BELIEVERS ROAST
North Sea Radio Orchestra - Special Powers North Sea Radio Orchestra
NSRO are very much a part of the 'Cardiacs Family' of bands and musicians; having personal and stylistic ties (harmonically and melodically) to Cardiacs and the music of the late Tim Smith generally; other bands in the 'scene' include Gong (and Kavus Torabi), Lost Crowns, William D Drake, Spratleys, Crayola Lectern etc.
'Special Powers' is their fifth studio album and as ever, all material is written and produced by band leader, Craig Fortnam.
Like previous releases, 'Special Powers' features a mix of songs and instrumentals both large and small, inhabiting the psych/chamber/folk/pop world that Craig has lived in for a while now. Indeed, fans of his solo work and Arch Garrison will recognise many of his trademark musical elements; strong emphasis on melody and chord combined with a clear rhythmic sense, a mixed palette of guitars, strings, wind, various keyboard instruments and percussion.
Craig's music is often described as 'beautiful', 'English-sounding'; not sure why - probably the chords - which certainly do have a Vaughan Williams/Cardiacs/Dowland/'Canterbury-esque' (etc etc) aspect, but with selective use of dissonance to add a little astringency and temper the bitter-sweet melancholy.
“North Sea Radio Orchestra might share with Britten and Vaughan Williams a kind of haunted melancholy that has come to be seen as characteristically English, but their music couldn’t have come from any other century than the 21st” The Wire
“Fortnam is a compositional powerhouse” MOJO
“Part of a line of non-conformist ‘English’ composers that encompass Robert Wyatt, William D Drake, Simon Jeffes and others, Fortnam’s writing is quietly brilliant throughout” Prog Mag
“genuinely very beautiful” BBC
“There can be few currently operating musicians around today who have a sound as distinctive as Craig Fortnam’s. Whether solo or with North Sea Radio Orchestra or Arch Garrison, his writing has a kind of zig-zagging melody that is part Robert Wyatt, part early Kate Bush, part medieval, but all Fortnam” Arts Desk
Track List
2. Hearty 02:56
3. Barrel 01:19
4. All Alice Like 06:47
5. Special Powers 04:46
6. Full Human 04:28
7. Guitar Miniature No.5 00:47
8 The Players Ask For A Blessing On The Psalteries And On Themselves 08:42
Pickup available at Glasgow
Usually ready in 24 hours. Unless it's a Pre-Order
Please note that we are a physical record shop so some items may be unsealed but they are unplayed and brand new. If you would really like a sealed copy, please get in touch with us in advance of your purchase.
