Sons Of Noel and Adrian are back promoting their brand new album ‘Knots’ and a UK tour. The record will be coming out toward the end of May but in the first week of April they will hit the road.
Their new album Knots sees them breaking far away from the acoustic roots of their debut album (Sons of Noel And Adrian’s immersion in folk music was always more informed by guitarists like Dave Pajo, David Grubbs and Jeff Parker than by traditionalists). These influences, rooted in the city of Chicago’s pre-millennial post-rock, jazz and avant-pop scenes, are explored on Knots resulting in an album much closer to the band’s live sound.
On the album there is a kind of fairground darkness borrowed from Liars or Captain Beefheart, fragile strings evoke the still sadness of humanity epitomised by Arvo Pärt augmented by the weighty piano chords of Earth. At times it sounds like These New Puritans started an earthquake in a burning symphony hall; occasionally the band’s love of drone, unison and extended guitar techniques comes through and ends up sounding somewhere between Tortoise and the scores of Danny Elfman. Reference points of Robert Wyatt, Will Oldham and Twin Peaks can also be placed.
In summary, at times soft and orchestral, at times crass and loud, Knots is always infused with beauty and tenderness: soulful, taunt, honed and with a new found love of kosmiche experimentation. Knots’ expanded sonic tapestry is marshalled and woven with growing stature by SONAA’s chief song-writer, Jacob Richardson, whose meditative lyrical concepts and melodic craftsmanship mark him out as musician of genuine depth and gravitas whilst remaining as arcane and beguiling as Palace.
April 2: CARDIFF – 10 Feet Tall with Winter Villains
April 3: BRISTOL – The Fleece with Laish & Emma Gatrill
April 4: NORWICH – Arts Centre with Laish & Emma Gatrill
April 5: LONDON – Bush Hall
April 7: BRIGHTON – The Haunt
