David Migden and the Dirty Words
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David Migden and the Dirty Words

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"Live Review – David Migden & The Dirty Words – Bar 10, Maidstone – 30/11/12"

Tuesday, 04 December 2012 14:49

Review by Steve Boniface

South east UK band David Migden & The Dirty Words are a truly unique proposition, a collective of 5 genuinely talented, old school musicians with a wealth of experience that shows in their music and live performance. Over the course of almost two hours of music their set encompassed a truly startling range, taking in americana, country, funk, jazz, blues, soul, mariachi, samba and rock stylings, all the while retaining a distinct sound of their own. Impressive isn’t the word.It’s refreshing to know that there are still bands out there that defy catergorisation without being self-consciously ‘alternative’. This is a group that simply write and play music that they love and is easy to fall in love with – no pretentiousness, no ‘try hard’ habits or tics – just an ability to create complex, layered songs utilising their multi-instrumental talents and an inherent understanding of what sounds good. To try and describe their sound in words is something of a fool’s errand, as by focussing on one area of strength seems to distract from another aspect of their excellent performance. From the tight, staccato stabs that show up in some of their songs to the Little Rock Arkansas drawl of vocalist David Migden, this is a band that should be seen to be appreciated.

The greatest thing overall though is the fact that, for all the careful structuring of these songs and the obvious care that’s gone into them, they sound simple and accessible. We had never heard a note of David Migden & the Dirty Words before taking our seat in the bar, but the performance and quality were so immediate and easy to understand that our feet were tapping by the first chorus. If you have an appreciation for live music played by genuinely talented people, you owe it to yourself to check these guys out.Love discovering new music? Subscribe to My Dad Rocks’ partner podcast Labelled Independent to receive free episodes direct to your device of choice:

Listen/subscribe free via iTunes – http://bit.ly/labelledindyitunes

Or on the homepage – http://labelledindependent.podbean.com/ - Steve Boniface


"Killing It Review"

Review by Steve BonifaceHaving recently written a very positive live review for David Migden & The Dirty Words (http://www.mydadrocks.co.uk/indie-music-reviews/3259-live-review-david-migden-a-the-dirty-words-bar-10-maidstone-301112.html), it may surprise you to learn we approached their album with a certain amount of trepidation. When a band are outstanding on the stage, their studio material can sometimes lack the energy of the performance and get lost in translation. Especially when “their set encompassed a truly startling range, taking in americana, country, funk, jazz, blues, soul, mariachi, samba and rock stylings”. Tying down all these genres into a coherent collection of 11 songs is never going to be easy. Fortunately, we needn’t have worried.Naturally, the billowing live sound is here replaced with tight studio production, highlighting every stab, offbeat and syncopation over the course of the 45 minute running time. The album opens with a number of tracks which call to mind ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ era Red Hot Chili Peppers – rhythm guitar, funk bass, jazz chords and gruff vocal all coming together on ‘Killing It’ and ‘Blues’ to set the tone for the rest of the album. The attention to detail is impressive, not a single piece of the puzzle out of place.
Further highlights include ‘Shel’ (available to download free on the bands Facebook page) which moves the album in a more acoustic direction and includes lovely flowing keys and drum parts, while ‘Rev Jack Crow’ leans heavily on grimy jazz chords and a half-time tempo that drags out every inch of atmosphere from an excellent track. Towards the end of the album, the mood shifts in a more country/gospel direction for ‘Desert Inside’, while album closer ‘The Line’ is a beautifully mellow ending to everything that has gone before.

Conclusion? Whether live or in the studio, David Migden & The Dirty Words are a band that ooze class. One of the albums of the year.

Review by Steve Boniface


Love discovering new music? Subscribe to My Dad Rocks’ partner podcast Labelled Independent to receive free episodes direct to your device of choice:
Listen/subscribe free via iTunes - http://bit.ly/labelledindyitunes
Or on the homepage - http://labelledindependent.podbean.com/ - My Dad Rocks


"Killing It Review"

David Migden & The Dirty Words are ‘Killing It’ with their new album

When a band are outstanding on the stage, their studio material can sometimes lack the energy of the performance and get lost in translation. Especially when “their set encompassed a truly startling range, taking in americana, country, funk, jazz, blues, soul, mariachi, samba and rock stylings”. Tying down all these genres into a coherent collection of 11 songs is never going to be easy. Fortunately, we needn’t have worried.

Naturally, the billowing live sound is here replaced with tight studio production, highlighting every stab, offbeat and syncopation over the course of the 45 minute running time. The album opens with a number of tracks which call to mind ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ era Red Hot Chili Peppers – rhythm guitar, funk bass, jazz chords and gruff vocal all coming together on ‘Killing It’ and ‘Blues’ to set the tone for the rest of the album. The attention to detail is impressive, not a single piece of the puzzle out of place.


Further highlights include ‘Shel’ (available to download free on the bands Facebook page) which moves the album in a more acoustic direction and includes lovely flowing keys and drum parts, while ‘Rev Jack Crow’ leans heavily on grimy jazz chords and a half-time tempo that drags out every inch of atmosphere from an excellent track. Towards the end of the album, the mood shifts in a more country/gospel direction for ‘Desert Inside’, while album closer ‘The Line’ is a beautifully mellow ending to everything that has gone before.

Conclusion? Whether live or in the studio, David Migden & The Dirty Words are a band that ooze class.

Review by Nigel Roberts of Labeled Independent - Labelled Independent


"Gig review"

“Migden’s Joe Williams-like deep tones, contrasted with a Howlin Wolf falsetto, asserted pretty clearly that we’ll be hearing a lot from him”
- The Guardian


"Album Review"

“Southern American roots are written all over this colourful second album. Despite David Migden’s classical musician father trying to insist that he pursue a career in his footsteps, he’s emerging as a contemporary fusion of blue-eyed soul shouter and Beefheartian swamp growler, with a voice to reckon with and a pocket full of voodoo.
The opening track bursts with white boy soul, funky bass and piano runs. Hold Me Close is a great singalong about the security of being in a solid relationship: ''gotta hold me close no matter how bad I smell''. It's a great way to open an album: Migden’s growl and whine can bring the house down on its own.
The title track itself is more of grower than a belter. It's a sinister frenzied mix of rock and soul and funk that could equally be sung by Tom Waits or Howlin' Wolf. Plenty here to keep you up at night.
The shouty One By One; is a revenge song that should be used for a car chase in a Tarantino film. Guitar feedback moves into frenzied minor piano chords and choppy tempos. ''Your ass belongs to me'' spits Migden. He is a man on edge, a man on a mission and a man you don't want to cross.
Often he does move away from his roots with tango flair such as in the finely-produced Cats Eyes. Making use of the sound of a radio turning and French language fading in and out, the drum rolls, castanettes , superbly languid mariachi trumpet (by Midgen) all capture that groggy feeling of fighting tiredness behind the wheel. But by the time it moves into a latino frenzy you feel that you’ve gone past tiredness and into elation.
Best of the bunch is probably the countrified Just Like Gold. It’s here that you really appreciate the Dirty Words, especially the masterful slide playing of Joe Gibson. But throughout the entire band are locked in tight.
Second Hand Tattoo feels like a man finding his feet, taking steps with different genres. But the exuberance, the voice and the skill keep you walking with him. If you want an album that goes from sultry falsetto (Planets) to Latin beats (Cat's Eyes), belting white soul (Hold Me Close), cod Eastern spice (Eyes To The Ground), and threatening tempo changes (Blood Stream) this is the album for you. It's good to note that the man is even better live. Listen to this now. See him when you can.”
- BBC Online April 2008


Discography

"Little Stranger" 2005 Dekkor Records available on iTunes.
"Second Hand Tattoo" Available on iTunes, Spotify and Bandcamp. Tracks played on Paul Jones' Radio 2 show and Tom Robinson on BBC Radio 6

'Killing It' released August 2012. Available on iTunes, Spotify and Bandcamp. Lots of airplay on the specialist blues radio stations.

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Bio

David Migden & The Dirty Words are an exciting electric five piece, performing unique original material in a genre-busting crossover of rock, blues and twisted American roots.
David Migden was raised in Little Rock Arkansas and moved to the UK as a teenager. After playing and touring around London and Europe, initially in the Lee Sankey Group with Matt Schofield and Ian Segal, he started to write his own tunes and released his first album ‘Little Stranger’. He then teamed up with ‘The Dirty Words’ and released ‘Second Hand Tattoo’, as well as featuring on the soundtrack of the ‘Mr Nice’ film about Howard Marks, performing the aptly named ‘Don’t Bogart That Joint’ over the end credits.
Gigs across London and the Southeast followed at venues such as The Jazz Cafe, Dean Street Pizza Express, Ronnie Scott’s, the Borderline, and the American Embassy. The band have played with many other internationally renowned artists including Robert Plant, James Brown, Corinne Bailey Rae, Snowboy, Ian Shaw, Matt Berry, Hamish Stuart (Average White Band), Andy Newmark (Sly & the Family Stone, Roxy Music, John Lennon, Bowie), and have gained a reputation for putting on fantastic shows that focus on David’s incredible songs.
David Migden & The Dirty Words are now releasing their eagerly awaited second album ‘Killing It’ which promises to be their best so far, and this band’s best will be something to behold.