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Festive Road

by Ben Calvert & The Swifts

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Dave Mead
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raffaele melina
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590jamie
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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    CD with 12 page booklet in low-emission, recycled board WeWow Wallet.

    ‘Introspective and often melancholic vocals offer the perfect picture window to redeeming an era of sound from the likes of Nick Drake. The orchestral sounding magic rests with his band who have a rich full sound. Folk music served up with a splash of dark psychedelia.'
    **** Folk Radio UK

    ‘Gentle, lilting lyrics stir up echoes of Belle and Sebastian. The lo-fi production adds a charming intimacy. A great creation.’
    For Folk’s Sake

    ‘Captures gritty scenarios and balls them up into tunes of semi-surreal indie-folk.’
    The Fly

    'The jaunty Valpolicella Girl is a kindred carnival spirit to (The Beatles) Maxwell’s Silver Hammer'
    NetRhythms

    'A stunning collection of melancholic post-folk and classic English story telling all wrapped up in a blanket of strings, organ and piano. Ben possesses a croon that brings to mind Scott Walker, whilst the music ranges from sparse and stripped to near orchestral as The Swifts weave a majestic spell. Festive Road is a mesmeric, enchanting affair showcasing a master craftsman at his very best.' Rhythm ‘N Booze

    Includes unlimited streaming of Festive Road via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.     ... more
    ships out within 3 days
    edition of 300 

      £5 GBP

     

  • 7cm Circus Ball with digital download

    Includes unlimited streaming of Festive Road via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days

      £3 GBP or more 

     

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      £4 GBP  or more

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    20
    releases

    Get all 20 Ben Calvert & The Swifts releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Somewhere Only We Know, You, Inside Outside, Christingle, She'll Go Out Walking In The Rain, Weathervane, People, Dartington Dreams and Nightmares EP, and 12 more. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      £26 GBP or more (35% OFF)

     

1.
Paperbox 01:30
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2.
Where The Wind Blows 03:20
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3.
Everybody Loves Lucy 03:04
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4.
Popstar Sits Alone At Home Crying Eating Hob-Nobs 03:32
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5.
Valpolicella Girl 02:56
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6.
Winter 03:34
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7.
Meet Me 'Mongst The Leaves 03:15
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8.
Stromboli Dixon 04:30
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9.
The August Clown 03:14
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10.
Festive Road 03:25
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11.
Resolution 04:46
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12.
Landing On My Feet Again 02:27
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about

Clockwork clowns! A weak strongman! A ringmaster on his last legs! An adulterous love affair!

There’s fun and darkness aplenty at the circus on the end of the pier…

Northern English strings, maudlin horns, a church organ, a bluesy piano, and toy instrumentation join guitars and drums on an album that nods schizophrenically in the direction of both Scott Walker’s darkest moments and Syd Barrett at his most acid-soaked and child-like.

‘Introspective and often melancholic vocals offer the perfect picture window to redeeming an era of sound from the likes of Nick Drake. Ben’s voice has a quirky edge that is reminiscent of a male Vashti Bunyan. The orchestral sounding magic rests with his band who have a rich full sound. Folk music served up with a splash of dark psychedelia.”
**** Folk Radio UK

‘Gentle, lilting lyrics stir up echoes of Belle and Sebastian. The lo-fi production adds a charming intimacy.’
For Folk’s Sake

“Just as decaying buildings can be more interesting than pristine ones, the tracks on Festive Road benefit from being a bit off kilter. Whilst comparisons with the Divine Comedy are almost inevitable, think in the style of rather than copy. There is something of the eccentric personality to the album.”
Fatea

credits

released October 31, 2011

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Ben Calvert & The Swifts Birmingham, UK

Influenced by British folk, early 90s Indie and US Psychedelia, Ben’s post-folk sound has melody, stories, and lyrics at its heart.

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