Ladies and gentlemen; set down your popcorn, draw the curtains, light the stage and give a round of applause please, for we have a winner! The month of May has brought you a medley of bands and sounds, but the God in our TV was suitably bowled over by one act. Mary Epworth and the Jubilee Band are victorious!
If anyone’s confused and/or doesn’t know what we’re talking about, you can read our original Preaching From the Pews entry here, where we described Mary and her troupe:
“Pretend you’ve put The Jesus & Mary Chain into a blender, sprinkled them with the remains of Fairport Convention, and consoled them with the hazy memory of festivals gone by. Then you’ve given them a tumbler full of whiskey and told them to buck the hell up or get out. That’s what Mary Epworth and the Jubilee Band sound like. They’re amazing. Trust me.”
The band have been active since 2008, when “Psych soul Chanteuse” Epworth enlisted the help of several friends to record and release her debut single “The Saddle Song”, followed by September 2009’s “Black Doe”. Both songs were released through her own label Hand of Glory Records. Epworth plans to release her debut album later on in the year.
To launch her timely reign over the website, God Is in the TV were lucky enough to gain exclusive access to three of the tracks ready and waiting for the as-of-yet untitled album:
Black Doe – In ruckus homage to the 1960s, Epworth puts on her best Janis Joplin impression and is seemingly backed by a crew of Black Sabbath fans. Originally released in 2009, the song has been revamped with ear bleeding wattage and thumping percussion; though technical improvement doesn’t remove from its ‘backstage at a festival’ feel. Unsurprisingly it’s already gained airplay on BBC 6 Music via Cerys Matthews and Tom Robinson.
Ray – An uncharacteristically reserved ballad, “Ray” draws heavy comparison to Sandy Denny. Conveniently in 2008 Epworth played a tribute concert to the Fairport Convention star alongside Bellowhead.
Long Gone – This song is the happy medium between the two above; it’s at once disembowelling and cathartic. Filled with a rousing choir, Hammond keyboard, trumpets, Epworth’s beloved harpsichord and a truck full of synth, the end result is a rollercoaster of temperament and tempo. It’s perhaps the audible equivalent of a come down – though as I stick to the law I can’t confirm that. Whatever the case, you need this song in your life.
For more information on the wonderful Epworth and co, and to keep up to date with her pre-album developments, make sure to check back soon. Over the coming month we’ll interview, review, feature and generally write the hell out of this project, because we love it, and so should you.
If you’re interested in getting featured via Preaching From the Pews and GIITTV Introducing please email [email protected].
