening track presents the idea of universes within universes, while the title track 'Astrophysics saved my life' is partly inspired by the euphoria that comes from looking into space. Following a bluesy/pastoral climax of 'In the barley', the album finishes with the more personal reflective 'On the spectrum' with a hint to the notion that we are all a little bit mad.

Interesting facts about Rivers Of England: a surgeon listens to them while performing operations; their beloved tour bus is named 'Ludwig'; they launched their last two releases on boats; they played a wind & solar powered gig at Glastonbury (the power cut out half way through); they got shortlisted for the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition in 2013; map grid references are given on the album sleeve that pinpoint places of inspiration; they have been featured on local BBC radio & the BBC Introducing playlist; their return from a tour was delayed after one member was hospitalised after eating too much (dodgy) pizza; their new album features former Robert Plant guitarist Innes Sibun.
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Nach den Sternen greifen, einmal auf dem Mond spazieren gehen und schwerelos durch die unendlichen Weiten des Universums treiben. Die unersättliche Neugier nach dem, was das Weltall birgt, regt zum Träumen an. Wäre es nicht schön, dem tristen Alltag einmal zu entkommen und all diese Dinge wahr werden zu lassen?

Die Band Rivers of England aus Bristol macht dies mit ihrem neuen Album „Astrophysics Saved My Life“  zumindest gedanklich möglich. Mit ihrem einzigartigen Sound, einer Mischung aus Folk, Jazz, Rock und Blues, nehmen sie ihre Zuhörer mit auf eine Reise durch die Galaxien der Erinnerung.

Ihre Musik erinnert an die Nick Drake und John Martyn Ära. Sie haben einen kraftvollen und gleichzeitig gitarrenlastigen alternativen Akustik-Sound. Bei drei Titeln des neuen Albums wirkt die Blues-Rock Legende Innes Sibun, ehemaliger Gitarrist von Robert Plant, mit und verleiht dem Album einen bluesartigen Hauch von Electro.
Betrachtet man sich selbst im Kontext zum Universum und berücksichtig man dabei den Gedanken, es gäbe eine höhere Gewalt, die über alles wacht, erinnert das Album an Seemannsgarn mit einer Mischung aus Flüssen und Seen. Darüber hinaus wird auch das übliche persönliche Thema der misslungenen Beziehungen, psychischen Erkrankungen, Erinnerungen an den Segel Familienurlaub, Beschwerden über den Job, Kindheits-Fahrrad-Abendteuer, Einsamkeit und die Liebe mit in dem Album verarbeitet.


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PRESS KIT (EPK): https://www.mediafire.com/folder/cx5emhyfwtd90/Rivers_Of_England
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CONTACT:
riversofengland@songsandwhispers.com
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