SPARROW & THE WORKSHOP

JANUARY-MAY 2010 CONTENTS: • Features • Tour Editorial • Album Reviews • Single Reviews

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FEATURES

Carlisle News & Star- 15th April ‘10

Daily Record- 6th January ‘10

Glasgow Guardian- April 10th ‘10

Skinny- 29th March ‘10

The Sun- 26th February ‘10

Wales On Sunday- 18th April ‘10

Tour Editorial

Reading Chronicle- 24th February ‘10

High Voltage- March ‘10

Latest 7- 23rd March ‘10

North West Evening Mail- 18th March ‘10

The List- 18th March ‘10

Venue- 26th March ‘10

Venue- 12th March ‘10

Birmingham 101- w/c 12th April ‘10

High Voltage- April 10th ‘10

Sunday Mail- 11th April ‘10

City Lifers- 19th April ‘10

Buzz Magazine Cardiff- April 10th ‘10

South Wales Echo – 23rd April ‘10

Northern Line 21st April ‘10

ALBUM REVIEWS

The Skinny- 1st April ‘10

Glasgow Guardian- April ‘10

High Voltage 3rd April ‘10

North London Newspapers 29th April ‘10

Big Issue Scotland- 19th-25th April ‘10

Sunday Mail- 18th April ‘10

Outline (online) April ‘10

ICA- April ‘10

Leeds Guide- 14th April ‘10

MyBrumTV- April ‘10

Net Rhythms- 6th April ‘10

News Of The World- 25th April ‘10

The List 15TH-29TH April ‘10

Selby Times- 19th April ‘10

247 Mag - May 2010

Peterborough Evening Telegraph- 1st May ‘10

Scottish Sunday Express- 9th May ‘10

Banter Magazine- June ‘10

SINGLE REVIEWS

Sunday Mail- 11th April ‘10

Daily Record- 16th April ‘10

MEN City Life- 2nd April ‘10

Bournemouth Daily Echo- 9th April ‘10

Huddersfield Daily Examiner- 16th April ‘10

Young Scot 28th May ‘10

Sleep On The Left 23rd December ‘09

Reviews Festivals News

All Reviews Live Album Single

Formed in Glasgow under the heavy fog of yeast fromthe Tennents Factory in January 2008 Sparrow and theWorkshop are an American/Sottish/Welsh trio whoblend elements of country and folk whilst singing aboutsubjects that range from motor city to Seattle.

If one things certain about this trio it's that they makebeautiful, soulful music that managed to keep 6 peoplesilent for the duration of the album when I put it onwhen some friends came round, a feat that has neverbefore been achieved. The power of this album stemsfrom it's simplicity which brings out the beauty in theperformances of each member of Sparrow and theWorkshop.

"You've Got It All" opens the album with a simple,strummed, guitar and lovely two part harmoniesbetween Jill O'Sullivan and Gregor Donaldson butbefore powerful drums and cymbal crashes add dramaand suspense to the song. O'Sullivans vocals rangefrom the haunting to the powerful and assertive whichadds a force to the song that very few other modernfemale vocalists could achieve.

Title track "Into The Wild" has a jagged, stop startkind of drum beat that underpins the song to createtension and drama underneath O'Sullivans vocals which,in this track seem wild and fluctuating between awhisper and a howl. This is simply a wonderfullyconstructed piece of... well I'm not quite sure what tocall it as it could fit into so many categories of music.

There is also a vintage, 60's quality to some of theirsongs that evoke a feeling of a warmer time, "CrossingHearts" is an example of this with it's bouncy drumsand bass line with a easy going guitar line sitting over it.I can't help but think back to the sort of music thatwould be played on the Old Grey Whistle Test in termsof it's warmth and production values. That's not to saythat Sparrow and the Workshop are stuck in the pastat all, it's just that they are bringing feelings of lesscomplicated musical times to mind.

The album closes with "Swam Like Sharks" where lazysounding drums sit comfortably with a distorted slideguitar to give the whole track a off kilter country feel toit, before ending with the line "Before we say goodbyeagain". A great way to end a great album!

Anyone who is a fan of Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, PeggySue, Mumford and Sons or Laura Marlin really needsto get this album in their lives, you will simply loveit. "Into The Wild" only seven tracks long but it leavesyou craving for more of the band. JillO'Sullivans vocals are brilliant throughout as is themusicianship of Nick Parker and GregorDonaldson who work beautifully together to create analbum that's rich and textured.

9 / 10

Sparrow and the Workshop - Into The Wild

by Joe Richardson | Monday 21 December 2009

Artist: Sparrow and theWorkshopTitle: Into The WildLabel: Distiller RecordsReleased: Monday 30 November2009

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