http://www.justbecause.ch/shows.htmlNewest Shows at Just Becausehttp://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363D3938.htmlSamual Galley2012-05-15T17:02:29 The first thing you notice is the voice. Haunting and sublimely other-worldly, it stops you in your tracks with the gentlest of touches, proving that sometimes the intoxicating simplicity of a single voice is all you need to make an impact. With Benjamin Francis Leftwich, that hypnotic, breathy voice is the reason for it all. It exposes his soul before anyone even hears the lyrics, letting the listener in to Benjamin’s most intimate world in a way no interview or video ever could. It is the essence of his being, laid bare without regret for us to share. Not just your average singer-songwriter then. Indeed, there’s nothing ordinary about this startling new talent, who is just 21 and has yet to release his first album but who sounds like he already has a lifetime of experiences, hopes and shattered dreams invested in each song. He has, in fact, been waiting for this moment for years. At the age of 10, Yorkshire born Benjamin first stared playing guitar, ditching his teacher after just a couple of lessons and teaching himself from the records that inspired him instead. Growing up on a diet of Rolling Stones and Nina Simone, Benjamin discovered Bob Dylan and Elliot Smith in his teens and never looked back. By 15, he was writing songs and playing with a band on the York music scene, before starting work as a solo artist at 18 and beginning to write what now makes up his forthcoming debut album ‘Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm’. “A lot of the songs on there I wrote when I was about 17 or 18,” Benjamin confirms. “I really wanted to get their sound right and I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to writing and recording. I’ve been working on them ever since really.” The breathtaking results were well worth waiting for. Inspired by the likes of Ryan Adams, Bruce Springsteen, Arcade Fire and Sigur Ros, Benjamin took his time creating a sound that is truly his, that reveals a little more of himself with every single breath and moment. It’s a sound that gives him the confidence to label himself simply, unpretentiously, as a singer-songwriter, untroubled by the confusingly negative connotations the term now seems associated with. “That’s what I am,” he shrugs. “I don’t think I’m folk, nor am I straight indie. I write songs and I play guitar and I think it’s varied on the album and it will be in the future. That’s what I feel like I’m making. The title singer-songwriter is appropriate. The term is usually applied to people like James Morrison and James Blunt, but really they play down-the-line pop. It’s people like Elliot Smith, Bob Dylan and John Lennon that can be considered true singer-songwriters.” Unsurprisingly then, it made sense that Benjamin would release his material under his own full name. No gimmicks, no clever pseudonyms. This is him. Pure and simple. “A couple of people seem to have an issue with it but it doesn’t bother me. There was one journalist who spent the whole interview expecting me to be an army major with a monocle because of my name. Obviously, I’m not.” Name obsessive’s aside, Benjamin has already been stunned by the reaction to the material he has released so far, which has truly taken him by surprise. After releasing his debut EP ‘A Million Miles Out’ at the end of 2010, he quickly found himself on the most prestigious playlists around as Radio 1DJs Zane Lowe and Fearne Cotton fell for Benjamin’s assuming charms. He was also added to XFM’s Evening Playlist, while Jo Whiley made Benjamin’s track ‘Atlas Hands’ one of her Tracks of 2010 and he was also asked to record a live session for Radio 2’s Dermot O’Leary. Benjamin’s version of ‘Rebellion’ by Arcade Fire has since been downloaded over 100,000 times. On 6th March 2011 Benjamin’s stunning second EP, ‘Pictures’, was released. This led to a tour support slot with Noah [and] The Whale, while the lead track from the EP was made ‘Hottest Record In The World’ on Zane Lowe’s radio show and added to the Radio 1 ‘In New Music We Trust’ playlist. On July 4th, at long last, Benjamin’s debut album ‘Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm’ was released going top 20 in the UK album chart. It was preceded by his first single proper ‘Box of Stones’, which Radio 1 DJ Greg James chose as his ‘Record Of The Week’. Typically understated, it paired the fragile elegance of Benjamin’s stunning voice with simple, inviting guitar lines, heart-breakingly delicate melodies and lyrics strained with emotion and was play listed by Radio 1 “A couple of people have described some of my songs as love songs but there’s a level of ambiguity in them I think. I try not to ever focus on a central theme. I just bring together inspiration from around me and put it all into a song. Some songs are more direct, but there’s always that level of ambiguity.” That summer Ben played a total of 26 festivals in the UK including, Glastonbury, Reading [and] Leeds, Green Man, Bestival, Camp Bestival and many more. In October 2011 Ben embarked on a massive 28 date sold out UK tour, and in November announced he would be playing a handful of headline full band shows in February in the UK. This would include a date at the prestigious Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London. ‘Pictures’ was released on February 20th as a single, going onto the ‘B’ list at Radio 1 at prompting Fearne Cotton to invite Ben into the Radio 1 Live Lounge. He also performed a live session on BBC6 Music for Marc Riley and XFM for Mary-Anne Hobbs the same week. XFM added the single to their Daytime Playlist and Q Radio to their ‘A’ list. The video has achieved around 900k plays on youtube. Following on from this success he has just announced a gargantuan 30 date headline tour of the UK, the largest consecutive running tour announced in the UK in 2012. This tour will commence on October 1st 2012. There is at least one thing that seems certain . By the end of year, many, many more people will stumble upon a new singer-songwriter to believe in when they’re stopped in their tracks by Benjamin’s startlingly intimate voice. The unmistakeable sound of this year’s most intriguing new talent. http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363D3838.htmlSamual Galley2012-05-09T10:51:50 It is impossible to discuss The Tallest Man on Earth's music without acknowledging Bob Dylan. The seemingly effortlessness, the melodic sensibility and the deft lyricism all recall Dylan's early years. But when you witness the Tallest Man on Earth perform live, you are watching a man possessed. The energy pours out with every word. Full of intensity and raw emotion, he paces the stage, bringing the audience into the palm of his hand, completely lost in his songs. This brings us to the reason you are reading this. With unbridled excitement, we bring you The Tallest Man on Earth's second LP, The Wild Hunt. It is all here: The words. The voice. The melodies. Ten perfect songs. The Wild Hunt picks up where Shallow Grave left off, with Matsson doing what he does best. It is unmistakably The Tallest Man on Earth, from the urgent strums of "You're Going Back" and the sweet melodies of "Love is All," to the playful lyricism of live favorite "King of Spain" and the subtle hook on "Burden of Tomorrow." The Wild Hunt isn't just another folk album; this is acoustic rock 'n' roll from a man with a story to tell. http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363D3836.htmlSamual Galley2012-05-08T12:57:34 Imany en Swahili ça veut dire l’espoir, la foi, enfin un truc comme ça. Et l’espoir c’est justement, le fioul d’Imany. Elle avance dans la vie, en surfant sur ses rêves, car elle a foi en elle. Elle avait six ans, quand elle s’est mise dans la tête de chanter. À dix ans, ses parents l’envoient dans une école militaire. Entre discipline de fer et levée de drapeau, elle apprend les délices de la musique dans la chorale stricte de l’école. À douze ans, elle rêve encore et toujours, mais cette fois elle rêve de vivre aux Etats-Unis. Bercée aux sons des voix de Tracy Chapman, Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner et de Billie Holiday, elle rêve de vivre à New York, là où tout est possible…Pas facile pour cette petite Française aux origines comoriennes. Mais pas impossible, car à 19 ans, le rêve se réalise. Elle part pour trois semaines, mais y reste six ans. Entre-temps, elle y fait du mannequinat, du stylisme, un peu tout et n’importe quoi. Elle se nourrit du »tout est possible » et elle y croit. Elle économise et écrit des chansons. Dans son temps libre, elle prend des cours de chant et elle monte un petit groupe qui a un grand talent. Entre les castings et les petits boulots, elle fait des gigs et chante dans des endroits mythiques comme le « Joe’s Pub » ou encore le« Bitter End », là où les Bruce Springsteen et Elvis Costello ont joué une vingtaine d’années auparavant. Elle se sent bien au milieu de toutes ces légendes et elle chante, chante, chante. Après sept ans, la France lui manque. La grosse machine américaine est devenue un peu trop pour elle, même si elle les adore ces Américains. ils sont pros, ils sont bien. Elle rentre au Pays où elle rêve encore et toujours de scènes parisiennes. Elle décide de chanter en anglais et en français, après tout New York fait un peu partie d’elle-même. Depuis son retour, Imany s'est produite dans des salles incontournables, telles que Le Sentier des Halles, Le Réservoir ou encore La cigale. Elle travaille désormais sur son album; un album qui parlera très bien d’elle, mieux qu’elle ne pourrait le faire elle-même. Ça parlera d’amour, de solitude, de regret et de joie. Imany c’est une voix et même parfois une grande gueule. C’est un timbre boisé et tendre qui a lui seul raconte une histoire. Ses affinités avec le folk, le rock, la soul et la poésie aident à comprendre les couleurs qui se mélangent dans ses paroles. Ça sonne mélancolique aux premiers abords, mais au fond c’est toujours plein http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363D373E.htmlSamual Galley2012-05-08T12:56:20 Imany en Swahili ça veut dire l’espoir, la foi, enfin un truc comme ça. Et l’espoir c’est justement, le fioul d’Imany. Elle avance dans la vie, en surfant sur ses rêves, car elle a foi en elle. Elle avait six ans, quand elle s’est mise dans la tête de chanter. À dix ans, ses parents l’envoient dans une école militaire. Entre discipline de fer et levée de drapeau, elle apprend les délices de la musique dans la chorale stricte de l’école. À douze ans, elle rêve encore et toujours, mais cette fois elle rêve de vivre aux Etats-Unis. Bercée aux sons des voix de Tracy Chapman, Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner et de Billie Holiday, elle rêve de vivre à New York, là où tout est possible…Pas facile pour cette petite Française aux origines comoriennes. Mais pas impossible, car à 19 ans, le rêve se réalise. Elle part pour trois semaines, mais y reste six ans. Entre-temps, elle y fait du mannequinat, du stylisme, un peu tout et n’importe quoi. Elle se nourrit du »tout est possible » et elle y croit. Elle économise et écrit des chansons. Dans son temps libre, elle prend des cours de chant et elle monte un petit groupe qui a un grand talent. Entre les castings et les petits boulots, elle fait des gigs et chante dans des endroits mythiques comme le « Joe’s Pub » ou encore le« Bitter End », là où les Bruce Springsteen et Elvis Costello ont joué une vingtaine d’années auparavant. Elle se sent bien au milieu de toutes ces légendes et elle chante, chante, chante. Après sept ans, la France lui manque. La grosse machine américaine est devenue un peu trop pour elle, même si elle les adore ces Américains. ils sont pros, ils sont bien. Elle rentre au Pays où elle rêve encore et toujours de scènes parisiennes. Elle décide de chanter en anglais et en français, après tout New York fait un peu partie d’elle-même. Depuis son retour, Imany s'est produite dans des salles incontournables, telles que Le Sentier des Halles, Le Réservoir ou encore La cigale. Elle travaille désormais sur son album; un album qui parlera très bien d’elle, mieux qu’elle ne pourrait le faire elle-même. Ça parlera d’amour, de solitude, de regret et de joie. Imany c’est une voix et même parfois une grande gueule. C’est un timbre boisé et tendre qui a lui seul raconte une histoire. Ses affinités avec le folk, le rock, la soul et la poésie aident à comprendre les couleurs qui se mélangent dans ses paroles. Ça sonne mélancolique aux premiers abords, mais au fond c’est toujours plein http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363D373C.htmlSamual Galley2012-05-07T15:25:57 It has been a whirlwind six months since the release of "Some Were Meant For Sea", for Tiny Ruins. Recent tours include; opening for the Fleet Foxes through New Zealand, with CW Stoneking in Scotland, Ireland and Wales and a headline tour throughout Australia. That was following a headline tour of New Zealand and multiple shows in Australia with Beach House, Ólöf Arnalds, Joanna Newsom,  Alasdair Roberts, [and] The Middle East. The fun doesn't stop there. Tiny Ruins is currently based out of London, where she is performing regular shows in London and a bunch of upcoming dates in the UK with close antipodean pals Jordan Ireland (singer middle east) and holly throsby. There's also more shows planned in May (supporting the Handsome Family), and shows in Singapore and Japan too. Some Were Meant For Sea, the debut album from Tiny Ruins was released in June 2011. Its songs, composed [and] performed by Hollie Fullbrook, following a year spent living in Italy and Spain. Both vocally [and] instrumentally, Some Were Meant For Sea exists in dappled warmness: Fullbrook’s striking timbre recalling a smooth Jolie Holland [and] conjuring a similar natural imagery born from earth [and] sea. Bound by their delicate nature, her songs lay within a space [and] time all their own: ‘Little Notes’ a lover’s airborne ode, the impressionistic, wanting ‘Priest With Balloons’ [and] the beguiling ‘Running Through The Night’. It is a mannered album, one whose traditional arrangements [and] classic key are gently commanding [and] reminiscent of folk’s greatest storytellers: Carole King, The Unthanks [and] Richard Thompson. She writes with humour and fantasy of cats in hallways, journeys taking flight on moonlight, priests who float into the sky on strings of balloons. Fullbrook was born one of three in Bristol, England, where she lived until she was ten years old.  Attending the Bristol Waldorf school, she would learn the cello from a young age before moving to New Zealand; her family settling in the Waitakere Ranges of West Auckland. At 11, her visiting Grandad encouraged her to pick up her Mother's big old acoustic guitar. She wrote songs from age 14 on. The album has been reviewed internationally. Mojo gave the album 4 stars recently. It has had feature reviews in Sydney Morning Herald, the Melbourne Age and Auckland Times. The album has been featured regularly on BBC 6 (Tom Ravenscroft etc) as well as XFM and BBC 1, 2. She recently performed live on the all the above stations on a recent visit to london. http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363D3738.htmlSamual Galley2012-05-07T10:14:38 Perfume Genius is Mike Hadreas, a Seattle songwriter whose jarring 2010 debut album, Learning, was called “an album of rare, redemptive beauty…one of the most uniquely endearing and quietly forceful debut albums of recent years” by Drowned In Sound, and established him as one of the most singular songwriters today. The bulk of Learning sprung from a time of self-imposed isolation in his mother’s suburban home following a period of trauma and self-destruction. The album was actually mastered from second-generation MP3s, as Hadreas had lost the original recordings, and this distant, abraded sound reinforced its harrowing tales and haunting melodies. Though Learning’s voyeuristic window into Hadreas’s experiences resonated intensely with many people, his new album Put Your Back N 2 It is much more universal, addressing intimacy, power, family, secrecy, and hope not just through his impressionistic lyrics, but the music itself, which is as lush as Learning was stark. It’s a gorgeous soundtrack for anyone trying to keep it together in everyday life, and about moving forward. “I don’t want it to seem like I’ve been through more than other people,” Hadreas says. “Everyone has stuff. Staying healthy can be more depressing and confusing than being fucked up. But I want to make music that’s honest and hopeful.” The hypnotic songs on Put Your Back N 2 It are tender and moving, but they are also surreal and grand, recalling at times the universality of lullabies and hymns, faraway folk songs, the dramatic arc of a film score, and the almost spiritual quality suggests a kind of opiated gospel. He cites as a primary influence not one of the indie icons to which he’s sometimes compared (Cat Power, Bon Iver, Thom Yorke), but The Innocence Mission (“not their sound, but their timelessness”). http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363D363E.htmlSamual Galley2012-05-07T10:02:55 The turntable soul trio started life in pubs in North London, creating weird songs with samplers, turntables and guitars in between trips to the bar. They got offered a real gig, so had to write some real songs. Some people seemed to like them, so the pressed a 7" record. More people seemed to like that, so they pressed two more 7"s, running their own record label from the back of taxis and at work when no one was looking. The band have toured Europe, Asia and Australia, including playing the Montreux Jazz Festival, Glastonbury and Sydney Opera house, and have recorded radio sessions for Mark Lamarr in the UK and DJ Tidav (Virgin Radio) in France. Their widely anticipated third album ' 270 Stories' will be released by Tru Thoughts on October the 11th 2010. http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363D363C.htmlSamual Galley2012-05-07T10:00:47 The turntable soul trio started life in pubs in North London, creating weird songs with samplers, turntables and guitars in between trips to the bar. They got offered a real gig, so had to write some real songs. Some people seemed to like them, so the pressed a 7" record. More people seemed to like that, so they pressed two more 7"s, running their own record label from the back of taxis and at work when no one was looking. The band have toured Europe, Asia and Australia, including playing the Montreux Jazz Festival, Glastonbury and Sydney Opera house, and have recorded radio sessions for Mark Lamarr in the UK and DJ Tidav (Virgin Radio) in France. Their widely anticipated third album ' 270 Stories' will be released by Tru Thoughts on October the 11th 2010. http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363D363A.htmlSamual Galley2012-05-02T10:59:21 Nigel Wright, at ten years of age, returned to his birthplace– moving from the murky rivers and steamy marshland of the Georgia low county, to a cool, misty mountaintop in the Blueridge. The wavey milfoil aquatic plants in his mountain lake struck him as an inversion of the treetops filled with Spanish moss from the coast. Not crediting his observation – milfoil and moss, swaying in currents of water and air, both remote, both beautiful – Nigel felt there was nothing special in gathering the raw material of poetry. After all, having been born into a surround of professional artists, writers, and musicians, Nigel knew an aptitude for the arts alone could not give him a personal outline. Passing over his talent for painting, recoiling from the snap, snap, snap from the fingers of his piano teacher, Nigel still had to admit that he must create something, just so long as it was unique. When he finally, almost reluctantly, picked up his father’s guitar, it was with determination to avoid obvious progressions, standard tunings, and plain chords. If that ambition was too strenuous to start with, his first compositions did show the sixteen-year-old’s exploratory grasp of fresh, solid musical structures. The resulting album, MILLFOIL, Wright recorded at a home studio in 2010. His lyrics, delivered in a voice both resonant and pure, hover in abstraction with an uncanny power to evoke. Finding the distinct and honest in his own voice, Nigel makes his link. Butterfly Collectors discovered Nigel Wright’s work completely by surprise. The Berlin/Haldern label partnered with him for a remastered version of MILLFOIL, release planned for Feb./March 2012. The stylistic influences of the singer songwriter are evident in his single “Anna,” but Nigel’s work embodies a larger musical arc. “Clear Eyed Plans,” on the flip side, is his studied leap into bold contrasts and layered voicings. http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363D3638.htmlSamual Galley2012-05-02T10:56:30 When you’re an independent artist you’re always having to work within a budget you can control. After all, there’s no record company picking up the bills – you’re paying for it all yourself. For Brighton, UK born and bred yet very much the adopted Australian son singer songwriter Mike Rosenberg, being independent has proven to be the best road he could have taken. There was a time, back in the early 2000s, when things looked very different. There was a five-piece band called Passenger and the big money label behind it and there was a critically acclaimed debut album, Wicked Man’s Rest, but when the members of that band chose to go their own separate ways in 2007, Rosenberg opted to stick with the Passenger moniker and trust in his music, his voice and his guitar to take him where it would. He took to the streets and discovered not only that the experience enormous fun, but it also proved empowering for the likeable musical troubadour. “The busking pays for everything really,” Mike admits. “It’s crazy. I’ve funded my last four records basically from busking, so it’s a godsend really. It’s an amazing thing to have stumbled upon because it is the dilemma for every musician – how do I put a hundred per cent of myself into my music, whilst keeping myself together? It’s not a new problem – it’s always been the case – but you find something like busking, which you can still do; while you’re making money you can play your songs and hopefully further your fan base – it’s ideal really. You don’t have to put forty hours of your time into flipping burgers or making coffee or whatever it is. I’ll always feel very, very lucky about that. “Honestly, the more I do it, the more I enjoy it. You know, it’s great that it’s getting bigger for me but busking actually turns into a real way of life. The structure of busking and just being on your own, enjoying the cities and travelling, I dunno, there’s such a lo-fi thing that goes along with it and such an honest and simple way of living for that period of time that I really, really miss actually when I’m not doing it, so I really look forward to getting back out on the street again.” Having obviously got a real taste for the busking and the travelling, he thought he’d check out sunnier climes, which is how, in October 2009, Mike first took himself over to Australia where he managed to support Lior and Sydneysiders Elana Stone and Brian Campeau, and then played One Movement, a major music industry-focus festival in Perth. Back in Sydney, he met a neighbour who just happened to be ARIA Award-winning singer songwriter Josh Pyke, and the initial idea that would become Flight Of The Crow formed in his mind. The album proved the perfect entre into the Australian music scene, not least because Flight Of The Crow saw him joined in the studio by the cream of Australian independent musical talent, including Lior, Kate Miller-Heidke, Boy & Bear and Katie Noonan. By the time Mike felt it was time to return to the UK to launch the album there, he was selling out 500-seater venues across Australia. Before he left however, it was time to record a new album. “It’s very different to Flight Of The Crow… actually all my records,” Mike explains. “Flight Of The Crow sounded like it was made in the 1960s, which was kind of what we were aiming for, but this one is a bigger production and a bit more modern sounding.” As always, there’s a certain element of the youthful Cat Stevens in the tenor of Mike’s voice that tells you the emotions that drive his songs aren’t very far beneath the surface. Recorded again in Sydney, for the new album, All The Little Lights, Mike was joined once again by a core Australian band that included Boy & Bear drummer Tim Hart, jazz bassist Cameron Undy, who also played on Flight Of The Crow, and keyboards player Stu Hunter, from Katie Noonan & The Captains. If there’s a theme to be drawn from the album it’s not just the usual stock-in-trade of the travelling troubadour – love – but the love of life itself. Meanwhile the Passenger fanbase has been building very nicely, and very much from the ground up, with the busking feeding into the club gigs – all very organic. “It’s such a funny and slow process, the way we do it. We haven’t got a label, we haven’t got the big muscle behind it – it really is meeting every fan personally and trying to convince them to sort of buy into it, which is quite a bizarre way of doing it. But I think what I’ve found is people have a real personal relationship to it because it’s not just something on the radio – I might be busking and we’ll have a chat or have a beer after a gig or whatever – I think that personal thing is so important in making people feel part of the project and then hopefully becoming fans ultimately.” Among the highlights of this past northern summer’s touring round the UK has been opening for one of UK pop music’s most influential figures, Jools Holland, as well as Ed Sheeran, who just had the #1 album in the UK, and Australian acts the John Butler Trio and Josh Pyke, with whom he co-headlined a UK tour. “It was great!” Mike admits, that ubiquitous smile on his face. “I did shows with the John Butler Trio over here and in Europe as well. It makes such a difference when you play to those kinds of crowds compared to the busking, which as I say is like playing to each person individually sometimes, it is amazing to then be on a bigger stage and reaching such a big audience in one go.” It’s been a remarkable journey for Rosenberg, a journey that has inspired some of the finest songwriting you’ll hear anywhere, whether on a street corner, a sweaty rock’n’roll room or a concert stage. Listening to him, whether on record or in performance, you can tell he’s having the time of his life, and it’s all there on his new album, All The Little Lights. And the most exciting this is you just know there’s plenty more to come. http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363D3538.htmlSamual Galley2012-04-27T18:14:39 I was brought up in Totnes, South Devon.. neatly nestled between the moors and the sea. I travel lots, surf when I can, probably drink too much, often think too much, and at 23 still make irrational choices. I like the outdoors and the Autumn. I’m happiest at home with friends, and my favourite fruit would have to be a pear. Musically I started playing and writing as a kid and it’s the one thing that’s never changed. Mum and Dad were big listeners to all the greats- the likes of John Martyn, Joni Mitchell, The Rolling Stones, Simon and Garfunkel, Donovan etc so that’s played a big part in my life. Our tape collection is pretty good. More recently, i've been extremely fortunate to support some artists I really admire.. The likes of Xavier Rudd, Fink, Brett Dennen and Angus and Julia Stone have all had a big impact along the way. I've played shows in some crazy places both on my own and with the band and i'm starting to realise i couldn't really do anything else. At the moment we're laying the finishing touches to the debut album in a little barn studio we've got going on near home so all is gold and good. I guess I’ll leave it at that really. Keep it short. Really hope you all enjoy the tunes on here. Much love from Devon, Ben. http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363D3536.htmlSamual Galley2012-04-27T18:13:57 I was brought up in Totnes, South Devon.. neatly nestled between the moors and the sea. I travel lots, surf when I can, probably drink too much, often think too much, and at 23 still make irrational choices. I like the outdoors and the Autumn. I’m happiest at home with friends, and my favourite fruit would have to be a pear. Musically I started playing and writing as a kid and it’s the one thing that’s never changed. Mum and Dad were big listeners to all the greats- the likes of John Martyn, Joni Mitchell, The Rolling Stones, Simon and Garfunkel, Donovan etc so that’s played a big part in my life. Our tape collection is pretty good. More recently, i've been extremely fortunate to support some artists I really admire.. The likes of Xavier Rudd, Fink, Brett Dennen and Angus and Julia Stone have all had a big impact along the way. I've played shows in some crazy places both on my own and with the band and i'm starting to realise i couldn't really do anything else. At the moment we're laying the finishing touches to the debut album in a little barn studio we've got going on near home so all is gold and good. I guess I’ll leave it at that really. Keep it short. Really hope you all enjoy the tunes on here. Much love from Devon, Ben. http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363C3E3E.htmlSamual Galley2012-04-26T12:17:33 In Noid, a tiny hamlet situated to the south west of Bath, some of the most dangerous and ill sounding beats and riffs are being created by four wolf like personalities. The Heavy started out ripping and chopping beats from the likes of Bo Diddley, Little Walter and The Parliaments and fusing them with their now patented brand of high grade dirt. Guitar riffs that intoxicate, bass lines that reverberate around your head like a King Jammy dream and vocals that will challenge any of the genres they decide to take on. The Heavy continually cross genres as they as a unit are proud to be completely musically schizophrenic. From country to rhythm and blues, garage punk to rock and roll, Studio one to the slums of shaolin, you'll find that The Heavy are indeed like a pack of chemists with the way that genres get cooked up, blended, stirred and then mixed, to create their own unique style of rock and roll. The album Great Vengeance and Furious Fire released on Counter Records in late 2007 generated a great deal of interest with songs like That kind of man, Girl, Set me free, Coleen and Dignity, firmly laying foundations for the house of dirt that they are building at present. There is no other band that sound as raw as The Sonics while holding soul in a headlock and frequently wrestling rock to the ground with the weight of Mr 808 as tag team partner. Listen, then try and tell me different. http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363C3E3C.htmlSamual Galley2012-04-26T12:14:12 Co-produced by Rob Ellis and recorded in London and France, Anna Calvi’s eponymous debut is a masterful dissection of lust and love. Bolstered by Anna’s astonishing guitar playing and her powerful, haunting vocals, it is an unforgettably passionate record. Influenced by the vocals of artistes as diverse as Nina Simone, Maria Callas and Scott Walker, the guitars of Django Rheinhard and Robert Johnson, the classical romanticism of Ravel and Debussy, Anna Calvi may be inspired by musicians from the distant past, but her sound is still very much of the here and now. Live, Anna Calvi has adopted an intimate backing band consisting of Mally Harpaz on guitar, harmonium and percussion, and Daniel Maiden on drums, and the results are often overwhelmingly epic. Welcome to the magical world of Anna Calvi – a place where beauty and darkness conspire and collide, where untamed emotions conquer and consume. http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363C3E3A.htmlSamual Galley2012-04-26T10:20:17 Tyler Ward has transformed his life and music in the last year from living in his parent's basement, to living in his parent's basement as an industry leader for the new wave of music. Currently, ranked as the 20th Most Popular Musician on YouTube with over 900,000+ subscribers, Tyler releases one new videos each week. Combining original music, covers, and showcasing featured artists, Tyler's passion is to connect with people through music; however, music wasn’t always his focus. Encouraged by his father at a young age to pursue athletics, Tyler spent his younger years working towards scoring touchdowns, and winning football games rather than chasing his musical dream. After completing high school, Tyler was accepted to the United States Air Force Academy where he started his collegiate football career. Tyler never adjusted to the military lifestyle, “I smiled too much,” he said. It was because of his excessive smiling and creative expression that Tyler found himself scrubbing toilets and cleaning floors on the weekends. Despite the intensive janitorial experience, Tyler decided to move on. He transferred to the University of Northern Colorado and once again played football. Several injuries later, he decided to leave the sport and follow his passion for writing music. Tyler’s realization of becoming a successful national artist arose when he first started playing with national acts such as The Fray, The Jonas Brothers, Gavin DeGraw, Augustana and Ryan Cabrera. “After that first big show with The Fray, I was sold on doing music for the rest of my life,” says Tyler. Playing shows for thousands of people fueled Tyler’s drive and creativity.  In February of 2010 Tyler decided to cover the massive hit "We Are The World" during the Winter 2010 Olympics. In the first week Tyler received 1.5 million views, and his career changed forever. Now with over 250,000,000 uploaded views, Tyler has broken into mainstream music, and the charts. Tyler was the first independent musician to be charted on Billboard's SOCIAL 50, and has maintained status for 40+ weeks. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, and Rihanna, Tyler has been ranked as high as #14 in the world and currently holds the #6 position on Billboard Uncharted (ranked over 50 weeks), and connects with over 525,000+ fans on his Facebook page.    In 2011 Tyler has also expanded his desire to work with other artists. With the inception of Tyler Ward Records and Tyler Ward Studios, Tyler is giving other artists a chance to be heard by hundreds of thousands of people every day all over the world. In 2012, Tyler will tour again in Europe and North America. What remains constant in Tyler's life is his desire to impact lives with his music. “I love playing and it’s by far the best job I’ve ever had.”  http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363C3E38.htmlSamual Galley2012-04-26T10:19:03 Tyler Ward has transformed his life and music in the last year from living in his parent's basement, to living in his parent's basement as an industry leader for the new wave of music. Currently, ranked as the 20th Most Popular Musician on YouTube with over 900,000+ subscribers, Tyler releases one new videos each week. Combining original music, covers, and showcasing featured artists, Tyler's passion is to connect with people through music; however, music wasn’t always his focus. Encouraged by his father at a young age to pursue athletics, Tyler spent his younger years working towards scoring touchdowns, and winning football games rather than chasing his musical dream. After completing high school, Tyler was accepted to the United States Air Force Academy where he started his collegiate football career. Tyler never adjusted to the military lifestyle, “I smiled too much,” he said. It was because of his excessive smiling and creative expression that Tyler found himself scrubbing toilets and cleaning floors on the weekends. Despite the intensive janitorial experience, Tyler decided to move on. He transferred to the University of Northern Colorado and once again played football. Several injuries later, he decided to leave the sport and follow his passion for writing music. Tyler’s realization of becoming a successful national artist arose when he first started playing with national acts such as The Fray, The Jonas Brothers, Gavin DeGraw, Augustana and Ryan Cabrera. “After that first big show with The Fray, I was sold on doing music for the rest of my life,” says Tyler. Playing shows for thousands of people fueled Tyler’s drive and creativity.  In February of 2010 Tyler decided to cover the massive hit "We Are The World" during the Winter 2010 Olympics. In the first week Tyler received 1.5 million views, and his career changed forever. Now with over 250,000,000 uploaded views, Tyler has broken into mainstream music, and the charts. Tyler was the first independent musician to be charted on Billboard's SOCIAL 50, and has maintained status for 40+ weeks. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, and Rihanna, Tyler has been ranked as high as #14 in the world and currently holds the #6 position on Billboard Uncharted (ranked over 50 weeks), and connects with over 525,000+ fans on his Facebook page.    In 2011 Tyler has also expanded his desire to work with other artists. With the inception of Tyler Ward Records and Tyler Ward Studios, Tyler is giving other artists a chance to be heard by hundreds of thousands of people every day all over the world. In 2012, Tyler will tour again in Europe and North America. What remains constant in Tyler's life is his desire to impact lives with his music. “I love playing and it’s by far the best job I’ve ever had.”  http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363C3E36.htmlSamual Galley2012-04-26T10:17:42 Tyler Ward has transformed his life and music in the last year from living in his parent's basement, to living in his parent's basement as an industry leader for the new wave of music. Currently, ranked as the 20th Most Popular Musician on YouTube with over 900,000+ subscribers, Tyler releases one new videos each week. Combining original music, covers, and showcasing featured artists, Tyler's passion is to connect with people through music; however, music wasn’t always his focus. Encouraged by his father at a young age to pursue athletics, Tyler spent his younger years working towards scoring touchdowns, and winning football games rather than chasing his musical dream. After completing high school, Tyler was accepted to the United States Air Force Academy where he started his collegiate football career. Tyler never adjusted to the military lifestyle, “I smiled too much,” he said. It was because of his excessive smiling and creative expression that Tyler found himself scrubbing toilets and cleaning floors on the weekends. Despite the intensive janitorial experience, Tyler decided to move on. He transferred to the University of Northern Colorado and once again played football. Several injuries later, he decided to leave the sport and follow his passion for writing music. Tyler’s realization of becoming a successful national artist arose when he first started playing with national acts such as The Fray, The Jonas Brothers, Gavin DeGraw, Augustana and Ryan Cabrera. “After that first big show with The Fray, I was sold on doing music for the rest of my life,” says Tyler. Playing shows for thousands of people fueled Tyler’s drive and creativity.  In February of 2010 Tyler decided to cover the massive hit "We Are The World" during the Winter 2010 Olympics. In the first week Tyler received 1.5 million views, and his career changed forever. Now with over 250,000,000 uploaded views, Tyler has broken into mainstream music, and the charts. Tyler was the first independent musician to be charted on Billboard's SOCIAL 50, and has maintained status for 40+ weeks. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, and Rihanna, Tyler has been ranked as high as #14 in the world and currently holds the #6 position on Billboard Uncharted (ranked over 50 weeks), and connects with over 525,000+ fans on his Facebook page.    In 2011 Tyler has also expanded his desire to work with other artists. With the inception of Tyler Ward Records and Tyler Ward Studios, Tyler is giving other artists a chance to be heard by hundreds of thousands of people every day all over the world. In 2012, Tyler will tour again in Europe and North America. What remains constant in Tyler's life is his desire to impact lives with his music. “I love playing and it’s by far the best job I’ve ever had.”  http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363C3D3E.htmlSamual Galley2012-04-26T10:07:27 Selah Sue, c’est une voix remarquable qui offre une combinaison étonnante. Si les textes de cette toute jeune femme, née Sanne Putseys en 1989 à Louvain, empruntent à la musique blanche, sa voix évoque immanquablement la musique noire. « J’écris comme un singer-songwriter mais je préfère chanter façon ‘black music’. Soul, blues, ska, ragga ou drum’n’bass. » dit-elle. Chez Selah Sue, tout vient du cœur et relève de l’autobiographie. Alors qu’elle n’a encore sorti aucun album et qu’elle ne passe pas encore à la radio, elle bénéficie déjà du soutien de l’AB et du chanteur flamand Milow. Quant à son manager, elle le partage avec Gabriel Rios. La demoiselle est promise à un bel avenir et elle prend tout le temps nécessaire pour en dessiner les contours. Car, derrière ses allures très matures et même si elle reprend Erykah Badu et Amy Winehouse avec une aisance incroyable, tout est encore très neuf pour elle. Il lui faut encore parfaire sa culture musicale et elle concède vouloir encore expérimenter beaucoup de choses, mais il est clair qu’on la verra, un jour, entourée de quelques musiciens affûtés pour servir son solide répertoire. En attendant, Selah Sue rêve d’une guitare électrique et se montre imperturbable. « Le moindre succès m’enchante. C’est vrai aussi que je n’en attends jamais de trop. » http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363C3D3A.htmlSamual Galley2012-04-25T11:01:52 Dels is an Ipswich-based new-kid-on-the-block, and hip hop wunderkid of huge potential. His debut single ‘Lazy’ will be released on the label in the Spring. A collaboration between Dels and Joe Goddard from Hot Chip, it’s a subtle masterpiece of Hot-Chip-esque production, wonky electronics, experimentation, and fresh rhymes. Already championed by Dazed & Confused, the rapper started out in 2002 making garage music and writing rhymes in his basement with best friend and local producer Eli-T. By chance, John Peel saw him perform in cafe in Ipswich as a teenager. Suitably impressed with Dels’ artistry, he booked him for a Peel Session. Dels (real name Kieren Dickins) moved on to academic endeavours soon after though, training as a graphic designer over the next few years. Nonetheless, schooled in the art of home production, he continued to write and record tracks as a solo artist. And then an act of chance steered things in a pretty thrilling and unexpected direction. In the summer of 2006, he myspaced Hot Chip offering up some props, and a personal appreciation for the production of the band’s second album ‘The Warning’. He got a swift response:- Joe replied with “I like your flow. Would you like to work with us?”. Dels was, understandably, both stunned and electrified. ‘Lazy’ then, is the product of Dels and Joe’s earliest sessions in which they traded influences, sounds, and production tips. Their work together over the past year has been instrumental in the development of Dels’ natural talents – the bar has been inexorably and indefinitely raised. Now good friends, Dels and Goddard plan to release an album together in 2008. http://www.justbecause.ch/shows_703E32363C3D38.htmlSamual Galley2012-04-25T10:57:22 FUEL FANDANGO is a duo formed by the amazing singer Nita and the producer Ale Acosta. After more than 70 concerts and 15.000 downloads of their first EP, the time has come for their first album: 13 songs where we can find funk, rock, electronic music and touches of a very personal flamenco. The album was mastered in London by Simon Daveys (Depeche Mode, Bjork, Chemical Brothers). Fuel Fandango is the new project of Ale Acosta, producer and DJ that already surprised the audience with his former band, Mojo Project, considered a cult band with three albums in the market. Other highlights in his career are the productions, mixes and re-mixes done for important Spanish artists such as Enrique Morente, Buika, Chambao, Muchachito, ElBicho or The PinkerTones among others. Ale Acosta received two nominations in “Los Premios de la Música España 08 and one nomination for “Producer of the year” in the Latin Grammy Awards 2008. The other half of Fuel Fandango is Nita, a young but experienced singer from Córdoba. She started her career as a girl singing coplas and flamenco. Later projects in soul, funk and electronic music have made of her a passionate performer. She is pure energy on stage. The album was recorded between Madrid and Córdoba during the Summer of 2010. In the process, there was only one rule: to complete the recording in no more than15 days in order to maintain the freshness and personality of every song. The result is a fresh, and at the same time, vintage sound. They smoothly combine funk, rock, pop, and electronic music with synthesizers, guitars (Spanish and electric), drums and Nita´s and Ale´s voices. They say: “We make organic dance songs”, and this perfectly describes Fuel Fandango´s music. Nita goes from English to Spanish without blushing, the same way she shifts from a “Black- Soul” sound to flamenco, because as they say, “flamenco does not know about languages”. Their lyrics are carefully written and well wrapped up by an elaborated production with no prejudices when it comes to mix electronic elements from dance music with rock guitars, pop melodies and touches of flamenco. To round it up, the album has been mastered by Simon Daveys (Depeche Mode, Chemical Brothers, Bjork) at The Exchange Studios in London. Fuel Fandango pays special attention to staging. In their performance they play freely with flamenco elements leaving stereotypes behind. Without a doubt, Fuel Fandango´s main strength can be seen, and enjoyed, on stage where Nita and Ale count with Carlos Sosa collaboration on the drums. Together they form an unbeatable trio and gift their audience with the most danceable versions of their music With their first EP they traveled to more than 70 cities (a successful visit to London included) and sold out all tickets in many of them. Now, we just have to enjoy…