Woodenbox

Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers
Innovative folk-rockers pull out all the stops at their home-town album launch
Marcus Kernohan
Thursday 13 May 2010, The Journal Issue 35



Ali 'Woodenbox' Downer has good reason to be merry tonight: his band's debut album, Home and the Wildhunt, drew a cascade of positive reviews upon its release this month, and a series of national tour dates have only intensified the hype. Facing down a packed art school bar, the frontman – a tall, wild-eyed figure with a full beard and a breathless lilt to his speech – seems slightly startled by the crowd's enthusiasm, confessing guiltily that he “got drunk, and forgot I was meant to be playing after.” But tonight is Woodenbox With a Fistful of Fivers' home-town album launch; the consolidation of their burgeoning reputation as one of Scotland's most promising young bands, so we can forgive his high spirits.

This may be Woodenbox's party, but in many ways it's more like a reunion among friends. After a tuneful but ultimately forgettable performance from Tony Yorston, Downer's former bandmate in now-defunct rockers The Cigarettes, The Kays Lavelle arrive on scene. The Leith sextet offer little by way of an introduction but as a gentle piano/violin harmony works itself up into a rising crescendo, all eyes turn to the stage. In The Kays Lavelle we find a band who up-end any preconceptions of how folk 'should' sound, crafting an intricate, orchestral vibe and capturing the same brooding appeal of Broken Records with a more subtle bite. Current single 'Ten Times', a rapidly-shifting tidal wave of a track, demonstrates a level of technical coherence rare in a live setting.

In an unforeseen gear-shift from the first half's ruminant approach to folk, second-billings The Stormy Seas bring a different energy to proceedings with their stomping rhythms and aggressively impassioned vocal lines. It's a less enrapturing performance than their predecessors' – the country melancholia of swansong 'Slowdance' feels disingenuous after such a lively set – but The Stormy Seas nonetheless rest in a fine tradition of folk rock à la Frightened Rabbit.

Despite the high bar set by their supporting cast, Woodenbox With a Fistful of Fivers mount the stage with a confident swagger. The half-minute or so dedicated to the subtly-titled 'Intro' feels like foreplay, but when they get down to the matter at hand, hammering through 'Besides the Point' and the wonderfully wistful 'Draw A Line', it makes for compelling viewing. Never still for a moment, Downer flits between two microphones; one clean, the other doused in reverb, while his colleagues bound around the stage as if possessed. His voice is a strange beast, turning on a dime from Scottish brogue to Americana drawl, and it's a refreshing change of pace from the mic-hugging and generally static indie frontmen du jour.

Woodenbox's blending of country, rock and jazz influences is eccentric but entirely convincing; trumpeter Phil Caldwell and saxophonist Sam Evans add much-needed texture to the standard folk instrumentation on tracks like 'Twisted Mile', and do so to such an extent that the two brass musicians propel Woodenbox from being a good folk band to being an innovative folk band whose relentless dynamism and impressively cohesive arrangements make them a genuinely exciting live act. Tonight is more than just the launch of their album; it's the start of something special.

- The Journal

WOODENBOX WITH A FISTFUL OF FIVERS: HOME AND THE WILD HUNT
****
ELECTRIC HONEY, £9.99

THE folks at Stow College's Electric Honey label continue to flex the talent-spotting muscles that brought you early recordings by Belle & Sebastian, Snow Patrol and Biffy Clyro with their latest acquisition.

Singer/songwriter Ali Downer aka Woodenbox is backed by his trusty Sergio Leone-referencing minstrels Fistful of Fivers who, appropriately, bring some soulful mariachi horns and Morricone-style whistling as well as hearty harmonies to this impressive, infectious debut.

Home And The Wild Hunt confidently traverses warming Caledonian country and rollicking indie folk territory but such is the collective talent for arrangement that the group can drop in jazz, blues and klezmer touches without cluttering the songs. - The Scotsman

Yet another band mining the space that sits between folk and Americana and overlaps them both, Woodenbox (main main Ali Downer) and A Fistful of Fivers (everybody else) play the sort of light, upbeat music that’s currently all the rage in the wake of Mumford & Sons success. WWAFOF, as they shall be known hereafter, don’t lack ambition, though they should perhaps remember that just because they have a horn section doesn’t mean they can invoke Stax and Van the Man without being able to back it up, and as yet, they can’t quite

A closer comparison than the Mumfords might be Noah And The Whale, a band who are rather more serious than their debut hit “Five Years Time” suggested and who are similar musical magpies. WWAFOF’S trump card is Downer’s superior song writing, which has a dark edge to it, with “Hang the Noose” and the righteous anti-racist “Immigrant” being the best of the bleak, with “Heart Attack” and “Fistful Of Fivers” not far behind. They may not have it all quite worked out yet, but “...Hunt” is a very solid debut indeed with proper depths beneath its surface catchiness - Americana UK

Bar-band folk-rock from jolly-Glaswegian sextet. This Caledonian six-piece eschew the usual gloomy folk-romp stomp for a more jovial take on the genre and end up coming across as something like Dexy's covered by The E-Street band. At it's best this gives us a song like 'Twisted Mile', horn-led perky pop with a mariachi twist, or the country spiritual 'Draw a Line'. - Uncut Magazine

WHEN a folk band with a lively
horn section get up on stage,
the temptation these days is
to toss about comparisons to
Arcade Fire and Bellowhead.
This lot, however, seem to have had an ear out
for what Bruce Springsteen was up to with his
Seeger Sessions Band – that, and a splash of
spaghetti sauce from Ennio Morricone’s
western scores (the name is indeed a clue).
I’ll go a step further: when their melancholy
mariachi brass enters into Hang The Noose
or Draw The Line, they become the Scottish
Calexico. That’s not to say that Ali Downer
(the main man with the “Woodenbox” alter
ego) can’t write pure radio pop songs – Fistful
Of Fivers and Besides The Point are proof
enough of that. Watch them storm this year’s
festivals and become a live phenomenon; but,
for the time being, enjoy an album that’s nicely
recorded courtesy of the students at Glasgow’s
Stow College.
Alan Morrison - The Sunday Herald

They are trumped, however, by the quietly unassuming musings of Woodenbox With a Fistful of Fivers, whose superb Draw a Line (****, 4 Jan) is the pick of this month’s batch. The irresistible horn section, in the ilk of Calexico, perfect harmonies and gruff vocals of Ali Downer are more akin to the dustbowls of Arizona than the damp streets of Glasgow. An inspired track.

http://www.theskinny.co.uk/article/98297-the-dirty-dozen---january-2010 - The Skinny Scotland

Date: 13 June 2009
By DAVID POLLOCK
WOODENBOX WITH A FISTFUL OF FIVERS ****

SNEAKY PETE'S, EDINBURGH

UNDOUBTEDLY the holders of Scottish music's most convoluted name, Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers are at least unlikely to be forgotten by anyone who hears them mentioned. The title comes from their origin as one solo singer-songwriter – the Edinburgh-raised, Glasgow-based Ali Downer, aka Woodenbox – and his eventual backing band, who named themselves A Fistful of Fivers in tribute to the Sergio Leone film A Fistful of Dollars.

It's a slightly convoluted tale, but the reference points become clearer when you hear the six-piece, half of whom are bearded and wearing outfits which hint at truck-driving Americana. Downer's gravelly transatlantic drawl (while singing, at least; his accent is broad Scots when he talks) recalls The Man With No Name himself, ordering his own wooden boxes from the local undertaker. The music is broadly country-rock, but there's also a slightly eerie quality which recalls the soundtrack work of Ennio Morricone.

Latin styles are accentuated by Phil Cardwell's trumpet and Sam Evans's saxophone, while Nick Dudman's drums shuffle in mariachi style through Twisted Mile.

Crammed onto the tiny stage in Sneaky Pete's (the keyboard actually had to be set up on the dancefloor), the band's sound seems like it should occupy a much bigger space, perhaps somewhere that people can jig and reel along. After barely 40 minutes on stage, closing number My Mule left the crowd wanting more.






- The Scotsman

Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers @ Tut’s 13-06-09 | Jun 23rd 2009
WOODENBOX WITH A FISTFUL OF FIVERS
King Tut’s, Glasgow, June 13 * * * *

In the space of a year or so Woodenbox, aka Ali Downer and his band A Fistful of Fivers, have come a long way. Playing supporting roles in Glasgow’s smaller venues has not only helped the sextet hone their live skills, it’s also won them an ever-expanding following. Tonight they appeared at Tut’s to celebrate the launch of second single Hang The Noose.
It’s always hard to predict what kind of turnout an event such as this will attract, but by the time the band eventually arrived on stage the room was nearly full.
Downer may have been surprised by the size and enthusiasm of the crowd, but for those of us who’ve seen the band develop over the last twelve months, the show of appreciation didn’t come as a shock.
Clearly enjoying themselves throughout, the Glasgow outfit’s experimental mix of folk, country and bluegrass proved most uplifting on debut single Twisted Mile. With its Balkan-ised trumpet hook and joyous melody the crowd was soon dancing along.
However it was the more sombre My Mule which provided the band with their stand-out moment, the song’s nod to Elliott Smith and frenetic finale making for a compelling three minutes.
- Word Press

Tuesday, 20 October 2009
On the radar: Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers


Play: Heart Attack


Play: Hang the Noose


What makes a good band name? Well, according to Ali Downer of the splendidly-named central Scotland country-rock collective Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers, it’s the opportunity to annoy the naysayers.

“I had made a recording called Woodenbox and played some wee affairs under that alias,” he explains. “When the rest of the guys came on board we wrote some new songs and changed some of the older ones.

“We came up with a bit of a country thing and decided to call ourselves Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers – it was a bit of a laugh really but it’s stuck because a few people didn’t like it and that made it somehow more appealing for us.”

Downer and his bandmates Nick Dudman (drums/ukelele), Fraser McKirdy (bass/organ), Phil Cardwell (trumpet), Jordan Croan (electric guitar) and Sam Evans (sax) have gone from strength to strength and have built up a reputation for their raucous live shows since getting together at the beginning of 2008. This month sees the band take in some venues in Northern England – but they’re still managing to fit in a show as part of Oxjam’s Edinburgh Takeover.

“Oxfam is the undisputed king of charity music outlets and we are happy to be associated with the good name,” says Downer. “We played at Gimme Shelter last year too, and really loved the vibe.

“I hope there is a bit of cash available for the charity, and we will be doing our bit by having free CDs for people who come to the show.”

The band’s two-piece brass section is among the many things that set them apart from many bands in the local scene. “Ultimately we want to create something different,” Downer explains.

“It’s great writing songs and pulling them together as a band then trying different ways of playing and recording them.

“We try to play a raucous live show to make our music different from how it is recorded too – we wanna have a different vibe.”

The band count themselves as big fans of experimental folk and blues acts such as Captain Beefheart and Dr Dog; and closer to home The Phantom Band. “They’re an inspiring, phenomenal force,” says Downer .

“I love music that uses harmony and interesting uses of instrumentation,” he adds.

“I became obsessed with the Serge Leone films a few years ago and the soundtracks by Ennio Morricone were so inspiring. I went out and bought the soundtracks on record and through of making a wee side project of music like that – the tracks I came up with ended up just becoming hybrids that we play in the band.”

Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers have recently finished recording their debut album, which will be released at the beginning of 2010. “It’s a good year to release an album, and we’re really excited to get it out there,” says Downer.
- On The Radar

Hand picked by Electric Honey, King Tut’s and in the last 12 for Island Records’ anniversary celebratory single release… Front man Ali Downer lifts the lid on his band who seem to be getting chosen as regularly as their Noel Edmonds red velcro-strapped counterparts.

The road Ali Downer has taken from his first recordings at age thirteen to this, the most recent incarnation of his act, is a long and well travelled one. Countries have been navigated and Britain explored, with each stop a new E.P, a new alias and cast. But with the evolution from solo act ‘Woodenbox’ to full band ‘Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers’, Ali has founded his most accomplished act yet, and one which he is intent on keeping. The originality of their country-tinged folk against the backdrop of the Glasgow indie scene and the attention this has attracted so far makes it clear that Ali has good instincts on when to stick or twist. However, this musical departure from his peers and even his own previous work was not initially the ..
“It was unintentional to go so country but this one [single ’Hang the Noose’], it just kinda came out like that. I think it was just trying to not do standard drum beats. But then you’d start doing it and it would be like ‘god that sounds so country’, when its not necessarily that much of a country song! And I guess the trumpet as well, if you ever put trumpet into a sort of country vibe it always sounds like ‘Ring of Fire’ [laughs] but then, that’s no bad thing is it?”
Living in Edinburgh until recently, Ali feels this freedom from the influences of a strong scene like that of the Glasgow indie scene has allowed him to pursue a more unique brand of music, instead highlighting acts such as King Creosote, The Parsonage and Elliot Smith among his inspirations. Having been picked up by Electric Honey, the influencial Glasgow college label which helped launch the careers of Belle & Sebastian, Biffy Clyro and Snow Patrol among others; recording of the album is now complete and for Ali it demonstrates a significant musical progression from the Woodenbox solo E.P:
“It’s really different. I guess the first one’s quite lo-fi, and since the band’s come in it’s got more energetic and rhythmical. It’s a million miles away from the first one. Its quite varied, I’m very pleased with it.”
The first offering from the bands newest work is single ‘Hang the Noose’ which is released on King Tut’s recordings on June 13th. “It’s a difficult thing choosing one song, and I still don’t know if it’s the right choice! (laughs) Because there are other ones I like too. But I think it’s the right one to do, it’s just got a great trumpet melody and just a really nice beat so I think it’s a good one to showcase the band to someone who has never heard us before. And then hopefully they’ll come to a gig and see that it’s not everything we do.”
Next on the horizon for the band is a trip to London as part of the last 12 out of the 200 UK college bands selected by Island Records for a single release as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations. From there, the act hope to keep the momentum going, making the most of the wealth of recordings that came from the album sessions:
“I’d like to do a 4-track single maybe before the album launch, so people are excited to hear it. We’ve got so many recordings… there are 4 tracks in particular which I don’t think will fit with the album but I wouldn’t like to not do anything with them. There are so many new songs and we keep coming up with newer ideas and things, so it would be good to keep the momentum going.”
Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers single ‘Hang the Noose’ is available in-store and download from 15th of June on King Tut’s Recordings. The single launch at King Tut’s is on the 13th of June and the band are performing in-store at Fopp on Union Street on the 15th of June.
www.myspace.com/awoodenbox
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