Music
Press
The Black Swan Effect is signed to RealWorld Records. Have a listen to them and you'll see why I had to check my facts on that one, maybe for the first time since finding Joseph Arthur among releases by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. There's no world elements on this album, no sarods, ouds, djembes. But there are other influences - this band, hailing from the "southwest UK" mix up the twin influences of Radiohead and The Rolling Stones. Now that latter one might be a natural influence - one of the members, the band's bassist, Jesse Wood, has a father in the Stones: Ronnie Wood. And the band have another connection: drummer Dominic Greensmith used to drum for Peter Gabriel. And as head of RealWorld, Peter Gabriel is bringing his new signees on the road with him. They'll be opening up on his forthcoming South American dates. The band has released a four-song, self-titled EP. The songs are anthemic, dark and bring to mind early Muse.
- National Post
Boasting a member of Reef and the son of Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood (Jesse Wood, left), newcomers the Black Swan Effect are halfway to stardom already. Their debut EP is a promising blend of stompy indie blues and Thom-Yorke-esque vocals. Ones to watch
- Whisper Mag
the jangly guitar-rock of fresh-faced British indie band Black Swan Effect stood out as by far the most exotic fare of the day
- The Telegraph
Discography
Download Album available on B&W (Bowers & Wilkins) website (under band's previous name Grindhouse) www.bowers-wilkins.co.uk
EP - streaming via internet and myspace.
www.realworldmusic.com
www.myspace.com/theblackswaneffect
Photos
Bio
Take two musicians. 15 years ago they collaborate. Then their lives diverge. They continue to write together but one spends the 15 years in the music business, in the charts, touring the world, playing with legends. The second spends the 15 years in the wilderness.
The first is Dominic Greensmith. He spent 10 years in one of Britain’s most popular rock bands, Reef. He’s played with legends like Peter Gabriel and Ray Davies and he’s currently in Carbon/Silicon with Mick Jones (The Clash) and Tony James (Generation X). The second is Gareth Hale. He was tempted back from the wilderness with a bunch of great songs and a burning desire to play them.
So, 15 years on and now they’re back on the same musical path and it’s taking us somewhere very interesting………
Dominic’s wife, the critically acclaimed filmmaker Heidi Greensmith, approached the pair to the write the soundtrack to her latest documentary ‘Devil In The Detail’ – a rock ‘n roll road movie. The soundtrack writing progressed over several months and it started to became obvious that there was an album lurking in there. A band was needed. Jesse Wood and John Hogg, both of the band Hogg, fitted the bill perfectly. So the recording project started…..
The original recordings appeared on the B&W ‘Society Of Sound’ subscription series and the new album is due for release on Real World Records early in 2010.
The songs and the band’s sound evolved during the process in a very organic way with some surprising results. A feeling of importance that is reminiscent of Radiohead’s debut Pablo Honey and a yearning passion in Gareth’s vocals that hint at Jeff Buckley come through. Also more classic and jovial moments appear that harp back to the likes of Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones which reflect their laid back studio sessions.
These elements were all pulled together by Dominic’s love of traditional recording processes mixed with the freedom of sounds found in more contemporary R&B and pop production and the result is an album where even the quietest of the compositions is big enough to fill a cinema or a stadium.
They had an amazing reaction to a recent South American tour, supporting Peter Gabriel, and took Glastonbury Festival, WOMAD Festival and The Guinness 250 Event in Dublin by storm.
The Band features ex-Reef cohorts, Kenwyn House (Guitar) and Dominic Greensmith (Drums), Jesse Wood (Bass) and Gareth Hale (Vocals & Rhythm Guitar). Their EP is scheduled for release in January 2010 and the album release is planned for April 2010 on Real World Records. www.realworldmusic.com, www.myspace.com/theblackswaneffect
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