Albany Down

Albany Down played their first LIVE Session on Paul Jones Radio 2 show on 27 June 2011:
Paul Jones said of their performance:

"WOW Very Very Good Indeed"

"Excellent guitar from Paul Turley there - Slide Stuff Terrific - and Paul Muir Superb on vocals, Sterling work from Billy Dedman on Bass and Jonny Bescoby on Drums. Thanks to Albany Down for an Excellent Session."

"These Guys are going somewhere, make sure they take you with them" - BBC RADIO 2

The new Albany Down “South of the City” disc (produced by Greg Haver) is a bad-mama, rum soaked, spirited vintage patio-party album- full of passion and heat. Stick it on your iPod dock whilst you sip a few barbecue beers.

Title song “South of the city” has a bittersweet butterscotch slide-guitar sound, drenched in oily gutter-slide hazy summer blues. This track feels so close that it makes make you want to strip off your Hawaiian shirt and howl at the harvest moon .

The oppressive heat of these sounds and the mosquito bites of the sub-text, together with those muttering Will-o’-the-wisp marsh-born guitars, create a sweat stained blanket of melodic loops that lazily crawl around the landscape like snakes on the prowl in the tangle of a mangrove swamp.

Among the other standout tracks are “Save Me”, whose intro twinkly chimes and draws you into it’s grasp, like a voodoo witch on the lure- before giving you an icy-cool blow-off. An acid-dropping guitar solo is squeezed so dangerously close to your chest that it makes you gasp for breath - then the rhythms and arrangements begin playing havoc with your senses and are as catchy as summer colds. The razor-sharp musicianship creates an ascending order of anguish. “I Won’t wait” is a departure lounge party anthem- a rolling thunder road scorching fist of a track. A lot of riff plays and sentimental lines, but clean guitar sounds are delivered with whip cracking speed and set against a low scuzzy bass- going nowhere in a hurry.

The only cover-song is the Duffy / Booker 12-bar song-book standard “Mercy”, which may be the singalong cheese classic of summers past, but here is another thing altogether. Born insecure and alone. On a ledge. This song creates an eerie feeling of isolation and loss. Angst loaded shiny and glittering arrangements create a fuzzy landscape for the voice of Paul Muir that sounds as lofty as a highborn eagle, lost in flight against the blurry dark and rugged landscape below.

“Jealousy” is a licky, brave spring starter number of pop beats. Styled with the utmost precision and creative percussion from Jonny Bescoby. While “The Train Song” is a short fun-time marvel. Accelerating along a descending track like an out-of-control handcart. And “I Wanna Know” starts with that the nagging bass line from Billy Dedman, creating a soundscape for the precarious yet glittering verse; While sudden shafts of light (provided by Paul Turley on lead guitar) break out across the landscape like startled fish flicking up nervously from bright, yet muddy waters.

The epic conclusion to this album is the honest to goodness track “Without You”, the most satisfying and rewarding end-piece I have heard for a long time.

All-in-all this is a brave, soulful, honest and enjoyable album from a group of hard-working every day rock heroes . A great bluesey deal. Highly recommended.
- RAW RAMP MUSIC MAG

Wow! What a show! As if touched by grace during the past six months, Albany Down put on a mesmerising and masterful show for the eager crowds at the Staines Hobgoblin last Thursday. The breadth of their musical achievement is amazing. High dancing vocals from Paul Muir, exciting solos and pushing, tearing power-chords on the guitar by Paul Turley, pounding great grumbling bass notes from Billy and wildly wicked thunderclaps of earth-shattering power from Jonny on drums. It was like an eruptive force of nature exploding onto the stage at The Hob. Those of us who had witnessed Albany Down in the past were in for a surprise. Expecting their usual subtle blends of grown up Rock, Blues and Indie originals (with maybe a few exciting covers chucked in) none of us could have foreseen such a seismic change in the talents of this conservative looking and conservative sounding young band. But their new show is classic rock to be reckoned with. And this was more than just a performance. It was an urgent, volatile, flaming heart, ears buzzing declaration of power and creative energy.
The band shared a bundle of new material with the delighted crowd at Staines. The Morning After with its progressive bass-play and pulsating rhythms of tension and groove constructed to create a mocking anthem for sliders and shifters laced with those treacly lead guitars and culminating in an elegant and hummable chorus. This is an accomplished and worthy song. And Wasted starts with a riff that is so tense that it makes you want to urgently seek much needed climatic release. This is a poisonous mix of clean-cut vocals and dirty, dirty guitars all chugging along with that insistent drive.
Evidently someone must have whacked a rattlesnake up Paul Muirs kilt at some stage, because he is now a rampant beast prancing, jumping and parading around the stage like an addled Mick Jagger crossed with a libidinous Marti Pellow. He really held on to the heartstrings of the crowd. And Paul Turley not only gave up his quality southern-soaked guitars, but also gave us some note-perfect, sizzling lead vocals on a blues number, and plenty of melodic and expressive backing vocals on other songs. Billy the Bruiser was equally flamboyant on bass guitar, lurking, leeching and leering his way all around the stage whilst wildman Jonny, on those frantic drums, provided a confetti of pyrotechnic percussive achievements.
The final four songs of the set; The Albanys blues-style version of the Steve Booker / Duffy hit Mercy, followed up by the Train Song, Jealousy and Save Me draw influences from early Stones, Who, even Zeppelin. And these numbers demonstrate that the band would be comfortable working in a blues club, an indie rock venue, a metal festival or up on the high altar at a stadium sized event. Such is their ability and their scale of work.
Yep, Albany Down are now as hot a volcanic ash and yet as cool as snow slippers. This sparkling band goes from strength to strength. Check them out as soon as you can. They will pour passion into your pumps, fire flames up your flares and ram jumping beans down your jumper. True quality!
Neil_Mach
May 2010
- Staines Web Log

Dont try to tell me Ive had my share..

Albany Down are on the way up! I saw the boys at the Hobgoblin Staines last night performing new tracks and laying down the
beat. They are also soon to be heading for the Purple Turtle and the Barfly in Camden, as well as completing some new [free]
streaming MP3 tracks.

The sound of Albany Down is stripped-down-to-the-waist no nonsense rhythm and blues 70s inspired Brit rock ( the feel of
early Free or John Mayalls Bluesbreakers) but with a bit of jazz-funk to mix it up a little. The sensation is a bit like having an-honest to goodness pint of real ale in a local pub with your best mates, whilst your girls are all up on the dance floor bopping to Sly & the Family Stone the two things shouldnt go together but they really do. For example, the Albany Down song Baby Whered You Stay is a classic Stones type song through-and-through, yet we all know how funky the Stones can sound- especially after a few large ones.

Paul Muir is the band vocalist ( he looks like a smaller version of Clydebank born Marti Pellow - and he sounds like him too when he introduces each song) but Paul needs to project his voice a good deal more if he is to achieve clarity and intensity. He needs to demand attention by lifting that voice up to a new level. Sometimes his vocals were lost inside the hard-as-nails musical themes, which is a shame.

The large bruiser in the porkpie hat is the bassist Billy Dedman -his bass play is fast and deadly in its earnest gusto. It is finger-lickin good too. Billy has a prowess for solid bass lines and a certain reliability about him - but he also demonstrates the aptitude and dexterity for a higher vision and pulled off some nifty bass solo pieces of his own.

Diminutive drummer Jonny Bescoby is as fast as the white water at the Grand Rapids, after a particularly heavy downpour. Many of the Albany Down songs have a funky beat to them, so the drummer needs to have loose wrists and a compassion and an understanding for rhythm with a grooving back-beat. His musicianship brings to mind Blink-182s Travis Barker in style and ability, with an intrinsic understanding of agile rap-rock box-beats that he adds to the rhythmic soundscape when so required. But Jonny is also reliable and prescient enough to provide reliable and thunderous percussive downpours in the more conventional blues settings.

Paul Turley on lead guitar makes most of the magic happen up on stage. Wearing the face of Jimi on his chest, but the smugness and charm of a rogue city trader upon his countenance, he may be clean-cut and young but his guitar-work speaks of generations of earthy blues players cutting their thumbs on sharp chords and picking up the notes of barbed tunes in an artful agony almost angelic in its anguish. He puts on a very fine and accomplished performance with a few daring and flaring Hendrix-style licks but reverts down to a sensible chug-a-chug chord or two when things are brimming.

The surprise of the evening was the Steve Booker/Duffy number Mercy played stripped down to the gun-metal and served with
plenty of angst. This and the crowd pleaser The Morning After with its tribal thumping (the feeling of drums banging in your head after a session we know dont we kids?) were the musical highlights in an enjoyable set. Albany Down can be counted on for pleasure and honest to goodness fun. Insistent guitar hooks, stripped down licks and rattling good-time rock are all handed out to an eager crowd like a kind of pass-the-parcel game full of authentic British R&B sounds.

Grab some and join in!



- Neil Mach

"Albany Down – I only heard about these guys when they contacted me and signed up to band assist a few weeks back. Since then they asked for a review and thank God they did! If they hadn’t I would have never heard “South of the City” which is currently my favourite song in the world and reminds me why I do this, so I get to hear tracks like this. Albany Down are part Skynard, Part The Doors and bring a great vibe."
(c) BandAssist
July 2010
- BandAssist

AD stormed there way to the semi final this Monday evening having won the first and second round of this National competition.

The official site review states:

"With business cards littering the bar it was impossible not to notice Albany Down. There were rumours of course that the band would not go on stage without some sort of drug cocktail provided to them in a manner too explicit for a rock website. All joking aside, Albany Down were untouchable and 10/10 musically speaking. As Tont Wilson famously said "If there's a choice between the truth and the legend?pick the legend."

This places AD 12th overall position in the south east and 20th in the entire UK

- David Coucher SU Festival

"Albany Down-Set Me Free
Our quest to find the hottest new bands has finally ended. Using the power of Windows Live Spaces, you voted for your favorite bands and we got them all together. Take a peek at the highlights and remember to check out the space for more."

http://albanydown.spaces.live.com/
- MSN October 2007

Albany Down Stormed their way through the first round of the National Surface Unsigned Festival on 6 April 2008 gaining a total vote of 385 points. The official review adds:

"Opening their set with instant-classic psychedelic guitars followed by old school riffs, Albany Down really set the stage on fire. Front man Paul Muir doesn't look like your typical rock star, but it's a different story when he takes on the mic. Helped by excellent guitarist Paul Turley, bassist Billy Dedman and electric shirtless drummer Jonny Bescoby, he creates superbly classic and exceptional material. Albany Down is the result of this surprise-packed and energetic collaboration."

- Pauline Eiferman

Friday, May 29, 2009

An Interview With Albany Down!

It is the afternoon after Jonny's 24th Birthday bash and the band ALBANY DOWN is full of beans. It appears that they went out last night to one of those hedonistic Hellfire type clubs in London, where semi-naked depravity was the main item on the menu. "At least I now know that I don't have any fetishes" says bass player Billy Dedman as he shakes his head trying to delete the bad images of gimps and whips that are etched into his mind. Jonny Bescoby (drummer) appears to still be dumb struck from the experience with a permanently puzzled look on his face. "It was like sick and mental at the same time... but it was cool" He says "I am absolutely definitely going back".

The two more 'stable' looking city-slicker type members of the band (Paul Muir the singer and Paul Turley the guitarist) stare at their fellow band-mates with a look of weary acceptance. The 'two Pauls' declined last night's scandalous activities preferring, instead, to have a quiet night in. This characterises the 'division' within the young band. One half of ALBANY DOWN are crazy young guns up for anything... the other half are laborious, safe handed stay-at-home rock-steady Eddies. Somehow it works. Sprinkle some pepper on half basket of strawberries and taste the results - it shouldn't work- but all the same it does. It is the same thing with ALBANY DOWN. Sugar and spice.

Baby faced Jonny Bescoby wears a short black jacket, bondage pants and black nail varnish. He looks like a rock star. Jonny is a ferociously fast drummer. He is totally self-taught and his band-mates are blown away by the speed that he develops his sound. In rehearsal he starts off a new song fairly basically and then builds up layer-upon-layer of rhythm to completely transform and reinvigorate the percussive elements.

Paul Muir, the talented lead singer, is considered to be the 'perfectionist' of the band. Paul wears a slate grey suit and a starched blue shirt ... his hair is neatly trimmed and styled into a gentle fauxhawk. "It is my job to slap people around and to get things done... I get the others to study and to concentrate" he says, like some kind of college lecturer. The other band members just nod in agreement. Paul also writes the lyrics for the ALBANY DOWN songs. "They tend to evolve from 'stupid' to more 'serious' over a few days" he states, with a grin. The band is going into the studio this June to lay down six new tracks (working in close collaboration with legendary 'Manics' & 'Skindred' producer Greg Haver). And they are looking forward to the experience of concentrating on the their music, focussing on their style and developing their sound. Paul Muir's favourite singer is Paul Rodgers (Free and Bad Company) but he once thought about replacing Plant as the lead singer in Led Zep. "Yes, yes, it is true that I wrote to Robert Mensch (manager of Jimmy Page) and sent him some of my demos ... I suggested that I would make the ideal replacement for Robert if the band wanted to start playing live again in the near future ..."

Looking like some kinda out-of-work estate agent, the band's guitar supremo Paul Turley wears a crisply laundered striped shirt and neat grey trousers to go with his clean cut workaday hair. He is famous for the look of post-coital satisfaction plastered across his contorted face during guitar breaks. But, off stage, Paul wears a look one would normally expect from a smug thirty-something city banker- you know, something between tristesse and melancholy spread across a serious young face. Paul describes the pleasure of playing live as " Working on pure adrenalin - you feel it and it moves you". The band share a passion for Joe Bonamassa (they recently all went to see him play at the Albert Hall) so it is no surprise that ALBANY DOWN are often compared to the old style Brit blues bands like John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers or Free. Paul plays a Suhr thru a Dr Z Route 66 amp and already possesses some of the spirited rawness and technical prowess of those Brit-blues greats. Paul is often compared to a young Jeff Beck, with the same lyrical and melodic style.

Billy plays the 5 string bass for the band. He is constantly dressed in a dark Trilby hat and his lank hair dribbles down his cheeks framing a broad smile that is permanently beamed across a wide face. He reminds me of Desperate Dan. He probably eats cow pie and shaves with a blow-torch too. Billy comes from a musical background and has been exposed to a wide variety of musical influences throughout his upbringing but he admits he has a secret penchant for the darker and more elemental sounds in rock. In other words, bass is where he's at. Technically, his playing ranges from aggressive thrums to muted melodic slaps. In many ways it is Billy who controls the energy, power and raw emotion of the band... keeping the songs chugging forward and helping to maintain their overall melodic style of R'n'B - often even adding - Neil Mach

“Indie blues-rockers Albany Down are based in London and mix their own written songs with a few appropriate covers. A fast and furious beginning as "The Morning After" and "Baby" culminate with the band almost catching "Fire" as they cover a Jimi classic. With everybody needing to recover after such a frenetic start, "Without You" does slow things down a touch. A very bluesy cover of "Mercy" works, as does a rocking "Jonny B Goode". It all gives way to the slow burning "Save Me" which is such an inflammatory end to their set.”



Martin Stapleton

Review of appearance at Esquires, Bedford on 4 July 2009 - Martin Stapleton