Drewvis: posting new songs

Posted by jamie on Dec 9, 2011

The lovely Drewvis has started work on his new album!

Here’s what he told us:

I can’t reveal much about it yet, other than I have recorded 5 tracks, and 2 new demos can be heard here.

I hope you like them!

We do, Drew.  Thank you.  If you missed it - you should check out his last record.  It’s wonderful.

 

Drewvis: new songs and free downloads

Posted by jamie on Jul 25, 2011

Seeing as we like to do what we’ve told, here’s us telling you about some new Drewvis songs and a few free downloads of his older stuff.  It’s all come in an email from the man himself, which is nicely self-explanatory.  Here goes..

thank you all so much for your support, and we’re glad you like the new album!

I’m working on a handful of new songs at the moment and have some interesting plans for them which I’ll reveal over the coming weeks.

Also, mega thanks to everyone that has downloaded the free song compilation ‘For The Bin’ hope you’re enjoying that too, did you know you can also pick up our first Do The Dog release ‘For The Win’ absolutely FREE as well? Yup, tis true - go grab it now from here .

If you haven’t done already, please go over to the Drewvis facebook page  and give us a ‘like’ and you might be lucky enough to win the new album! Spread the word like butter

 

 

Drewvis: tweeting his album..

Posted by jamie on Jul 19, 2011

Acoustic ska genius Drewvis posted his stunning new album on bandcamp over the weekend.  In case you missed it, the details are on his twitter.  No more clues.

Drewvis: Disposable Pleasures & Meaningful Pursuits

Posted by jamie on Jun 23, 2011

Drewvis

 

Disposable Pleasures & Meaningful Pursuits – Do the Dog, 2011

 

23^rd June 2011

 

Jamie

 

If you’ve read a lot of our reviews, you’ll most likely have guessed by now that I’m not a musician.  Alright, I pay attention to detail and am lucky enough to get to hear a lot of great new music, so I know good songs when I hear them.  Occasionally, though, I get stuck for the odd word, and this is one of those occasions. 

 

The thing is, though, that this thing that I can’t describe is pretty crucial to what makes Drewvis’s excellent new record so exciting, and so different to so much of the other, also excellent, acoustic ska that’s coming out at the moment.

 

These days more and more people are getting in to the acoustic thing, and there are lots of other folk out there making excellent solo acoustic music, ska or otherwise.  But there’s something about it that still makes Drewvis’s stuff sound more acoustic, if that were possible.  It’s not down to any lack of production: Disposable Pleasures and Meaningful Pursuits is a polished recording and really nicely put together.  And it’s not because it’s more stripped down or lo-fi.  Instead, since For the Win Drew’s added a bassist (his mate Paul from old band Second Time Lucky) and drummer/percussionist Seb.  There’s backing vocals, including a female backing singer (Amanda) and even keys on some tracks.  Do the Dog are referring to Drewvis as a “ska & reggae outfit”.  There’s much more going on here than on the last record, and it’s effectively an album recorded by a full band.Why, then, does it feel so much more acoustic?  I’ll have to leave that to the musicians among you.

What we de know, and I’ve already hinted at this already, is a smooth and polished record of acoustic reggae and ska.  Drewvis has returned with a clutch of guest musicians and made a record more suited to a full band.  There’s more in the arrangements here, and the sound, while remaining the most acoustic of all the acoustic ska, has become bigger than it was on For the Win.

The finished effect is absolutely stunning: Disposable Pleasures and Meaningful Pursuits is wonderful from start to finish: Drewvis has an incredible gift for writing instantly charming and uplifting ska and pop songs, and performing them in a way that’s so uplifting it feels like your heart is literally climbing up inside your chest.  The refrains are deliciously catchy, the vocals, all of them, so effortlessly engaging, and the melodies so beautiful in their simplicity and infectious in their foot-tapping happiness that it’s impossible not to instantly fall in love with this record.  

 

 

It’s not just that it’s so cheery: it is ridiculously, cheesily cheerful, but there’s so much to enjoy in the music itself as well as in the way it’s performed.  The harmonies, backing vocals, percussion, basslines, and key parts all take their respective turns to entertain and sprinkles a little more joy on the record.  There are so many catchy little moments that raise a smile and make you want to listen out for them when, if you’re like me, the album comes around again and again on repeat.  It’s like the really excellent episodes of Blackadder or the Simpsons that you can watch over and over and keep finding little bits that you love and wish you’d noticed last time.  It’s been really tough to pick my favourite tracks from this record, because it really needs to be listened to as a whole and because all of the songs are so excellently deserving and so lovely, but I’ve picked five.  Estoy Esperando deserves to be singled out because it works really nicely as a duet, with both parts fitting together so nicely; I Want makes it for the keyboard part, and Compass gets special praise for being (probably) the best example of an instantly addictive, charmingly beautiful acoustic pop song.  They could all have deserved that prize, but Compass

just takes it.  It’s sung a tiny bit higher, which, I’ll guess, wasn’t easy (listen carefully at the end).  It’s just that little bit breezier even than the rest.  With a treat of a keyboard part, and the loveliest of a whole bunch of lovely melodies and more harmonies than the rest.  It’s wonderful.  All the songs are.

 

Stand-out Tracks:

Short Measures
Estoy Esperando

I Want
Compass
These 3 Words

 

 

Drewvis: new album ahoy

Posted by jamie on May 26, 2011

Latest news on the recording of Drewvis’s new album.  Very excited for this.  Kevin from Do the Dog has given us this sneaky insight..

Drewvis have indeed completed the recording, mixing & mastering of their new CD titled “Disposable Pleasures & Meaningful Pursuits”.

The disc will feature the following 13 tunes, plus one hidden bonus track:
1. Liberate, Never Hate
2. It’s All Good
3. Short Measures
4. Let It Go
5. Drunken Words N Dub
6. Fortune Cookie
7. Estoy Esperando
8. iWant
9. One Moment
10. Compass
11. Purple
12. These 3 Words
13. Do One!

Combination 13, who did the art for Bananatown, as well as the likes of Sonic Boom Six, the Slackers and Catch-it Kebabs, are finishing off the art.  Once that’s done the record will be released on Do the Dog Music.

Can’t wait?  Grab Drevis’ last record, For the Win, on Do the Dog here.

New Drewvis album..

Posted by jamie on Apr 6, 2011

Lovely acoustic ska man Drewvis has finished his new album.  I’m so excited for this.  As soon as we know more, we’ll tell you.

DO THE DOG BANDS’ TOUR DATES

Posted by jamie on Jul 26, 2009

New-vis

Posted by jamie on Apr 8, 2009

Drewvis has his latest acoustical-ska gem up on his facebook page.  It’s called Short Measures but be quick!  It won’t be there long.