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PHIL LEWIS - ANCIENT LIGHT
Is Anybody Home? / Don't Give Up, Don't Give In / In Your Embrace / No Accident / Misunderstood / Brand New Day / Beautiful / Run To Win / More Of You
SELF RELEASED
A South Wales based singer/songwriter in possession of a voice that sounds like a more nasal version of Richard Ashcroft crossed with a more relaxed version of Johnny Ramone, Phil Lewis returns with his latest collection of songs here with ANCIENT LIGHT.
These are songs that slot right into that familiar singer/songwriter mould, Phil Lewis dealing in slight indie rock by way of mature pop, think Stereophonics by way of Crowded House and latter day REM. ANCIENT LIGHT is an album of decent if unremarkable songs, the likes of opening track IS ANYBODY HOME? and DON'T GIVE UP, DON'T GIVE IN, jaunty slices of indie guitar pop that are catchy enough without becoming infectious. The kind of songs that pass the time well enough, but never leave you stunned or amazed. The similarly toned IN YOUR EMBRACE is another case in point, jangly guitars and upbeat melodicism finding Phil Lewis wearing his Crowded House and REM influences on his sleeve.
NO ACCIDENT is a slick sounding affair that comes across like Echo And The Bunnymen crossed with The Gin Blossoms, solid stuff even if it does seem to run out of ideas less than halfway through. Elsewhere BRAND NEW DAY is a gospel inspired acoustic singalong, BEAUTIFUL a frenetic indie jangle fest and closing number MORE OF YOU a pleasant folk tune that brings to mind Bob Dylan.
ANCIENT LIGHT is a record of decent if unspectacular sounding songs, Phil Lewis a singer/songwriter whose talent is unmistakable, even if his delivery sometimes suggests a sense of the average rather than the spectacular. ANCIENT LIGHT is an album with the right elements to see it propel Phil Lewis's career in the right forward direction. A collection of songs that have enough of that pop-rock ingredient, this is an album that while never spectacular is a solid piece of work.
BIOGRAPHY
Who Is Phil Lewis......?
.Over the past 10 years I have written and recorded over 50 original songs
.I usually write the songs by myself (at home on my acoustic guitar) and then recruit gigging musicans to help me fully realise them. In the recent past, I have worked with musicians from the 45 Rebellion (based in Derby) and Smokehand (based in South Wales).
.Some of my songs have airplay on various local radio stations
.After taking a 6 year sabbatical from writing songs in 1999, I recorded my first 'full-length' album "Whispering" (11 songs) in 2005 with seasoned producer Brook Trickett, in Darwen, Lancashire. Brook has had over 25 years experience as a producer, engineer and singer/songwriter.
My latest album, 'Ancient Light', was recorded in 2006 in Cardiff with the Incredible String Band keyboard player, Lawson Dando.
.I am based in the South Wales town of Penarth, which is about 5 miles away from the city of Cardiff.
A little bit more about me.....
Early Influences
One of my fondest and most enduring memories from my childhood, is the weekly family ritual of gathering around the radio on a Sunday evening and listening to the Top 40 rundown. It didn't take long before I started thinking that I'd like to make the kind of music that I was hearing. I wrote my first song when I was about 12. It was called U.F.O. and it was about, er...... a U.F.O. But in my defence, I was only 12.
As my main exposure to music was through whatever was in the top 40, I soaked up a variety of different styles of music. Early on, I took a particular liking to Rap music and Rock music. I was even a breakdancer for a little while back then. In school, everybody told me that I couldn't possibly like rap and rock because they were too different. Then Run DMC and Aerosmith released "Walk This Way" and proved that I was right all along. As I've grown up, I've decided that I like a whole bunch of different types of music. My current favourite artists are Prince, U2, Crowded House and Stevie Wonder.
Early songwriting
By the time I started working, I had bought my first guitar, taught myself the basics and started to write songs 'properly'. I have written quite a few songs, some good and some not so good. And to answer your question, no - I haven't written any more songs about U.F.O's.......yet!
Recording
I started booking time in local studios and working with friends who were also musicians. The results were made available as a series of demo tapes; "When The Madness Ends", "Set Your Sights", "Demographic", "Fidei Defensor", "Generation Ecstacy" and "Full Circle", which were sent out to magazines, fanzines, record companies and the like. Most of the tapes received a warm reception. Recording became more expensive though and, due to my inability to hold a band together for long, I rarely got the chance to play live. So I hung up my guitar and wrote songs only if there was something clawing it's way out.
After a hiatus of about 6 years U recorded my first full length album, "Whispering" but I wasn't happy with the finished product.
Mid-way through 2006, for no apparent reason, I just started writing songs again - this time far better than those I'd written in the past. So I decided to record them, with the first person I'd ever recorded songs with - Lawson Dando, who had recently returned from a stint as the keyboard player with the Incredible String Band and was keen to get back into production work.
I begged, borrowed and stole a group of musicians to record my new album "Ancient Light". We were aiming for a blend of U2, REM and Crowded House, but I'm sure a few other influences have found their way in there as well.
LINE UP
Phil Lewis
Ben Haynes
Andy O'Leary
Nigel Wiggins
Lawson Dando
DISCOGRAPHY
ANCIENT LIGHT (Self Released>2007)
Is Anybody Home?
Don't Give Up, Don't Give In
In Your Embrace
No Accident
Misunderstood
Brand New Day
Beautiful
Run To Win
More Of You
LINKS
Phil Lewis>www.myspace.com/phillewis1971
FURTHER LISTENING
Richard Ashcroft
Stereophonics
Bob Dylan
Review date: January 2007 |
