Music
Press
...i just have time to listen to one our representatives from north of the border, Billy Bates, as my pot of Thai green tea infuses...
cue autoplay....
BEAUTY CRAWLS
...within the short description on Billys profile we find a truly eclectic list of influences, mentioning luminaries as diverse as Alan Holdworth, (not a name oft bandied in this day and age), to Bela Bartok...
...i am - to say the least - intrigued...
...as the song starts with a deftly played finger-picked intro, sounding really quite lush and upfront in the speakers - we aren't held in suspense for to long as after one quick revolution, the voice arrives and we are treated to something really quite spooky....
...amongst the aforemantioned list of influences is one, sadly missed, Jeff Buckley... and.... WOW !
...this is like a message from beyond the grave... Billys vocal delivery - the way he plays with the meter of the lyrics over the main guitar line.... the seemless flickering of intonation from plaintive murmur to husky drone via pleading falsetto is really quite a phenomenon to behold...
...the goosebumps are rising as i listen - spellbound - to to this undeniably talented musician weave the textures of his guitar effortlessly into a tapestry of sheer sonic delight.
...there's black magic afoot - i swear there is...
...from the sparkley main acoustic and the orchestral touches of distantly reverbed backing - played with the lightest and most delicate of touches... to the evocative spacious electric, offering the mearest touch of extra breadth to the arrangement, just when its needed...
...so good this, it's positively creepy...
UK Bands.net
- UK Bands.net
Billy plays a strange kind of music, in many senses a maverick creating his own musical mood and style, not to dissimilar to Jeff Buckley. His guitar ability is impressive, indeed a man with butterfly fingers, his voice is very strong and resonant, at times, searing almost into eastern mystical heights. He maintains his vocal gymnastics through every song, fluctuating from soprano highs to baritone lows that spiral and twirl hypnotically. He makes a sound that can only be described at times as a soothing kind of peace, especially songs such as 'Signs' and his last song 'God's Gone'. Mixing soft guitar scale progressions with delicate vocal pitches that rise and fall in cool waves, he creates a patient haunting music filled with charm. At times it felt that this avant-garde style of music was a little hard to translate live, however, the set pulled off, modest, minimalist, providing a gentle patient sound. Not intrusive it filled the background nicely, while folk had a drink and a chat. The crowd were reasonably calm applauding after every piece; the general atmosphere was relaxed and unassuming.
Let’s hope Billy Bates continues making great tunes in his own intriguing fashion. It will be interesting to see what the future makes of Billy and how his Art develops, and also what he might come up with when collaborating with other musicians. Much respect!
Glasswerk.co.uk - Glasswerk.co.uk
Billy Bates self-titled, self-released, debut EP is available now for those with a piqued interest in the deeper side of music. The Glaswegian’s intelligent music fuses middle-eastern guitar scales with highly sensitive vocals, which on opener Rawnda are quickly reminiscent of the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s aerial improvs, and help make the serene raga a spellbinding introduction to Bates’ unique style.
Second track Beauty Crawls approaches something closer to pop phrasing, and is a beautiful piece which sounds like a mature Radiohead songwriting with Jeff Buckley. Moon over Alakazar finishes the EP by picking up where Rwanda left off, only this time with Bates taking moody virtuosic sprawls across the guitar, while his haunted vocal howls and contracts.
Bates’ fantastic debut begs for a full-length release, and deserves to make label bosses start jumping through hoops. - Earz mag.com
Discography
Self Released Ep "Beauty Crawls" Has Been Played on Many international podcasts and on XFM And Radio Scotland.
Photos
Bio
Billy Previously Played T in The Park, Wickerman, Jeff Buckley Paris Tributes, And Has Now Added The World Class Abilities of Alan Emslie on Percussion to Augment His Music Further With a CD Release in Oct 09, This Coming Year is Set to Launch Billys Music Across The Globe. Myspace Alone Has Captured The Imagination of 46,000 Fans Throughout The World Bemused by His Music
Billy Has Been Developing His Musical Style For Some Time Behind The Music Scenes Spotlight, This Has Resulted in His Unique Approach to Music.
The Music That Billy Bates Creates is Probably Not Something, Which Most People Will Have The Opportunity to Hear Live, So From a Crowd Point of View; its Probably Hard to Know How to React. People Have Been Amazed And Mesmerized by His improvised Style And The Level of Variation in Pitch, Sound And Emotion Delivered by His Voice And Guitar Alone. Billy Uses His Voice as Some Kind of unearthly instrument Transcending Reality, a Voice Which Sounds Possessed, Like a Quaking, Trance Like Jam Fused With The Freedom of Coltrane, a Sight and Sound Which Must be Beheld.
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