Biography
Guitarist Paul Tasker & singer Iona Macdonald formed Doghouse Roses in 2006, after one too many nights drinking red wine and listening to Pentangle, Fairport Convention and Gillian Welch records. Since then they have played many shows in the UK and Europe, and strated their own record label, Yellowroom Records, distributed by Proper Distribution. On this label, they have released 1 single, 2 EPs and a full length CD.
The full length CD, “How’ve you Been (all this time)?” was released in January 2009, and coincided with Doghouse Roses sold out appearance at Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow. Featuring 10 original songs, the album was recorded with noted composer and producer Malcolm Lindsay, who has previously written and arranged for The Delgados and The Willard Grant Conspiracy. Among numerous credits for TV and film music, Lindsay scored the Ewan MacGregor film, “Young Adam”, with David Byrne. Also appearing on the record are Scottish National Operas principle cellist Robert Irvine, ex-Cappercaillie percussionist, Wilf Taylor, Willard Grant Conspiracy Fiddle player, Josh Hillman, and mixing engineer extraordinaire Alan Scobie. This release was supported by a month long tour in the Netherlands and Germany, including a radio session on national Radio3FM in the Netherlands and an instore appearance at Michelle Records in Hamburg.
Equally inspired by Scottish folk music and American folk music, and the influence these have on their own writing, this relationship was explored in the first of a series of EPs in September 2007. “Folk & Blues part 1” was recorded in 2 days and coincided with 25 date European tour with US “folk-noir” band, the Willard Grant Conspiracy. Featuring 2 traditional Scottish songs, 2 traditional American songs and 2 original compositions, this was the first of 4 planned Folk & Blues EPs, the second part of which is planned for autumn 2009.
Paul Tasker and Iona Macdonald started playing music together soon after meeting in late 2005. Tasker had begun playing the guitar after hearing legendary guitarist Bert Jansch in a Glasgow working men’s club in the early 1990’s, and had subsequently won a “Danny Kyle Award” at Celtic Connections in 2004 as guitarist and songwriter for Sal. Iona Macdonalds increasing reputation has led to her being much in demand as a session singer, and in 2008 she performed with Howe Gelb and the Pilgrim Road Orchestra on the Willard Grant Conspiracy Pilgrim Road tour
Their first recording together, the eponymous “Doghouse Roses EP” was voted runner up in the Best Single/EP of the Year category of the Fatea Records annual awards in 2006, and quickly sold out its print run. Most recently the duo spent time in the studio with 60s icon Nick Garrie, working on his new album “49 Arlington Gardens” his first in 40 years since the release of the “lost classic”, ‘The Nightmare of J B Stanislas’. This recording also features Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub and Duglas T Stewart of the BMX Bandits.
The last 18 months have seen Doghouse Roses play and collaborate with the Willard Grant Conspiracy and Chris Eckman, and play at Popkomm, Berlin; Celtic Connections, Glasgow; Take Root Festival, Gronigen; and Edinburgh International Fringe Festival. In this period they have played with such artists as Jackie Leven, Karen Matheson, Rodrigo & Gabriella, Seth Lakeman & Kathryn Williams.
Highlights:
Sept / Oct 2009 - 40 Date European tour with the Willard Grant Conspiracy
June 2009 - 6 date tour of Slovenia including Kantfest Festival
Feb / March 2009 – 26 date tour of Netherlands & Germany
Jan 2009 – Sold out show at Celtic Connections, Glasgow
2008 – Runner up in “Best Group” category of Fatea records end of year awards
2008 – Appearance at Popkomm, Berlin
2008 – Featured artist on “Good Morning Sunday” on BBC Radio 2
2008 – Headline show at Glasgow Americana Festival
2007 – European Tour with The Willard Grant Conspiracy of UK, NL, DE, Be, Aus
Collaborations
2008 – Willard Grant Touring Band (Macdonald) for Pilgrim Road Album Release
2008 – Contribute guitar (Tasker) and Vocals (Macdonald) to Elefant Records release “49 Arlington Gardens” by Nick Garrie (ER-1140 CD Digipak / LP)
2008 – Vocals (Macdonald), guitar, production, and engineering (Tasker) on B-side of Much Obliged Records release “Amorino” by Ally Kerr (MOR-003)
2008 – Guitar (Tasker) on Smoked Recordings release “Tree Tumble Wake Mother” by Davie Lawson. Release autumn 2009
2007 – Guitar, mandolin (Tasker) and vocals (Macdonald) in Willard Grant quartet touring band
2006 – Vocals (Macdonald) and guitar (Tasker) on Loose/ Glitterhouse Records release “Pilgrim Road” by the Willard Grant Conspiracy (VJCD179)
Selected Press Quotes
“Tasker's soundtrack mines the best of Scottish and American musical influences, at one moment homespun and folksy, at another bluesy… Perhaps the standout track is the tender, piano-led "Stalling" which, like a great Joni Mitchell tune, leaves the listener simultaneously sated and devastated" – Trevor Raggat, Rock & Reel (UK Nov ’08)
"Vocalist Iona Macdonald has an ethereal voice that gives songs like ‘Gone There’ an almost Clannad-like feel, while guitarists Paul Tasker and Malcolm Lindsay play with a level of expertise that immediately puts them head and shoulders above many similar bands. " – Brett Callwood, Acoustic Magazine (UK Oct’ 08)
"The prefix "Nu" never promises anything good, when it refers to music. "Nu" stands for: modern adjusted habits, also for flatness. NuJazz, NuSoul, NuFolk. The British duo Doghouse Roses gladly describe themselves as the latter, however, their tunes run deeper than that and in Iona Macdonald's singing resides a loveliness which cannot be taught and sometimes reminds one of Jacqui McShee. Can't be bad." - Wolfgang Doebeling Rolling Stone, Germany (Feb '09)
"This debut makes good on the promise that they are something a little bit special. Macdonald sings with an effortless clarity and the aching expression of Natalie Merchant at her most mournful. It’s atmospheric stuff that strikes an engaging balance between tradition and contemporary storytelling," – Rachel Devine, The List (UK Oct '08)
"If there were a society of the promotion for Doghouse Roses, I would propose for the membership immediately. Explicit recommendation" - Gerd Wenzel, Melodie & Rhythmus (Germany Feb '09)
“Ethereally, purely, almost angelic. With this voice singer Iona MacDonald carries flawless melodies with contemporary texts which are sweet-talked by Paul Taskers virtuoso guitar playing” - Peter Sester - Kurier Karlsruhe (Germany, Aug. '08)
"The chemistry is obvious between Scots country-blues duo Paul Tasker and Iona Macdonald. Tasker’s guitar plucking is perfect backdrop to Macdonald’s crystalline vocals. The mood is sombre and reflective but Border Hills and the jaunty Happiness lift the mood. A great debut album. **** ” – Avril Cadden Scottish Sunday Mail (UK, Oct '08)
"Doghouse Roses present a seamless mix of folk, blues, country and Americana with the folk factor ultimately pushing through. Macdonald’s voice is pretty and pure, and folk trailblazers Pentangle comes to the fore on the track Happiness with its beguiling vocal melody and Bert Jansch-style guitar” – Fiona Shepherd, The Scotsman (UK, Oct '08)
“Great things are happening on the UK folk scene at the moment, and this accomplished debut album by Scottish duo Paul Tasker and Iona Macdonald should be heralded alongside the best of the new releases.” – Nic Oliver, MusicOMH.com
“An acoustic record with a stark sound, this duo should be on Folk on Radio 2 - you will have to travel a long way to find a better folk record.” – Americana-UK
“Perhaps most surprising is “The Great Deceiver”, which draws in Tasker’s bluesy, Bert Jansch-style guitar before Iona Macdonald’s vocals steer the song away from American country twangs toward a British Folk tradition…” – Alan Morrison, Sunday Herald (article previewing release of “Pilgrim Road”)
“…a highlight is “The Great Deceiver”, a gospel duet with (Robert) Fisher and Iona Macdonald pleading for God and saviour before the massed voices of a choir.” – Rob Hughes, Uncut (review of “Pilgrim Road”)
Doghouse Roses - Info 2009
Aktuelles Album/VÖ. 13. Februar 2009: How've You Been (all this time)?
Label: Ma’am Records (LC 19465) Vertrieb: Proper
Iona Macdonald - Gesang
Paul Tasker - Gitarre
Die Struktur frisch gestärkten Leinens. Erfasst man den Geruch, entstehen Bilder einer Vergangenheit mit grünen Wiesen und leisen Wassern. Große Schwalbenfreiheit.
Musik löst Bilder und Empfindungen aus, manch Verschüttetes ersteht vor dem inneren Auge neu. So transportieren Erinnerungen die Erfahrungen und Gelerntes aus der Kindheit in die Neuzeit. In das Heute und Jetzt. Hierher.
Die britische Insel mit ihren so unterschiedlichen Einwohnern und kulturellen Einflüssen, nur sie kann eine musikalische Sublimation wie die Doghouse Roses hervorbringen. Traditionelle Einflüsse gepaart mit dem Leben moderner Menschen und deren intelligentem Klangkosmos. Und das bedeutet Vielfalt vs. Beschränkung.
Paul Tasker und Iona Macdonald haben diese musikalische Selektion und Stärkung zum Strukturerhalt der unterschiedlichen musikalischen Einflüsse genutzt, wie Wasser durch einen Stein geschickt, um die Quintessenz atmosphärischen Songwritings zu erhalten! And here we go. We proudly present...
Jackie Leven, Cara Dillon und Kathryn Williams, alle haben mit dem derzeit bestbeachteten schottischen Nu-Folk-Duo gearbeitet, dessen Sound sich bei Pentangle, Fairport Convention (zu Sandy Denny-Zeiten) ebenso wiederfindet, wie in der Grandezza von Willard Grant Conspiracy, mit denen Gitarrist Paul Tasker und Sängerin Iona Macdonald auch weiterhin arbeiten. “an acoustic record with a stark sound... will have to travel a long way to find a better folk record.”-www.americana-uk.co.uk; “guitarist Paul Tasker plays with a level of expertise that immediately puts Doghouse Roses head and shoulders above many similar bands“-Acoustic Magazine, UK. Die deutschen Medien und die internationale Musikindustrie konnten dies auch während der PopKomm im Oktober 2008 zur Kenntnis nehmen.
Pressestimmen Doghouse Roses:
NuJazz, NuSoul, NuFolk. Letzterem wird das britische Duo Doghouse Roses gern zugeschlagen, doch gründeln ihre Tunes ein wenig tiefer und Iona Macdonalds Gesang wohnt eine Lieblichkeit inne, die nicht angelernt sein kann und zuweilen an Jacqui McShee erinnert. Can’t be bad!
(3Sterne)
Wolfgang Döbeling/Rolling Stone (März ’09)
Gäbe es einen Förderkreis für die Doghouse Roses, so würde ich die Mitgliedschaft umgehend beantragen. Absolute Empfehlung!
(5 von 5 mögliche Noten)
Gerhard Wenzel/Melodie und Rhythmus (Feb.’09)
Ätherisch, rein, fast engelsgleich. Mit dieser Stimme trägt Sängerin Iona MacDonald makellose Melodien vor mit zeitgenössischen Texten, die von Paul Taskers ebenso makellosem Gitarrenspiel virtous umschmeichelt werden.
Peter Sester/Kurier Karlsruhe (Aug.’08)
Die Stärke des Albums liegt vor allem im Songwriting der beiden Schotten. Ruhige, teilweise keltisch angehauchte Stücke reihen sich sanft aneinander und bieten dem Hörer ein rundes Album ohne Ecken und Kanten. Eine schöne Platte aus dem Americana-Universum made in UK.Sarina Pfiffi/www.regioactive.de (Dez.’08)
Promotion/Label/Management G/A/S: immylou@spiderwort.net
Booking D&Anrainer: christina@jadegreenmusic.com
Instrumentation
Iona Macdonald - Vocals, guitar
Paul Tasker - guitar, mandolin, vocals,
Malcolm Lindsay - guitar, piano
Sharon Hassan - fiddle
Discography
January 2009 – “How’ve You Been (all this time?)” (YLLWRM-005)
1. Gone There
2. All I Knew
3. Greener The Grass
4. Pilgrim’s Tale
5. On My Mind
6. Stalling
7. Border Hills
8. Happiness
9. On The River
10. The Earth & The Breeze
May 2008 - “Greener The Grass / Years” (YLLWRM-004)
1. Greener The Grass
2. Years
September 2007 - “Folk & Blues Part 1” (YLLWRM – 003)
1. Sycamore Tree
2. Ae Fon Kiss
3. Nine Hundred Miles
4. Fairground
5. Ye Jacobites
6. 16 Tons
September 2006 - Doghouse Roses EP (YLLWRM-002)
1. Happiness
2. Rises & Fall
3. The Whistle Song
4. Evermore
5. Wee Instrumental
6. As The Crow Flies
7. Nottamun Town