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Copper Blue Music Promotions and Black Wave Events presents...Peter Bruntnell Band (Album Release)
Houdini and the Sucker Punch
The Buffalo Riot. (Single Release)
Reelin' Again.
Liverpool is pleased to host Live Music from two powerhouse bands full of guitar melody, harmony and songwriting from the heart. A night of great guitar bands!
Peter Bruntnell
PETER BRUNTNELL
HOUDINI AND THE SUCKER PUNCH
OUT 4TH OCTOBER 2024 ON DOMESTICO RECORDS
In an uncertain number of years time, it will be acceptably cool to say that you first got into non-Grammy-winning artist Peter Bruntnell through his classic 2024 album Houdini And The Sucker Punch, before then going back and discovering his back catalogue of yet more “classics”. And you were there! You saw him live. You were one of those “10” people who saw him play in that modestly-sized room, almost 30 years into his career.
So here we are again. Three years on, another album into Peter’s 13 or 14 album catalogue and shouldering the burden of even more sublime reviews. Every possible positive adjective has been called into play, although it must be noted that the word “sublime” can never be used enough. Not even 2021’s primarily solo, slightly synthy lockdown album succeeded in putting an end to his non-success, despite Mojo echoing the plea that, “Somehow, some way, this cult and infinitely class songwriter must get his due wider recognition”. The Scottish Daily Express with its 5 star review, slightly frustrated, said, or perhaps yelled, “I’m getting tired of saying this: He’s brilliant”. The Irish Times thoughtfully combined two quotes into one, saving us the trouble of going back and getting crushed under the sheer weight of Peter’s archive of press quotes: “With Journey To The Sun, the man whose songs NME once noted should be placed on school curriculums has done it again.” And he continues to do so. But not without a brief foray into dance music, in collaboration with mega pop-hit songwriter Rob Davies. A foray that succeeded in sneaking by, almost completely unnoticed, therefore providing us with no further fresh quotes. If veering off entirely into the dark world of autotune would have increased his chances of hitting the big time, we shall never know. But fortunately Peter’s taking his chances.
New album Houdini And The Sucker Punch sees Peter re-employing his long-term band members Mick Clews (drums), Dave Little (electric guitar) and Peter Noone (bass), along with a number of his favourite musicians. Cameos include pedal steel virtuoso Eric Heywood adding magic to Houdini, The Flying Monk and Stamps Of The World, Son Volt / Uncle Tupelo’s Jay Farrar playing piano on Sharks, Peter’s old partner in crime (we suspect quite literally), James Walbourne of The Pretenders tearing up Yellow Gold, cellist Laura Anstee on Sharks and Jimmy Mac, Son Volt’s Mark Spencer’s Hammond organ and piano on Let There Be A Scar and mastering man Peter Linnane touching up the album with some added Hammond organ and synth.
2022 had set Peter free to tour the world; that world which consists primarily of the USA, France, Spain and the UK. Most exotically, a road trip from Wyoming to Montana followed the second leg of Peter’s US tour, where he had once again been opening for one of his reciprocally loved favourite bands and collaborators, Son Volt. The journey with its vast landscape and history contrasted against thoughts of being back home in London, stuffed onto a tube train, inspired Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. Yellow Gold also found its inspiration in tales of the Wild West, brought into effect with some Uncle Tupelo-like energy.
Back home in the UK, The Flying Monk was inspired by Elmer, that Flying Monk of Malmesbury, albeit with Peter having been set on that flight path by way of a Wiltshire brewery. “Peter’s electric guitar giving a nod towards Johnny Marr”, would be a completely acceptable line to use in a review of this song.
As with Yellow Gold and The Flying Monk, Sharks was written solely by Peter, with his mythical songwriting partner, Bill Ritchie, supposedly having co-written everything else on the album. Sharks is Peter looking back to his first record deal, whereby his new record label’s desire was for him to become a surfer. And so it came to be, put into action by label-funded weekend trips from London to Cornwall for Peter and his band, Peter found himself donning that grey rubber suit and learning to ride the waves. But go on and interpret it how you will.
“Lead single”, Out Of The Pines opens with Peter’s Stephen Malkmus style fuzz guitar intro and the lyrics, “I’ve never been much good at getting up in the morning”. “No one likes getting up and going to work in the morning. I used to be terrible at it, on account of my expensive social life,” says Peter, somewhat unhelpfully when questioned about the song. So on to Let There Be A Scar with its subtle Everly Brothers’ Let It Be Me style melody and harmonies, its Neil Young grunge and Mark Spencer’s Hammond and piano adding what Peter calls “a very vibey feel”.
Top marks for recognising that Stamps Of The World first appeared in a somewhat less considered form on the “was it or wasn’t it an album?” Ringo Woz Ere. “As a child I was an avid stamp collector”, says Peter in another of his almost entirely unhelpful attempts at contributing towards his new press release. “Finest collection of Penny Reds in New Malden!”
Having by far exceeded the intended word count for any semi respectable press release, clues to the remaining tracks must remain brief and leave the songs fully open to interpretation: title track Houdini And The Sucker Punch opens the album, Jimmy Mac is the last track on album and No Place Like Home is Peter’s latest attempt at ripping off The Byrds.
Keywords & phrases (please use):
Sublime!, Johnny Marr guitar, Stephen Malkmus fuzz, ripping off The Byrds, Grammys, no Grammys, produced by Peter Bruntnell, buffalo (plural), Son Volt again, old stamps, what even is Americana, surf hazards, vibey, Everly Brothers, Neil Young grunge, Jim Lowe-recorded drums and cello, Bill Ritchie, quotation marks, 11th century English Benedictine monk, no help from Pete in writing this, modestly sized rooms, this one’s on vinyl, sublime!, 5 stars!, relentless, sublime, Houdini And The Sucker Punch, out 4th October 2024, Domestico Records.
Modestly sized venues booked for Peter Bruntnell’s tour currently include:
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2024
01 Sep HASTINGS The Jenny Lind
06 Sep BRIGHTON The Prince Albert
07 Sep WINCHESTER The Railway
11 Sep LEICESTER The Musician
12 Sep LONDON Half Moon Putney
13 Sep SWANSEA HQ Urban Kitchen
14 Sep BEDFORD Esquires
15 Sep SALTAIRE The Live Room
04 Oct LIVERPOOL Outpost
05 Oct ISLE OF BUTE Craigmore Bowling Club
06 Oct GLASGOW The Glad Cafe
14 Dec SUTTON The Sound Lounge
15 Dec ST LEONARDS The Regency Rooms
2025
06 Mar NOTTINGHAM Angel Microbrewery
07 Mar PRESTON The New Continental
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Outpost Liverpool, 77 Renshaw Street,Liverpool, United Kingdom
Tickets
