Loz Bridge

For Loz Bridge it seems dislocation is a way of life. Geographically removed from his birthplace in the north west of England, he now makes his home on the country's south east coast, whilst musically on the evidence of Witches, he's a man struck down by both primordial blues but also the nuanced heartbreak of jazz's darker side. His resume claims allegiances to Tom Waits and Nick Cave, but in truth his song writing doesn't yet have the mesmeric fascination of the former's character sketches as they're heard on the likes of Swordfishtrombines or Rain Dogs. This may seem like a harsh criticism, but ably assisted here by The Box Social, an inevitable metamorphosis into grizzled raconteur may be no more than a whisky sour or two away.

The title track seems set to do for labour relations what did Pete Doherty did for rehab. Via a clattering eastern European reel which at some points resembles the noise of hornets in a jar, Bridge's place of work is full of Scrooge-like villains, part slavers, part sadists, with "Evil in the admin team" and where "Hate and bile are commonplace". Proof that a resolutely un-rock context can still produce moments of eye bulging intensity, it's a moment which shares the panoramic vista of Elbow's recent outings.

Demonstrating a rare sense of depth in the ipod era, all five songs have something to say and both China and By The River deliver enough raw-boned jumps and knee scraping pathos, but the signature piece is a sublime departure. Melancholy without melodrama, the faded elegance of November reveals Bridge is capable of arrangements able to conjure exquisite poignancy. Across brushed drums, a piano which sounds like it's being embraced rather than just played and a plaintive organ, the singer's tremulous upper range sounds racked with insecurity, his plaintive "I Love You's" you sense both a prayer and an evocation. Brilliantly executed, bold and astute, it's the kind of ballad blues you'd hear being played late into the night for Hopper's Nighthawks.

As if to prove that this was no slight of ear, Sarah and The Wolves then repeats the trick, the bony, fractured voice knitting together a simple piano line of stark fragility, drawing it's power seemingly from the same paranoid hubris which fired that masterpiece of introverted epic, Radiohead's The Bends. Witches may not be the finished article, but it's all undeniably grist to the singer's mill. Whilst the overnight success of Guy Garvey may have done him a huge favour, Bridge has the insight to carve a piece of rock landscape all his own.

Arctic Rating: **** - Arctic Reviews

The Strawbs meet Gomez and go for a little dance. Rootsy, bluesy songs of protest and of freedom. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again – the future bodes well for this boy. - Subba-Cultcha

Too many bands show an interest in sendin' us stuff who sound like... ooh... I dunno... however the NME is creamin' over at the minute... or worse still, trance. However, this Loz Bridge guy gets in touch and, well, we dig.

His outfit, Loz Bridge and The Box Social hail from the South coast and have soaked up all the rum-drunkery and battered hat blues brought by the boats and welded it together in a rather neat little matchbox. Pocket symphonia it ain't... skewed eye looks through the arse of a shot glass it is!

Fact is, these muvvers have got together to kick shit like a Tom Waits record in a new suit. Sadly, it's missing some of that distorto vox, something that ALWAYS makes scratched out Blues sound great, but that's not say it's without cause. These cats sent us a 5 tracker, which kicks off with 'Witches', a gypsy-country stomper than slates just about every crappy admin job we ever had. This is the anthem for those stuck in the office... "come on you scum, put your back into it..." man, I've been there in the "cold and endless slog".

'China' continues the grit-filled shimmy, with a loose-funk-fit shaker, paired with the olde-time goodness of 'By The River'. Everyone knows that The River is where everything weird happens. It's the law. However, backin' the shit-kickers are a coupla jazzy numbers. Now don't expect hard bop, but rather, boozed out late-night croons. Brushed drums and sweeter than cough syrup vox glide through swooning organs and pianner. 'November' and 'Sarah and The Wolves' make up the down-beat section.
All in all, this is a great little EP, and catchy as hell... just take some of that sheen off (go listen to the latest Tom Waits cuts and crib some production notes) and you've got yourself a sure-fire winner.
- Electric Roulette

On the table in front of us, a flyer shows a grossly disproportioned witch sketched in classic black and white. She sits on an office chair, wearing stripy Wizard Of Oz-style socks and preparing to swallow a tiny, squirming man who she clutches between her witchy fingers. In a way, this image says more about Loz Bridge’s twisted lyricism than it’s possible to express in mere words. The gut rumbling fretless bass, drums and lead guitar of backing band The Box Social provide a lilting accompaniment to their frontman, who divides his duties between acoustic guitar, piano, singing and organising the audience into a makeshift call-and-response backing vocals outfit.

The set is broad and dynamic, with both a minimalist jazz vibe and heaviness that hints at straight rock – but the music is at its best when Bridge’s characteristically macabre song writing is allowed to swagger… a quirkily violent mirror-writing blues rock and roots sound that walks up to your table, drinks your Strongbow and stares down your girlfriend’s top whilst you’re still trying to choose a Dylan record from the jukebox.

Something this earthy, and honest – Bridge’s stage presence displays a restrained confidence born out of experience – is an unusual prelude to the stage school theatrics of Polly Scattergood, who displays a captivating penchant for interpreting her lyrics literally to the audience through the medium of an amateur dramatic dance routine. It’s rather like watching Kate Bush try to impersonate herself in a game of charades, and the perfect accompaniment to the ersatz pathos of Scattergood’s genre-hopping electro ballads. The songs are hit and miss, but when on target about as satisfying as pop gets. Whether Polly herself takes all this seriously or not is a question that only time, and maybe a hit single or two, can answer…

(By Matt Golding) - The Fly

I’d seen Yoav before, he was here at The Cellars earlier in the year, but watching his sound check I was still mesmerised by his attention to detail, checking every pedal again and again, separately with guitar and vocals. Here, clearly, was a man who took his craft very, very seriously. So it was that later on I broke the cardinal rule of masculinity and engaged him in conversation while we were at the urinals. Thankfully he remembered me from his previous visit and told me he’d not long been back in the UK after touring the US and Canada, where he is really beginning to build a profile, but he said he was looking forward to performing in this intimate little venue because of the great reception he’d had before. Soon enough it was time for the gig to begin, and so Loz Bridge and The Box Social took to the stage, Loz is a fantastic young songwriter who is rapidly carving out a niche along the south coast for his mix of the epic and the intimate, Tonight he’s backed by The Box Social his crack backing band comprising guitarist/vocalist Andy Foster (a fast rising performer in his own right) giant hairy drummer Matt E, possessed of an amazingly delicate touch for such a man-mountain, and Andy Booth, double bass player extraordinaire. Throughout their set songs erupt forth that would sit comfortably in the canon of Tom Waits or Nick Cave, especially ‘Witches’ with it’s wonderful imagery immediately familiar to anyone who shares their office space with a group of gossipy women. Bridge is a blur throughout, singing and playing (guitar and keyboard) with such conviction that he holds audience attention through sheer force of will, the crowd mesmerised even through silence. This young man is certainly a talent to keep watching! Soon enough Yoav himself takes the stage, a slight figure after the support, standing alone and barefoot. Watching him build a song is almost hypnotic, his feet twitching over pedals as he records loops of beats banged out on the body of the guitar, then strums strings to add rhythms, singing into the guitar mike to add bass heavy backing vocals before letting it all flow and singing away over the top. Of course this is realised most beautifully on ‘Club Thing’ a smash hit in waiting, but elsewhere he builds sounds that Faithless would struggle to replicate and there are hundreds of them! He’s quiet between songs, saying little and speaking softly when he does, but the audience are in awe, stunned by a man brave enough to base his entire live set around recorded loops that he creates live on stage, one person stood close to me keeps wondering aloud what will happen if he messes up a recording, but Yoav looks unfazed. Balls of Steel, as they say!

- Subba-Cultcha

The Joiners in Southampton can be one of the most daunting set-ups for a support band to play. The crowd usually congregate down the one corridor leading to the bar, leaving a huge gap between crowd and band. Tonight though had a great turn out and it was their dedication that gave them the treat that was Loz Bridge and the Box Social.
Effortlessly cool, Loz and his band kick-start the night with the stomping ‘Witches’. The blues/jazz experimental mix of the set showed that this band is solely set on producing seemingly peerless, intelligently written, music. Though minus the double-bass, the music carried enough power to move everyone in the room. The dark lyric style and swagger of the music is strikingly refreshing. A rise to stardom, on their own terms, you feel is due soon.

“We’re The School and we do catchy songs”. It would be unfair for any band to follow Loz, but to their merit, they did have catchy songs, but they lack the confidence to really try and connect with the crowd. There seems to be an apologetic lack of conviction in their performance, even though this could be entertaining in an Alphabeat / High School Musical kind of way.

I would be listening to The Boy Least Likely To with fresh ears, unaware of their music previously. Fighting my way to the front of the packed out room, the seven-piece (though based around Peter Hobbs and Jof Owen) fill the stage. The bands unison and sheer enjoyment in doing what they do is evident from the start and tough Joiners crowd get their feet shuffling from side to side. It would be impossible to feel unhappy when this band is playing. Though there can be a darker side to their lyrics, the music bounced along creating a ho-down like atmosphere where even I contemplated swinging someone between my legs. It was musical enjoyment at its best. Even a cover of Faith has dispelled connotations of Limp Bizkit. Jof Owen is as charismatic a lead, “And the hits just keep on coming...”, though far from arrogant, engaging playfully with the crowd. They’re a band any parent would be glad their daughter brought home.

Finishing up with the addictive ‘Be Gentle With Me’, it’s safe to say that those who made the journey down have been thoroughly entertained.

(By Justin Parry)
- Noize Makes Enemies

On their debut EP Portsmouth based Loz Bridge and the Box Social sing of witches by the fax machine and evil in the admin team. Loz Bridge has obviously suffered one too many dead end office jobs and is prepared to let his calloused and vitriolic imagination run wild around the workplace. Witches is set to a stomping and romping bass heavy march that creates images of the monotony of mundane office life as Loz spits “I hate my job,” with a call and response anger at the endless slog. “Come on you scum you can do it, put your backs into it,” he calls towards the end. Loz is not a satisfied man.

Loz Bridge is Preston born, but is now living just round the corner from Breaking More Waves towers. Together with his band the Box Social he claims they are heavily influenced by the likes of Tom Waits and Nick Cave. Whilst musically this may be the case, there is little of either artists savage whiskey soaked growl to the recorded vocal. That is not to say that Bridge’s vocal is not without its own character however. On the smoky jazz of November, Bridge displays a warm unruffled voice reminiscent of Tim Buckley or Chris Martin that beautifully overlays the lightly brushed drums and tinkling piano. This vocal beauty is continued on Sarah And The Wolves, a melancholy number of loss that sees a lonely Loz sing “I don’t want to know what you’re doing locked away behind closed doors.” It could find fans amongst those who enjoy Elbow, Buckley and the more organic side of Radiohead. It’s not all sad and reflective though; the bluegrass of By The River demonstrates that Loz Bridge and the Box Social are a band that are also rooted in the toe tapping banjo sounds of alt Americana and have a mature earthy diversity that will hold them in good stead.

The Witches EP is available to purchase here.

(By Robin Seamer)
- Breaking More Waves (Blog)