The Woodwards

Now I’ve been doing this whole review thing for quite a while now. Whilst I do generally get Hip Hop and Rap and the such through I still get quite a variety of things sent through to me. By now I’ve seen a hell of a lot of different so it its quite rare for me to find something different, so when I saw this it was a pleasant surprise.

Admittedly when the video starts and you see the tiny guitar, you get the feeling that this might just be another ukulele video. Then you see a man with a moustache and you realise the entire video is going to be in black and white. That’s when you get an inkling that this video is going to be quite different.

That’s when you see the little kid with the moustache and all thoughts just go to ‘What?’ Personally I couldn’t help but think of Queen when I saw that. Yet the music is decidedly different. When it was sent to me it was described as Urban, Folk Noir and having watched it I think I would tend to agree with that description.

So if you’re tired of listening to music that is just starting to sound the same then check out this video and have a look at something different. If you liked it you can find out more at http://www.thewoodwardsmusic.com/ Go on you know you want to. - http://www.big-in-the-game.com/

Now I’ve been doing this whole review thing for quite a while now. Whilst I do generally get Hip Hop and Rap and the such through I still get quite a variety of things sent through to me. By now I’ve seen a hell of a lot of different so it its quite rare for me to find something different, so when I saw this it was a pleasant surprise.

Admittedly when the video starts and you see the tiny guitar, you get the feeling that this might just be another ukulele video. Then you see a man with a moustache and you realise the entire video is going to be in black and white. That’s when you get an inkling that this video is going to be quite different.

That’s when you see the little kid with the moustache and all thoughts just go to ‘What?’ Personally I couldn’t help but think of Queen when I saw that. Yet the music is decidedly different. When it was sent to me it was described as Urban, Folk Noir and having watched it I think I would tend to agree with that description.

So if you’re tired of listening to music that is just starting to sound the same then check out this video and have a look at something different. If you liked it you can find out more at http://www.thewoodwardsmusic.com/ Go on you know you want to. - http://www.big-in-the-game.com/

Folk noir is a term I was unfamiliar with when first introduced to the musical stylings of Peter Schuyff and his band The Woodwards. Upon hearing new single “Nothing”, I immediately understood both the classification and the comparisons to Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits. The Woodwards have seen numerous changes over the years to the band’s lineup and sound, but the current group consists of Schuyff and British singer Stevie Guy. “Nothing” is the first track from the full album that the duo plans to release in September. - http://theindiemine.com/

Folk noir is a term I was unfamiliar with when first introduced to the musical stylings of Peter Schuyff and his band The Woodwards. Upon hearing new single “Nothing”, I immediately understood both the classification and the comparisons to Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits. The Woodwards have seen numerous changes over the years to the band’s lineup and sound, but the current group consists of Schuyff and British singer Stevie Guy. “Nothing” is the first track from the full album that the duo plans to release in September. - http://theindiemine.com/

What do you do when Peter Schuyff sings a song? You simply listen. Peter Schuyff has seen just about everything there is to see. When you are one who has seen everything, you become a storyteller with many stories to tell. As a young artist he grew up in the famed Chelsea Hotel among the likes of Andy Warhol, Dennis Hopper, and Dee Dee Ramone to name a few. He eventually began writing music and that is when The Woodwards were born.

His latest song “Nothing” is a simple song. One man and his ukulele and a dark twisted song that will not only haunt you with the images within the video but you’ll fight the urge to watch over and over trying to catch every single word. With the main character in the video being a young man with a mustache. The dark humor mixed with the gothic folk music it makes for very interesting storytelling. When an artist puts down the brush and picks up the guitar and begins to sing a song, you simply listen. - http://wordkrapht.com/

What do you do when Peter Schuyff sings a song? You simply listen. Peter Schuyff has seen just about everything there is to see. When you are one who has seen everything, you become a storyteller with many stories to tell. As a young artist he grew up in the famed Chelsea Hotel among the likes of Andy Warhol, Dennis Hopper, and Dee Dee Ramone to name a few. He eventually began writing music and that is when The Woodwards were born.

His latest song “Nothing” is a simple song. One man and his ukulele and a dark twisted song that will not only haunt you with the images within the video but you’ll fight the urge to watch over and over trying to catch every single word. With the main character in the video being a young man with a mustache. The dark humor mixed with the gothic folk music it makes for very interesting storytelling. When an artist puts down the brush and picks up the guitar and begins to sing a song, you simply listen. - http://wordkrapht.com/

Although it’s not my preferred style of music, I decided to feature this quirky little video on the blog, which appeared in my inbox recently. Dutch urban folk artist Peter Schuyff and his band The Woodwards produce dark and funny music, which come from Peter’s very animated life. He counted Andy Warhol amongst his friends during his residency at the Chelsea Hotel in London and his songs all tell intriguing, fascinating stories. The video for Nothing, the first track from the September album, is below. - http://showmesomethingdifferent.com/

Although it’s not my preferred style of music, I decided to feature this quirky little video on the blog, which appeared in my inbox recently. Dutch urban folk artist Peter Schuyff and his band The Woodwards produce dark and funny music, which come from Peter’s very animated life. He counted Andy Warhol amongst his friends during his residency at the Chelsea Hotel in London and his songs all tell intriguing, fascinating stories. The video for Nothing, the first track from the September album, is below. - http://showmesomethingdifferent.com/

Peter Schuyff makes Urban, Folk Noir, which is both dark and funny – songs from a man who has seen everything.

He has some amazing stories to tell… Many from his times living as an artist in the Chelsea Hotel where he counted Andy Warhol (he even did Peter's portrait) and Keith Haring as friends. He was a painter/art at this stage with the likes of Dennis Hopper collecting his work.

The focus has now switched to making music, with comparisons made to Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits - songs are the painting he has always wanted to make.

This is the first track from his new album, which is due for release in September. The track entitled Nothing has a interesting video to accompany it, featuring an angry boy with a moustache. - http://popatunes.blogspot.com.es/

Peter Schuyff makes Urban, Folk Noir, which is both dark and funny – songs from a man who has seen everything.

He has some amazing stories to tell… Many from his times living as an artist in the Chelsea Hotel where he counted Andy Warhol (he even did Peter's portrait) and Keith Haring as friends. He was a painter/art at this stage with the likes of Dennis Hopper collecting his work.

The focus has now switched to making music, with comparisons made to Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits - songs are the painting he has always wanted to make.

This is the first track from his new album, which is due for release in September. The track entitled Nothing has a interesting video to accompany it, featuring an angry boy with a moustache. - http://popatunes.blogspot.com.es/

The Woodwards announce 21st of October as the release date for the new album titled… 'The Woodwards II' and share another tasty new free single 'The Wood' if you missed the first one back in July, click here

Peter Schuyff makes Urban, Folk Noir, which is both dark and funny – songs from a man who has seen everything.

He has some amazing stories to tell… Many from his times living as an artist in the Chelsea Hotel where he counted Andy Warhol (he even did Peter's portrait) and Keith Haring as friends. He was a painter/art at this stage with the likes of Dennis Hopper collecting his work.

The focus has now switched to making music, with comparisons made to Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits - songs are the painting he has always wanted to make. - http://popatunes.blogspot.nl/

The Woodwards announce 21st of October as the release date for the new album titled… 'The Woodwards II' and share another tasty new free single 'The Wood' if you missed the first one back in July, click here

Peter Schuyff makes Urban, Folk Noir, which is both dark and funny – songs from a man who has seen everything.

He has some amazing stories to tell… Many from his times living as an artist in the Chelsea Hotel where he counted Andy Warhol (he even did Peter's portrait) and Keith Haring as friends. He was a painter/art at this stage with the likes of Dennis Hopper collecting his work.

The focus has now switched to making music, with comparisons made to Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits - songs are the painting he has always wanted to make. - http://popatunes.blogspot.nl/

The Woodwards are back! It was just last month that we highlighted their folk noir single “Nothing”. Much like “Nothing”, “The Wood” is all about Peter Schuyff’s vocals and the entertaining lyrics in general. This track, though, features a stronger blues sound thanks to the guitar and bass work. It’s also part of The Woodwards II, the next album from the group which is due out in late October. - http://theindiemine.com/

The Woodwards are back! It was just last month that we highlighted their folk noir single “Nothing”. Much like “Nothing”, “The Wood” is all about Peter Schuyff’s vocals and the entertaining lyrics in general. This track, though, features a stronger blues sound thanks to the guitar and bass work. It’s also part of The Woodwards II, the next album from the group which is due out in late October. - http://theindiemine.com/

A man who is creating something more intriguing and enjoyable is Peter Schuyff with his band The Woodwards. Their song ‘The Woods’ is a wonderfully odd tale about an encounter with a colourful woman. His vocals are enchanting as he weaves the tale with such dashing eloquence. You could imagine him pouring out this tale over a glass of whiskey! This song is available for free download. - http://www.7bitarcade.com/

A man who is creating something more intriguing and enjoyable is Peter Schuyff with his band The Woodwards. Their song ‘The Woods’ is a wonderfully odd tale about an encounter with a colourful woman. His vocals are enchanting as he weaves the tale with such dashing eloquence. You could imagine him pouring out this tale over a glass of whiskey! This song is available for free download. - http://www.7bitarcade.com/

The team of Peter Schuyff and Stevie Guy have brought us another dark and twisted song that proudly showcases the dark humor and beautiful harmonies in a way only The Woodwards can do. With their new album The Woodwards II being released in October, they have released the song “The Wood.” Fans of the obscure will enjoy this dirty little gem that will tease us until the release of the new album.

“The Wood” seems to be about meeting that fancy lady and giving in to the desire. What I find great about the song is that it is great storytelling. You can close your eyes with this song playing and see everything going on as Peter and Stevie paint a picture with your imagination as the canvas. They let you create the characters as they narrate the actions. The Woodwards II comes out in just a couple of months, which I’m sure will be filled with many more works of art that will paint your imagination like nobody can. Until then, enjoy “The Wood.” - http://wordkrapht.com/

The team of Peter Schuyff and Stevie Guy have brought us another dark and twisted song that proudly showcases the dark humor and beautiful harmonies in a way only The Woodwards can do. With their new album The Woodwards II being released in October, they have released the song “The Wood.” Fans of the obscure will enjoy this dirty little gem that will tease us until the release of the new album.

“The Wood” seems to be about meeting that fancy lady and giving in to the desire. What I find great about the song is that it is great storytelling. You can close your eyes with this song playing and see everything going on as Peter and Stevie paint a picture with your imagination as the canvas. They let you create the characters as they narrate the actions. The Woodwards II comes out in just a couple of months, which I’m sure will be filled with many more works of art that will paint your imagination like nobody can. Until then, enjoy “The Wood.” - http://wordkrapht.com/

"A curious little number from The Woodwards, Nothing fuses folk and rap-esque musicality and vocals to create something utterly pure and unique. This Dutch-based duo is based around urban folk artist Peter Schuyff and the exquisite vocals of Stevie to produce dark and funny music, which come from Peter's very animated life." - Maverick Magazine - September/October 2013 edition

"A curious little number from The Woodwards, Nothing fuses folk and rap-esque musicality and vocals to create something utterly pure and unique. This Dutch-based duo is based around urban folk artist Peter Schuyff and the exquisite vocals of Stevie to produce dark and funny music, which come from Peter's very animated life." - Maverick Magazine - September/October 2013 edition

How did you meet and what’s the story behind your band name?

Years ago, back before I started making any kind of music, I was standing on the corner of Powell and Gore streets in Vancouver, talking to my friend Mike about what we’d call a band if we had one. I told him I wanted a name with the word “wood” in it. This was back in the time of Beavis and Butthead. Mike suggested Morningwood. I said it had to be a plural. Like The Rolling Stones or The Temptations. Right at that moment a gust of wind delivered an old paper shopping bag from Woodward’s department store. No kidding. Besides the perfect timing this was extraordinary because Woodward’s had been closed for decades. In the late seventies the art school was down the street. It was where bought everything. After it closed down it was squatted and became a bit of a solution to Vancouver’s profound homelessness problem. When developers bought it and threw out the squatters it sparked an epic protest. And here, twenty years later is this perfectly preserved brown paper bag with Woodward’s printed on the side. I took out the apostrophe and added the.

How would you describe your music?

I’m a painter by trade. I make abstract paintings that are rarely about me. The songs are all me. While the paintings paint themselves I take full credit and responsibility for the songs. I didn’t start writing songs until my late forties so I have plenty to say and experience to back it up. I like to use lots of literary references in my songs with the hope that smart people will like em. It’s dark and funny. City-boy music. Music for grown-ups.

What have you been up to so far and what can we expect over the coming months?

We’ve been up to a lot. Most of July we were in the studio making our new album, The Woodwards II. It’s produced by the incredible Attie Bauw. So what I’ve been up to most recently is walking around in a daze listening to this record. I delivered it to the printer this morning. At the end of August we’re playing a little festival with my favorite band, The Be Good Tanyas and then when the record comes out, at the end of October I figure, we’ll be getting set to tour. Meanwhile I just got keys to a new studio so when I’m not singing I’m making paintings.

If you could duet with anybody who would it be and why?

Actually, I just realized that’s a wish that could very possibly come true. And I suppose it already has. My first choice is of course Stevie Guy. That’s why she sings with The Woodwards. My next choice would be Frazey Ford, the singer for the Be Good Tanya’s. She’s wonderful. I hope that when we play that festival we’ll have a chance to sing together. If not on stage then around a campfire. Samantha Parton (another BGT) once joined me on stage for an encore and I’ve noodled around on the guitar with Trish so maybe in August I’ll have made music with all three members of my favorite band.

What’s your desert island disc and why would you take this one album?

I’ve thought about this deserted island thing for years. I used to say I’d take John Prine’s first album just because… well, just because. Then for a while it was Mogwai’s Young Team because I could listen to it over and over and each time was like the first. But now I would want a good recording of Rachmaninov’s Vespers because of the effect it has on me. I figure if I was shipwrecked on some lousy little island I’d be totally pissed off and choral music, especially Russian choral music, tends to relax me. - http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/

How did you meet and what’s the story behind your band name?

Years ago, back before I started making any kind of music, I was standing on the corner of Powell and Gore streets in Vancouver, talking to my friend Mike about what we’d call a band if we had one. I told him I wanted a name with the word “wood” in it. This was back in the time of Beavis and Butthead. Mike suggested Morningwood. I said it had to be a plural. Like The Rolling Stones or The Temptations. Right at that moment a gust of wind delivered an old paper shopping bag from Woodward’s department store. No kidding. Besides the perfect timing this was extraordinary because Woodward’s had been closed for decades. In the late seventies the art school was down the street. It was where bought everything. After it closed down it was squatted and became a bit of a solution to Vancouver’s profound homelessness problem. When developers bought it and threw out the squatters it sparked an epic protest. And here, twenty years later is this perfectly preserved brown paper bag with Woodward’s printed on the side. I took out the apostrophe and added the.

How would you describe your music?

I’m a painter by trade. I make abstract paintings that are rarely about me. The songs are all me. While the paintings paint themselves I take full credit and responsibility for the songs. I didn’t start writing songs until my late forties so I have plenty to say and experience to back it up. I like to use lots of literary references in my songs with the hope that smart people will like em. It’s dark and funny. City-boy music. Music for grown-ups.

What have you been up to so far and what can we expect over the coming months?

We’ve been up to a lot. Most of July we were in the studio making our new album, The Woodwards II. It’s produced by the incredible Attie Bauw. So what I’ve been up to most recently is walking around in a daze listening to this record. I delivered it to the printer this morning. At the end of August we’re playing a little festival with my favorite band, The Be Good Tanyas and then when the record comes out, at the end of October I figure, we’ll be getting set to tour. Meanwhile I just got keys to a new studio so when I’m not singing I’m making paintings.

If you could duet with anybody who would it be and why?

Actually, I just realized that’s a wish that could very possibly come true. And I suppose it already has. My first choice is of course Stevie Guy. That’s why she sings with The Woodwards. My next choice would be Frazey Ford, the singer for the Be Good Tanya’s. She’s wonderful. I hope that when we play that festival we’ll have a chance to sing together. If not on stage then around a campfire. Samantha Parton (another BGT) once joined me on stage for an encore and I’ve noodled around on the guitar with Trish so maybe in August I’ll have made music with all three members of my favorite band.

What’s your desert island disc and why would you take this one album?

I’ve thought about this deserted island thing for years. I used to say I’d take John Prine’s first album just because… well, just because. Then for a while it was Mogwai’s Young Team because I could listen to it over and over and each time was like the first. But now I would want a good recording of Rachmaninov’s Vespers because of the effect it has on me. I figure if I was shipwrecked on some lousy little island I’d be totally pissed off and choral music, especially Russian choral music, tends to relax me. - http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/

The Woodwards is the brainchild of artist, Dutchman and mate-of-Andy-Warhol, Peter Schuyff. After the release of the eponymous debut album in 2009, Schuyff was joined by designer Stevie Guy, making them possible the best dressed band alive. The Wood is a taste of things to come – a smokey, bluesy number with a retro 90's indie vibe that will have you take up smoking and wearing black whilst discussing art history. Addictive, tantalising stuff. - http://www.forfolkssake.com/

The Woodwards is the brainchild of artist, Dutchman and mate-of-Andy-Warhol, Peter Schuyff. After the release of the eponymous debut album in 2009, Schuyff was joined by designer Stevie Guy, making them possible the best dressed band alive. The Wood is a taste of things to come – a smokey, bluesy number with a retro 90's indie vibe that will have you take up smoking and wearing black whilst discussing art history. Addictive, tantalising stuff. - http://www.forfolkssake.com/

Following 2009's full-band debut, Dutch-born singer-songwriter Peter Schuyff reconfigures The Woodwards into a nearly solo project on the understated but brilliant five-song EP Burn Everything. Schuyff's haunting, rugged voice and acoustic guitar are accompanied only by the a cappella vocal trio of Signe Tollefsen, Femke Bouma, and Marleen van der Wolde, who provide sweet, subtle harmonies. Schuyff's half-spoken vocals and narrative-heavy lyrics occupy center stage, setting the scene for poetic, sometimes tortuous anecdotes on life, love and art: Schuyff was a well-known, critically-lauded painter in the 1980s and '90s, and continues to paint when not recording and touring. The simple, raw tunes are suited to this stripped-down presentation: too much other instrumentation could cause songs as lyrically packed as "Ursula Peterson" to sound overstuffed. Echoes of everyone from Leon Redbone and Tom Waits to Smog and Arab Strap percolate through these five songs, but Schuyff's inimitable style shines through. - http://www.criticalmob.com

Following 2009's full-band debut, Dutch-born singer-songwriter Peter Schuyff reconfigures The Woodwards into a nearly solo project on the understated but brilliant five-song EP Burn Everything. Schuyff's haunting, rugged voice and acoustic guitar are accompanied only by the a cappella vocal trio of Signe Tollefsen, Femke Bouma, and Marleen van der Wolde, who provide sweet, subtle harmonies. Schuyff's half-spoken vocals and narrative-heavy lyrics occupy center stage, setting the scene for poetic, sometimes tortuous anecdotes on life, love and art: Schuyff was a well-known, critically-lauded painter in the 1980s and '90s, and continues to paint when not recording and touring. The simple, raw tunes are suited to this stripped-down presentation: too much other instrumentation could cause songs as lyrically packed as "Ursula Peterson" to sound overstuffed. Echoes of everyone from Leon Redbone and Tom Waits to Smog and Arab Strap percolate through these five songs, but Schuyff's inimitable style shines through. - http://www.criticalmob.com