Halfway 2 nowhere

In these gloom laden times, where the majority of stories about independent music appear to be around venues closing, or bands struggling to afford the costs of touring, it’s nice to talk about a good news story.

Brits & Pieces is the brainchild of music fan Marc Rossiter, whose memory harked back to the ‘Glory Days’ of Indie, when Brit-pop ruled the world, and magazines like Select would regularly produce cassettes introducing bands like Teenage Fanclub, Saint Etienne, and Menswear. He then thought ‘Why can’t I do something similar for today’s emerging artists?’. The result was 2020’s compilation CD Brits & Pieces. Since then, the franchise (if we can call it that?) has gone from strength-to-strength with Volume lll reaching number 39 in the charts. But here’s the kicker, as well as offering artists the chance to appear on a chart placing album, they also get an equal share of the profits. Everyone’s a winner.

Geographically, the album has the nation covered. Pleasingly there are three bands from often ignored Northern Ireland – Pretty Cartel with Days Gone Bye, Jet Black Tulips with Young Love, and Red Eye Pariah with The Rounds. Scotland is represented by Glasgow’s high energy, rock ‘n’ rollers Hazy Sundays with Like To Be. At the bottom of the compass is London based Laurie Wright whose Butter Side Up Boy bristles with modish, Steve Marriottesque vocals. Easternmost band on the album are Bridlington’s Edge Of 13 with The Great Mistake.

Geography however is not top of the list of reasons why you should pay attention to this album. The quality and spectrum of the material is. To paraphrase Henry James ‘L0lita and Uzumaki, Uzumaki and L0lita, all indie life is there’. The album opens strongly with A Million Little Pieces by Barnsley outfit Civic Green. The song is wonderfully orchestrated, drips with strings and fits firmly into the category of anthemic. Also ticking that particular box would be Dean Dovey from Birmingham with Journey To The Sun who’s distinct vocals and big sound hint at traces of The Verve in it’s DNA. Harry and Bruce by Teles from Huddersfield is an intriguing melange of New Pop and Postpunk, a sort of XTC V. Magazine.

Carlisle band Fat Dads bring a catchy riff-laden charm to proceedings with Jenny, a song which has the feel of some of The Snuts early work. Emperor by The Santos Connection is one of the most interesting tracks on the album. It’s a solo song by ex-Brasil frontman Kenny Harkis who plays all the instruments on the track. Sheffield band Cruz are very ‘of the moment’ with their track Make It Right, a song whose vocal stylings are not dissimilar to The Reytons – you can take the band out of south Yorkshire, but you can’t take south Yorkshire out of the band. Penultimate track on the album is Kiss Me on a Friday Night by Teesside singer-songwriter Laura Jayne, who describes her musical style as ‘Country, Pop, Dance’ and who am I to argue with that.

My personal favourites amongst the 18 tracks featured on the album would include: the riff-heavy, dramatic, dark-glam-rock of Run (When I Tell You) by Manchester’s Dirty Blonde; the melodic Endless Chapters by Cobain Jones which contains a wonderful psychedelic, Sgt Peppery chorus; and Loving and Leaving by The Great Leslie, just because I’m a sucker for Wedding Present style thrashing guitars.

But what I think is not important. As Brits & Pieces creator Marc puts it ‘the bands and the artists have been selected to give YOU the best chance to find YOUR new favourite artist’. Support the concept, support the artists, and enjoy your journey of discovery.

Brits & Pieces IV was mastered by Nick Brine (Oasis, Stone Roses, Ash), and the artwork is by Bands In The Air. The album will be released on 29th March and the CD is available to order now at Rough Trade and Wax & Beans.

Ian Dunphy