The Sons

The Sons.

The Sons? Never ‘eard of’em!

Paul, Lee, Roger, Stewart and Steven make up The Sons.

So when I was asked by The Sons’ manager to review this band I thought hmm OK. Why not? After all I do get asked often to review some ‘really great’, band.

Why did it surprise me so when I actually came to listen to them?

Because they broke the mold when they decided to put their spin on music. The themes are the same; love, life and getting older.

A definitively British band whose musical roots have great big dollops of exciting Irish folky pop, beautiful acoustic harmonics and the boys harmonise like a pack of well-behaved wolves. There are flickers of blues and rock and although I sneaked a peek at their site where they are described as being an indie band but to be honest the question I want answered is ‘Why on earth aren’t they signed yet?’

Two Minds kicks off the album with a schizophrenic twister. The tempos change. The acoustics are as crystal clear as the slightly raspy male vocalist.

Open to Persuasion is very much like Crowded House, Whenever I Fall at your Feet and so I suspect they have a leaning towards the Finn brothers. Nothing wrong with that at all. Again I must reiterate that I don’t want to pigeon hole them as there are huge swigs of The Beach Boys in their musical ‘swishery’ too.

Out of Sight is very much like The Jam. Do you remember them? They couldn’t be categorized easily either.
Very rhythmic. Very, very talented indeed.

My favourite track has to be New Obsession which is about unrequited love for want of a more euphemistic stalker type description. Droll and sinister at the same time with a real New Romantic synthy sound vocally and in musical terms.

Thoroughly enjoyed this album from start to finish.

Lisa Kalloo


The Sons - The Prime Words Committee
Track list
1 - Two Minds
2 - Scientists
3 - Better Days
4 - Open To Persuasion
5 - Out Of Sight
6 - Slow Down
7 - New Obsession
8 - Let The Power Fall
9 - Round And Round
10 - Float Together
11 - London Town
12 - Playground Bullies
13 - Peanuts
- Somojo Magazine

DERBY indie rock band The Sons have adopted a rather unusual route to fund their third studio album.

The band hopes to raise a minimum of $25,000 through the American website Kickstarter, enabling them to record the album and promote it through shooting a video and arranging a tour.

In return for pledging money, people can expect a variety of treats in return, which start at "good karma" for $1.

The band opened the site two weeks ago and have until December 30 to reach their target, otherwise they end up with nothing.

Paul Herron said: "There are still many fun opportunities remaining for those who want to pledge." Band member Stewart English is also a professional chef and has offered to cook for a dinner party of six, plus the rest of the band.

Failing that, you can also have The Sons play at your wedding or perform for a selected audience.

To make a pledge, visit www.kickstarter.com. - Derby Telegraph

DERBY indie rock band The Sons have adopted a rather unusual route to fund their third studio album.

The band hopes to raise a minimum of $25,000 through the American website Kickstarter, enabling them to record the album and promote it through shooting a video and arranging a tour.

In return for pledging money, people can expect a variety of treats in return, which start at "good karma" for $1.

The band opened the site two weeks ago and have until December 30 to reach their target, otherwise they end up with nothing.

Paul Herron said: "There are still many fun opportunities remaining for those who want to pledge." Band member Stewart English is also a professional chef and has offered to cook for a dinner party of six, plus the rest of the band.

Failing that, you can also have The Sons play at your wedding or perform for a selected audience.

To make a pledge, visit www.kickstarter.com. - Derby Telegraph

Last week, I was fortunate enough to stumble across The Sons; a 5 piece indie-rock band from Derby, England. The band is made up of brothers Paul and Steve Herron, alongside Lee Blades, Stewart English and Roger Millchamp, and this year they have been working hard to get some of the recognition they deserve.

In 2012, their fan-base has increased tenfold, with many new fans coming from the US following a push to get their music heard there. The band quickly learned skills in filming, editing, acting and using green screens to produce a series of thirteen podcasts, which slowly but surely gained them some recognition in the United States. Following this, this, they had their tracks ‘Better Days’ and ‘Scientists’ featured on Pandora.com, were named Tuborg Beer’s ‘spotlight band to watch’ and were TAXI Music’s featured artist for September 2012. The two brothers, Paul and Steve travelled to America and played four acoustic shows across the country, marking the first time that they had played there. The Sons have also just finished their 5th tour of Europe, playing dates in places such as Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

Their most recent single, Better Days, is light-hearted and bouncy, and will leave you singing the chorus for a while. With the guitar picking and fiddle-based introduction, good choices of instrumentation, folky vocals and a slightly odd video, this tune has everything. It was released free worldwide, so there’s no excuse not to have it in your collection. The band is currently trying to raise the funds to record and release their third studio album through Kickstarter.com. For those unaware of Kickstarter, it’s a ‘funding platform for creative projects’ website, where a target amount is set and people pledge money towards the cause in return for special rewards. In this case, they are trying to raise $25,000 by 30th December 2012, and people can donate anything from $1 (63p) in return for good karma, up to $2,500 (£1575) where the band will play at your wedding or other large party. Other rewards include a pre-release of the album either digitally or physically, your name and photo in the album liner notes, a chance to be a roadie, and recently added, a chance to go to the ‘Sons-set’ beach party in L.A where a DJ will play the album. The best value, and most commonly contributed amount is $85 (£54), where you receive a t-shirt, signed CD, ‘making of’ documentary and your name in the liner notes. Well worth it if you ask me.

Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing website, meaning that if they don’t hit their target, they don’t get anything at all. The band are asking that if people would buy the album if it came out to pre-order it so that it can actually be produced. The money will be spent on studio time at Snug Recording Studios in Derby, Mastering at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, 1-3 music videos to accompany singles, and a massive marketing plan to get their music played on radio stations, as well as features in magazines, blogs and newspapers internationally.

Unfortunately, I can’t help but feel like the $25,000 target was perhaps over-ambitious. With less than two weeks to go, the band has currently raised less than $10,000. Although an amazing amount which would surely benefit them hugely, due to the nature of Kickstarter, they could well end up with nothing. The Sons have quickly become a permanent feature in my playlist, and I sincerely hope that they receive the money they need, and that their fan-base continues to grow in the New Year.

Donate now! - Yuppee.com

Last week, I was fortunate enough to stumble across The Sons; a 5 piece indie-rock band from Derby, England. The band is made up of brothers Paul and Steve Herron, alongside Lee Blades, Stewart English and Roger Millchamp, and this year they have been working hard to get some of the recognition they deserve.

In 2012, their fan-base has increased tenfold, with many new fans coming from the US following a push to get their music heard there. The band quickly learned skills in filming, editing, acting and using green screens to produce a series of thirteen podcasts, which slowly but surely gained them some recognition in the United States. Following this, this, they had their tracks ‘Better Days’ and ‘Scientists’ featured on Pandora.com, were named Tuborg Beer’s ‘spotlight band to watch’ and were TAXI Music’s featured artist for September 2012. The two brothers, Paul and Steve travelled to America and played four acoustic shows across the country, marking the first time that they had played there. The Sons have also just finished their 5th tour of Europe, playing dates in places such as Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

Their most recent single, Better Days, is light-hearted and bouncy, and will leave you singing the chorus for a while. With the guitar picking and fiddle-based introduction, good choices of instrumentation, folky vocals and a slightly odd video, this tune has everything. It was released free worldwide, so there’s no excuse not to have it in your collection. The band is currently trying to raise the funds to record and release their third studio album through Kickstarter.com. For those unaware of Kickstarter, it’s a ‘funding platform for creative projects’ website, where a target amount is set and people pledge money towards the cause in return for special rewards. In this case, they are trying to raise $25,000 by 30th December 2012, and people can donate anything from $1 (63p) in return for good karma, up to $2,500 (£1575) where the band will play at your wedding or other large party. Other rewards include a pre-release of the album either digitally or physically, your name and photo in the album liner notes, a chance to be a roadie, and recently added, a chance to go to the ‘Sons-set’ beach party in L.A where a DJ will play the album. The best value, and most commonly contributed amount is $85 (£54), where you receive a t-shirt, signed CD, ‘making of’ documentary and your name in the liner notes. Well worth it if you ask me.

Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing website, meaning that if they don’t hit their target, they don’t get anything at all. The band are asking that if people would buy the album if it came out to pre-order it so that it can actually be produced. The money will be spent on studio time at Snug Recording Studios in Derby, Mastering at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, 1-3 music videos to accompany singles, and a massive marketing plan to get their music played on radio stations, as well as features in magazines, blogs and newspapers internationally.

Unfortunately, I can’t help but feel like the $25,000 target was perhaps over-ambitious. With less than two weeks to go, the band has currently raised less than $10,000. Although an amazing amount which would surely benefit them hugely, due to the nature of Kickstarter, they could well end up with nothing. The Sons have quickly become a permanent feature in my playlist, and I sincerely hope that they receive the money they need, and that their fan-base continues to grow in the New Year.

Donate now! - Yuppee.com

The Sons are a group from the UK, Derby to be exact. Their record, The Prime Words Committee, has thirteen songs of excellent British Indie Pop. Their songs have an upbeat tempo and a lush layering of instrumentation and vocal harmonies. Guitar styles range from finger picking elegance to distorted and even slide. Their percussive elements include a full set to a little conga here and there. There’s even a bit of Elton John piano influence thrown in and an accordion! Their lyricism is poignant and relevant with both a societal and internal viewpoint. Although you don’t need to be a political science major to enjoy it. Prime Words is a great record to throw on your iPod and ride around town. It’s got the perfect vibe for coming out of winter with a hopeful perspective towards renewing spring.

Where are you located/from?
We’re located in Derby, one of the UK’s most average cities. Right in the middle of the country, it’s neither North or South, East or West.

How does your location effect your creativity?
It doesn’t really. Derby isn’t a particularly inspiring city but it does have a good scene of local musicians and some good venues. Maybe being amongst the mundane inspires us to look for something AMAZING. Or maybe not.

Can you give the names of your band members and instruments played?
Lee Blades is the bass player, he owns a Corgi and has a forklift truck license.
Stewart English plays the guitar and writes some of the songs. He can’t drive yet.
Paul Herron writes and sings most of the songs and plays guitar and piano. His laptop only works when you ram a bit of cardboard between the screen and the keyboard
Steven Herron plays keyboards and guitar and writes some songs too. He recently got a tattoo of a banana with the words “You’ve gotta laugh” around them
Roger Millichamp is the drummer. Yes, that is his real name!

How do you work together to create your sound?
Sometimes whoever writes the song will do a demo at home and bring it to the band to work out parts and arrangements in our rehearsal room. Sometimes we mess about together in our rehearsal space, mostly it’s just terrible in-jokes, but occasionally the 5 of us become more than the sum of our musical parts. This is how “Better Days” came about.

Where did you get your name?
From a list that included “Ring Peace” and “Yes, Yes, Give Me Your Jam Jars”. It was the least worst option.

How did you record your album? Was it difficult at times?
It was time consuming rather than difficult. Apart from Lee who spent most of his time in the studio catching up on his sleep. You can see actual footage of us enjoying ourselves in the studio on the video for “Two Minds” and “Slow Down“.

What’s next?
That thing… what’s it called?? oh yeah…. success.
In the meantime we finish our series of 14 podcasts in two weeks, our next single “Scientists” is released worldwide on 6th of April and two days later we start our European tour in Paris

You can buy their new record here.
Visit The Sons website and facebook. - Sergeant Sparrow

The Sons werden ons aangeprezen als ‘England’s best kept secret’ of ook nog als de nieuwste sensatie uit de U.K.
Ik weet enkel dat de groep zijn Europese tournee heeft moeten afzeggen wegens ziekte van drummer Roger Millichamp. De andere bandleden zijn Lee Blades, Stewart English en de broertjes Paul en Steve Herron. Er wordt zedig verzwegen welke instrumenten deze leden bespelen.
Hun nieuwe cd, hun tweede naar het schijnt, heet ‘The Prime Words Committee’ en die is toch wel enkele luisterbeurten waard. ‘Two Minds’ doet mij, zeker voor wat de zang betreft sterk denken aan Crosby, Stills, Nash en Young en dit is zeker geen slechte referentie om naar te verwijzen.
Ook ‘Open To Persuasion’ kan mij bekoren. Op de achtergrond hoor je steeds een pedal steel gitaar die klinkt als het gefluit van een stoomtrein in de verte.
‘Out Of Sight’ is best een leuke rocker met een ‘oehoeh’ die ze geleend hebben bij Deacon Blue. En zo staan er beslist nog enkele leukerds op ‘The Prime Words Comittee’, met name het country nummer ‘Slow Down’ en het op een pianoriedel dansende ‘Round And Round’.
De melodie van ‘London Town’ blijft na beluistering wel een hele tijd tussen de oren hangen, voor mij de beste song op de plaat en een geschikte single.
Nu werd echter de vreemde elektronica eend in de bijt ‘New Obsession’ als single uitgebracht.
Ook op ‘Playground Bullies’ wordt de elektronica aangesproken, maar ik heb al slechter gehoord want een welgemikte tempowissel voorkomt dat de song in de keyboards verzuipt.
Op de vraag ‘Zijn The Sons de nieuwste sensatie uit de U.K.?’ kan ik niet antwoorden, maar ze hebben een eigen sound en dat kan zelfs van ons niet worden gezegd.

The Sons were introduced to us as the newest sensation from the U.K. or as England’s best kept secret. After listening to ‘The Prime Words Committee’ it’s to soon for us to say that these rumours ain’t right.

Ivan Van Belleghem (4) - Keys and Chords

(POP UP RECORDS/SONIC RENDEZVOUS)

I have heard a lot of diverse and original records in 2011, but THE SONS from Derby/UK is definitely one of the most original bands out there at the moment. The 13 songs on their 2nd CD ‘The prime words committee’ all sound very different from each other, taking influences from a lot of different musicstyles, but the target is always a catchy melody that makes you remember the particular song. For example opener “Two mind” sounds at first sight as a typical Indie Pop tune from a UK band, but when the chorus comes around it gets uptempo and even Westcoastish, reminding me of THE BUOYS (aka DAKOTA)!, while the melancholic “Open to persuasion” is a very calm song that would make COLDPLAY jealous! On the other hand, the uptempo Powerpop of “Out of sight” suddenly switches back to the classic late 70s/early 80s movement and reminds one of bands like THE PLIMSOULS, THE BOYS, SHOES, 20/20, etc. etc. “Better days” is a song that would do well on radio as this is a very nice mixture of Classic Folk and Modern Britpop, with a catchy memorable chorus a la BIG COUNTRY. Also a highlight is the pure mid 80s New Wave sounding “New obsession” that is deadly catchy and makes you remind of the 1984-1986 period, with even some U2ish guitar licks. “Float together” brings us melancholic Progressive Rock in the 00s MARILLION meets PORCUPINE TREE direction and the late THE BEATLES influences can also be heard here and there. And then how about the Pub-sounding sing-a-long “Round and round”! And so it goes on and on… The band has a fantastic clean melodic sounding lead singer (main songwriter and guitarist/pianist PAUL HERRON), they are signed to German label POP UP RECORDS and without a doubt, this is a highly recommended band to explore a.s.a.p. and although they already exists since 1994, this album might be their big break finally and perhaps 2012 brings them the fame and fortune they truly deserve! More at: http://www.the-sons.com/

(Points: 8.7 out of 10)
- Strutterzine

(POP UP RECORDS/SONIC RENDEZVOUS)

I have heard a lot of diverse and original records in 2011, but THE SONS from Derby/UK is definitely one of the most original bands out there at the moment. The 13 songs on their 2nd CD ‘The prime words committee’ all sound very different from each other, taking influences from a lot of different musicstyles, but the target is always a catchy melody that makes you remember the particular song. For example opener “Two mind” sounds at first sight as a typical Indie Pop tune from a UK band, but when the chorus comes around it gets uptempo and even Westcoastish, reminding me of THE BUOYS (aka DAKOTA)!, while the melancholic “Open to persuasion” is a very calm song that would make COLDPLAY jealous! On the other hand, the uptempo Powerpop of “Out of sight” suddenly switches back to the classic late 70s/early 80s movement and reminds one of bands like THE PLIMSOULS, THE BOYS, SHOES, 20/20, etc. etc. “Better days” is a song that would do well on radio as this is a very nice mixture of Classic Folk and Modern Britpop, with a catchy memorable chorus a la BIG COUNTRY. Also a highlight is the pure mid 80s New Wave sounding “New obsession” that is deadly catchy and makes you remind of the 1984-1986 period, with even some U2ish guitar licks. “Float together” brings us melancholic Progressive Rock in the 00s MARILLION meets PORCUPINE TREE direction and the late THE BEATLES influences can also be heard here and there. And then how about the Pub-sounding sing-a-long “Round and round”! And so it goes on and on… The band has a fantastic clean melodic sounding lead singer (main songwriter and guitarist/pianist PAUL HERRON), they are signed to German label POP UP RECORDS and without a doubt, this is a highly recommended band to explore a.s.a.p. and although they already exists since 1994, this album might be their big break finally and perhaps 2012 brings them the fame and fortune they truly deserve! More at: http://www.the-sons.com/

(Points: 8.7 out of 10)
- Strutterzine

The single "Two Minds" by UK-based indie rock band The Sons is very on trend, considering the current success of country influenced alternative rock (See: Kings of Leon). The song takes a subdued, quiet start, with just a hint of slide guitar and the tiny accent in the lead vocal. Halfway through though, the song blossoms with a louder, richer, and even more complex sound, as if the band was holding back until this point. The song is almost completely different than when it started, with an energy and style that gives it a unique voice. The vocals that are at once playful and commanding, demonstrates a confidence in its delivery and message. Now if The Sons could take their "Two Minds" and focus them on this one voice, that would be something special.

- Music Dish

U.K.-based indie rock band, The Sons, will launch the first in a series of 14 video podcasts for worldwide distribution on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m. GMT. The premiere podcast will introduce new fans to the band and their music, including their latest studio release, The Prime Words Committee, while offering loyal followers a more intimate look at the band’s songwriting process, its individual members and their day-to-day lives.

The Sons are a five-piece indie rock band hailing from Derby, England, comprised of members Paul Herron, Lee Blades, Stewart English, Roger Millichamp and Steven Herron. Drawing from a wide variety of influences – from Brit Pop to Alternative Rock, R&B, and Folk – The Sons blend thought-provoking lyrics with equally complex, highly melodic instrumentation. They’ve released two full-length albums and tour extensively throughout Europe.

The Sons’ music first became available in the United States in July, and their industry buzz has been steadily increasing ever since. After being selected for inclusion in Pandora.com’s Music Genome Project and listed in Magnet Magazine’s “Listen Up!” section, in November, the band was chosen as Feature Artist of the Month on purelivegigs.com.

Known for their clever songwriting, high-energy live shows and witty, charismatic, sometimes Pythonesque antics, the band likes to poke fun at themselves as well as their audience – and their weekly podcast will be no different.

Every week, the band will highlight one song from The Prime Words Committee. Viewers will learn more about the inspiration for the song, as well as the writing and recording process, and sound engineers Rob Newman and Rich Collins of Snug Recording Studio will stop by to give fans a behind the scenes look at the production of each song.

Future podcasts will also include a celebrity interview conducted by The Sons’ lead singer Paul Herron, a “story time” segment where the band tells tales from their nine year history together, a Q&A session, during which the band will answer fan questions posted on Facebook and Twitter, and live footage of the band performing the song of the week.

The premiere episode of the podcast will launch exclusively, Dec. 4, on The Sons’ Facebook page and website, the-sons.com. Every Sunday, a new episode will post to these sites, and episodes from prior weeks will be available via iTunes and various podcast directories, such as PodcastAlley.com and PodcastDirectory.com.

The Prime Words Committee is available through iTunes.com, Amazon.com, Pandora.com and select music retailers. Go to the-sons.com for updates, touring information and to read more about The Sons and The Prime Words Committee.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSonsTheBand
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TheSonsTheBand
- Music Industry News Network

U.K.-based indie rock band, The Sons, will launch the first in a series of 14 video podcasts for worldwide distribution on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m. GMT. The premiere podcast will introduce new fans to the band and their music, including their latest studio release, The Prime Words Committee, while offering loyal followers a more intimate look at the band’s songwriting process, its individual members and their day-to-day lives.

The Sons are a five-piece indie rock band hailing from Derby, England, comprised of members Paul Herron, Lee Blades, Stewart English, Roger Millichamp and Steven Herron. Drawing from a wide variety of influences – from Brit Pop to Alternative Rock, R&B, and Folk – The Sons blend thought-provoking lyrics with equally complex, highly melodic instrumentation. They’ve released two full-length albums and tour extensively throughout Europe.

The Sons’ music first became available in the United States in July, and their industry buzz has been steadily increasing ever since. After being selected for inclusion in Pandora.com’s Music Genome Project and listed in Magnet Magazine’s “Listen Up!” section, in November, the band was chosen as Feature Artist of the Month on purelivegigs.com.

Known for their clever songwriting, high-energy live shows and witty, charismatic, sometimes Pythonesque antics, the band likes to poke fun at themselves as well as their audience – and their weekly podcast will be no different.

Every week, the band will highlight one song from The Prime Words Committee. Viewers will learn more about the inspiration for the song, as well as the writing and recording process, and sound engineers Rob Newman and Rich Collins of Snug Recording Studio will stop by to give fans a behind the scenes look at the production of each song.

Future podcasts will also include a celebrity interview conducted by The Sons’ lead singer Paul Herron, a “story time” segment where the band tells tales from their nine year history together, a Q&A session, during which the band will answer fan questions posted on Facebook and Twitter, and live footage of the band performing the song of the week.

The premiere episode of the podcast will launch exclusively, Dec. 4, on The Sons’ Facebook page and website, the-sons.com. Every Sunday, a new episode will post to these sites, and episodes from prior weeks will be available via iTunes and various podcast directories, such as PodcastAlley.com and PodcastDirectory.com.

The Prime Words Committee is available through iTunes.com, Amazon.com, Pandora.com and select music retailers. Go to the-sons.com for updates, touring information and to read more about The Sons and The Prime Words Committee.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSonsTheBand
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TheSonsTheBand
- Music Industry News Network

DERBY band The Sons have always had a great following in Europe but last week, the passion for their music really showed.

That's because they were flown out on an all-expenses-paid trip to Germany to play at the surprise 30th birthday party of one of their fans.

It's the kind of story you expect to hear from the mouth of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and for the five-piece outfit, it's further evidence that their blend of indie, Britpop, punk and a handful of other influences is certainly hitting the right notes.

"To have an experience like that is brilliant," says Paul Herron, who writes and sings much of The Sons' output.

"It's fantastic to know that your music is getting listened to the response that we've been getting over the last few years has been absolutely amazing."

"There's always been a really great crowd in Europe and a lot of our earlier material was played there for the first time to those listeners.

"One of our albums was picked up by a record company in Hamburg and on the back of that we did three tours of continental Europe, playing gigs in France, Belgium and Italy.

As well as making waves abroad, The Sons, who hail from the Five Lamps area of the city, also have a dedicated following in their native Derbyshire.

This summer, they played to a cheering crowd at Y-Not Festival and even helped book acts for its acoustic stage.

"Y-Not was brilliant fun and the atmosphere is really great," Paul says.

"We took part last year and when the organisers asked us back we were straight there!"

Now, the band are about to head off on another European tour, timed perfectly to coincide with the release of their new album, The Prime Words Committee.

The 13-track album has been two years in the making and was recorded at Snug studios, in Agard Street, last year.

It originally started life as a 19-track record, many songs of which were road-tested in Germany, but was cut back to make it sleeker.

The finished product, Paul says, has a definite dark undertone that has risen from his natural writing style.

He explains: "I tend to write about quite dark themes for some reason and The Prime Words Committee has songs on it about plane crashes and things like that!

"But it's not in a horrible, black way; that darkness is combined with the happier, hopeful melodies we've come up with.

"Writing like that isn't a particularly conscious thing but I think it comes from a dislike of love songs.

"I'd much rather write about something darker than a load of cliché stuff about love and happiness."

Originally a four-piece, The Sons recruited their fifth member after a strenuous tour. That fifth member was Paul's brother, Steven.

"We never really got on as kids but as soon as we grew up a bit, we started having a right laugh and it's the same now in the band," says Paul.

"I've played alongside loads of bands in the last 15 years that have fallen by the wayside but we've got stronger and Steve's helped that."

The Sons will be playing a warm-up gig ahead of their European tour at The Old Bell Hotel, in Sadler Gate, on Friday October 21.

For ticket information, visit www.the-sons.co.uk. You can also buy The Prime Words Committee through the band's website.

- Derby Telegraph

[Review has been professionally translated from German to English]

The info sheet on the label reads: “...after the debut of “Visiting Hours” (cleverly arranged, psychedelically primed and highly infectious. Well done! [ROLLING STONE]), “The Prime Words Committee” is the second album by The Sons”. Therefore, an important industry magazine has already been satisfied. That can only mean the best prospects for this second album. We would like to verify that.

The Sons is not the most well-known band, but somehow the newly released single "New Obsession" catches the ear so quickly, that one might think they recognize it from the charts, the TV or the radio. It’s a very groovy song with an insane hook line. Diligent research led to the conclusion that the piece is new rather than a cover version of some forgotten hit or that it, perhaps, is a one-hit-wonder. Nevertheless, after listening to it for the first time one believes to have already been acquainted with the title. So The Sons achieve a breakthrough. But what about the rest of the album?

"Two Minds" likewise consists of a driving groove, but with a little country feel. Intelligent melodies and sophisticated arrangements enrich not only this one, but also the other songs. "Scientists" appears as a piano ballad at the start, before it turns into something else: a slow piece introducing a narrative style with a changing mood. The lyrics are clearly beyond the 'Boy Meets Girl' level, which can also be said without a doubt about the rest of the record.

The rock framework, which dominates in this album, also incorporates classic, veteran genres, such as rockabilly, without which the band would sound like old familiar artists such as Roy Orbison. Modern rock music, remaining true to its roots should sound just like "Better Days'' or ''Out of Sight''. A voluminous bass along with a driving beat, goes without saying, just as the rocking guitars and drums. Naturally, such vintage and leisurely pieces as "Open To Persuasion" (with a piano) or "Slow Down" (with an acoustic guitar and again some country-borrowings) should be given enough room. Ultimately, a halfway-discerning rock listener indeed expects a good deal of variety. This is brought by the already mentioned catchy tune "New Obsession", with pumping synths and a scratching rhythm guitar. An upbeat song that sounds somewhat New Wave, which will hopefully become a dance hit...

"Let The Power Fall" strikes again at slower tones. It consists of keyboard chords and bass figures coupled with harmonious, female vocals. The electric guitar also offers a small solo. Even the piano-heavy "Round And Round" has this country-rockabilly rhythm and the narrative style.

"Float Together" impresses with its keyboards and vocal harmonies. "Playground Bullies" then works in with an almost hymnic guitar-keyboard mix with synthesized sounds. "Peanuts" closes the record with a surprisingly sad finish.

The output is clean, the sound is rocking. Not too rough and not too smoothly polished. Together with the good music and the solid songwriting this creates a highly successful record. What is puzzling is that Rolling Stone described the debut album as somewhat “psychedelically primed”. Psychedelic stuff cannot in fact be found in this second album. But that's probably only a matter of definition. What would be even more surprising is this: if this band does not soon obtain a popularity status along the lines of Kings Of Leon or The Killers. Considering the music business has very little to do with justice, we can just wait to see what happens. In any event, this band deserves 100% success.
7 out of 10 RockTimes Watches!
- RockTimes.de

[Review has been professionally translated from German to English]

The info sheet on the label reads: “...after the debut of “Visiting Hours” (cleverly arranged, psychedelically primed and highly infectious. Well done! [ROLLING STONE]), “The Prime Words Committee” is the second album by The Sons”. Therefore, an important industry magazine has already been satisfied. That can only mean the best prospects for this second album. We would like to verify that.

The Sons is not the most well-known band, but somehow the newly released single "New Obsession" catches the ear so quickly, that one might think they recognize it from the charts, the TV or the radio. It’s a very groovy song with an insane hook line. Diligent research led to the conclusion that the piece is new rather than a cover version of some forgotten hit or that it, perhaps, is a one-hit-wonder. Nevertheless, after listening to it for the first time one believes to have already been acquainted with the title. So The Sons achieve a breakthrough. But what about the rest of the album?

"Two Minds" likewise consists of a driving groove, but with a little country feel. Intelligent melodies and sophisticated arrangements enrich not only this one, but also the other songs. "Scientists" appears as a piano ballad at the start, before it turns into something else: a slow piece introducing a narrative style with a changing mood. The lyrics are clearly beyond the 'Boy Meets Girl' level, which can also be said without a doubt about the rest of the record.

The rock framework, which dominates in this album, also incorporates classic, veteran genres, such as rockabilly, without which the band would sound like old familiar artists such as Roy Orbison. Modern rock music, remaining true to its roots should sound just like "Better Days'' or ''Out of Sight''. A voluminous bass along with a driving beat, goes without saying, just as the rocking guitars and drums. Naturally, such vintage and leisurely pieces as "Open To Persuasion" (with a piano) or "Slow Down" (with an acoustic guitar and again some country-borrowings) should be given enough room. Ultimately, a halfway-discerning rock listener indeed expects a good deal of variety. This is brought by the already mentioned catchy tune "New Obsession", with pumping synths and a scratching rhythm guitar. An upbeat song that sounds somewhat New Wave, which will hopefully become a dance hit...

"Let The Power Fall" strikes again at slower tones. It consists of keyboard chords and bass figures coupled with harmonious, female vocals. The electric guitar also offers a small solo. Even the piano-heavy "Round And Round" has this country-rockabilly rhythm and the narrative style.

"Float Together" impresses with its keyboards and vocal harmonies. "Playground Bullies" then works in with an almost hymnic guitar-keyboard mix with synthesized sounds. "Peanuts" closes the record with a surprisingly sad finish.

The output is clean, the sound is rocking. Not too rough and not too smoothly polished. Together with the good music and the solid songwriting this creates a highly successful record. What is puzzling is that Rolling Stone described the debut album as somewhat “psychedelically primed”. Psychedelic stuff cannot in fact be found in this second album. But that's probably only a matter of definition. What would be even more surprising is this: if this band does not soon obtain a popularity status along the lines of Kings Of Leon or The Killers. Considering the music business has very little to do with justice, we can just wait to see what happens. In any event, this band deserves 100% success.
7 out of 10 RockTimes Watches!
- RockTimes.de

[Review has been professionally translated from German to English]

With a gentle beginning, The Sons present us their second work 'The Prime Words Committee' and let it shine forth with a certain degree of tranquillity. A rumbling bass runs through the rambling melodies throughout, abandoning the intermediate stops and suddenly the sun starts shining, as we find ourselves together with The Sons in those early hours of the morning and as the song picks up speed halfway through the strophes, the guitars make us throw away the warm bed sheets and animate us to get up. 'Two Minds' is an opening piece, resulting in being a decisive, not so subtle long-player. A terrific song with alternating moods and animalistic orchestrations. Maybe this happened thanks to the band's expansion. After all, it was Paul Herron's younger brother Steven who came to the band as a multi-instrumentalist.

The 'Scientists' starts a dreamy journey between folk, rock and pop, while 'New obsession' has become a playful disco piece. The track is catchy, fascinating and haunting - but it does not fit into the concept of 'The Prime Words Committee" and was probably meant to be more of a provocative counterpoint. Maybe it's just the separation between the first and second half of the album? No matter. The rhythms are pleasing and one may notice that more often. Designed in such particularly diverse way is 'Round and Round', heading simultaneously in all the right stylistic directions and yet it never loses sight of the coherency of melodies. The Sons have indeed presented us here with great moments.

No matter whether these are life-like and authentic thought games, or spun fantasies - one must be prepared to face the complexity at all times. 'The Prime Words Committee' does not make anything easy and 'Peanuts' is likely to leave many with tearful eyes. The piano takes over the supporting roles again and allows the song, suitably to the occasion, to end in a minimalist way. The Sons prove that the quintet suits the harmony within the group, which is reflected mainly in the songwriting and the newly gained openness.
- OhFancy.de

[Review has been professionally translated from German to English]

The bigger picture...

Two and a half years ago the open-minded listeners welcomed "The Sons" and their debut "Visiting Hours". It was a totally uninhibited, thereby surprisingly experienced indie rock album, which impressed everybody by its content alone, without getting any dubious, premature praise. Inspirations of "The Clash", Paul Simon or the early "R.E.M." were drawn by this band from Derby, England, and broadened by their own song ideas. The mature songwriting combined with the use of piano, horns and female backup vocals developed it even further. The experience of 3 years of club shows was recast into the recording-studio-like artistic quality.

The quartet has meanwhile grown to become a quintet and thus, everything changed. In 2011 the singer Paul Herron and his colleagues did not want to confine themselves. During its running time, the opening track "Two minds" re-invents itself, folk and psychedelic rock collide with each other and a title like "New obsession" bursts out from the preconceived frames. Disco / New Wave are on one album, which draws from blues, 60’s beat, folk and pop. Songs such as "Scientists" or "Better Days" show their distinctive sense of melody and make your finger wander off towards the repeat button. "Open to Persuasion" hijacks the ballad's pace and leaves the warm voice of Herron and a piano on the stage. "Out of Sight," on the other hand, again strongly reminds of their indie rock side and allows the early "R.E.M." influences to shine through. Whether being minimalist or playing full sounds, rocking or dreamy, "The Sons" once again prove their ability to look beyond the traditional musical horizons and thereby to create a remarkable performance.

Playing suggestions: "Scientists", "Better Days" and "New Obsession"

Rating: 1.8

Track list:
1. Two Minds
2. Scientists
3. Better Days
4. Open to Persuasion
5. Out of Sight
6. Slow Down
7. New Obsession
8. Let the Power Fall
9. Round and Round
10. Float Together
11. London Town
12. Playground Bullies
13. Peanuts

Band members:
Paul Herron – vocals, guitar
Stewart English – guitar, vocals
Lee Blades – bass, vocals
Roger Flapjack – hits things with sticks
Steven Herron – guitar, keyboard, groink
- AcousticShock.de

[Review has been professionally translated from German to English]

The bigger picture...

Two and a half years ago the open-minded listeners welcomed "The Sons" and their debut "Visiting Hours". It was a totally uninhibited, thereby surprisingly experienced indie rock album, which impressed everybody by its content alone, without getting any dubious, premature praise. Inspirations of "The Clash", Paul Simon or the early "R.E.M." were drawn by this band from Derby, England, and broadened by their own song ideas. The mature songwriting combined with the use of piano, horns and female backup vocals developed it even further. The experience of 3 years of club shows was recast into the recording-studio-like artistic quality.

The quartet has meanwhile grown to become a quintet and thus, everything changed. In 2011 the singer Paul Herron and his colleagues did not want to confine themselves. During its running time, the opening track "Two minds" re-invents itself, folk and psychedelic rock collide with each other and a title like "New obsession" bursts out from the preconceived frames. Disco / New Wave are on one album, which draws from blues, 60’s beat, folk and pop. Songs such as "Scientists" or "Better Days" show their distinctive sense of melody and make your finger wander off towards the repeat button. "Open to Persuasion" hijacks the ballad's pace and leaves the warm voice of Herron and a piano on the stage. "Out of Sight," on the other hand, again strongly reminds of their indie rock side and allows the early "R.E.M." influences to shine through. Whether being minimalist or playing full sounds, rocking or dreamy, "The Sons" once again prove their ability to look beyond the traditional musical horizons and thereby to create a remarkable performance.

Playing suggestions: "Scientists", "Better Days" and "New Obsession"

Rating: 1.8

Track list:
1. Two Minds
2. Scientists
3. Better Days
4. Open to Persuasion
5. Out of Sight
6. Slow Down
7. New Obsession
8. Let the Power Fall
9. Round and Round
10. Float Together
11. London Town
12. Playground Bullies
13. Peanuts

Band members:
Paul Herron – vocals, guitar
Stewart English – guitar, vocals
Lee Blades – bass, vocals
Roger Flapjack – hits things with sticks
Steven Herron – guitar, keyboard, groink
- AcousticShock.de