Relish - Cork gig

Jim Comic

SAVOY THEATRE PRESENTS:
Relish
+ Juute

THURS 29 MAY
TICKETS €15 (AVAILABLE FROM THE BODEGA & PLUGD RECORDS)
DOORS:8.30

Karma Calling – new album released on 30th May 2003

You’ll remember this exhilarating three piece band from their acclaimed
platinum debut, "Wildflowers" and the clatter of singles that would have
needed a barring order to have kept them off the radio – "Let It Fly"; "You
I’m Thinking Of" and the rather majestic "Rainbow Zephyr".

‘Wildflowers’ went on to achieve success in Spain, Belgium, Indonesia,
Thailand and Hong Kong, culminating in a No. 1 airplay chart position in
Japan for ‘You I’m Thinking Of’, which brought them around the world in 80
gigs! Some of the highlights of the tour were Summer Sonic Festival in
Tokyo & Osaka and their unforgettable appearance at Slane Castle, supporting U2 and Coldplay.

Following this hectic schedule of gigging, the band finally returned to the
studio to record their follow up album, utilising their propulsive
percussion, bouncing bass, big squally guitars, sweet soul vocals and more spirit and feeling than is decent in this day and age – yes, indeed, we’re in the unmistakable company of Relish as they rock their way through the compelling opener of their new album.

For a kick-off track, "I’ve Got The Sun" is a turbo-charged rush of uncommon elegance. Amid the hypnotic voodoo drum beat, splatter gun guitar work and booming brass section, listen as the singer urgently intones "I can go supersonic". This is the sound of a band on the run – away from their past and to a big, bright future.

"How about that for an opening track, for a scene setter?" asks singer Ken, "it’s what the whole album is about – pure expression. Standing up and believing in something and doing it. Not in a "political" way but in a way
that definitely sums up the ambitions and feelings of this band".

And some ambition and some feeling it is.

The band, brothers Ken (vocals, guitar) and Carl (drums, vocals) Papenfus
and bass player ally and friend, Darren Campbell are undeniably excited
about the new album, "Karma Calling" at the moment. "It’s yin/yang, it’s two
extreme elements" says Carl, "it’s about many things, but the common thread there is about the differences we have as people and how we should celebrate them, not fear them. We really have put it all down here, we’ve gone naked! We’ve nothing to hide anymore".

Ken, Carl and Darren admit to being a rock band, but only if that allows
them dizzying detours into soul, gospel, blues and even the odd jazz
inflection if the mood takes them. Ignore the comparisons, the contrasts and the confusions, Relish are here and now, respectful of their musical roots but busy with the job in hand of breaking new musical ground.

They’ve found some rich new veins on "Karma Calling". More intimate, nuanced and contoured than their debut, the vocals have been enriched by time, the playing is more assured and the intonation and phrasing is richer. Artful and insightful, you should really be looking out for anthems-in-waiting like the very beautiful "In Every Man There Is A Child" where a sweet acoustic intro builds into the most slyly sing-a-long chorus you’re likely to hear all year. Elsewhere they get downright funky, take the odd trip to
Psychedelic City on "Get Down Move Over", throw in some touching languorous love songs like the glorious ‘Universe In Your Eyes’ and ‘Hope’ and at times sounding like they have the famed Mussel Shoals rhythm section beside them in the studio. Which, for the record, they didn’t.

"What we found playing the first album live, was that there was something
created at the shows" says Darren. "It wasn’t just us. It wasn’t just the
audiences, it was a collective response. And that’s the feeling we went for on this album. There’s also a huge sense on this album that we’ve learned to separate ourselves from all the irrelevancies that go with being in a band. We’re three different people now and as the album title suggests, this is more about thoughts and feelings than anything else. It’s about being, not doing".

The first single off the album and one of the many highlights is "Father, Brother, Lover And Son" which Ken describes as "the dilemmas you face when one person is not just one thing, but is many things to many people. It’s about having to deliver on many different fronts, and also about having so many doors you can go through."

Now knocking on a wide-open door, Relish have set a career standard with "Karma Calling". "I think we now have a right and an allowance to be who we are musically" says Ken, "and we know our time has come …"



Relish are on tour nationwide and are appearing at:

The Savoy, Cork on Thurs. 29th May

Samara

Not really my thing but I saw an ad yesterday saying they're playing in Dolans Warehouse in Limerick on May 31st if anybodys interested.