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Toto's Favourite Bands Jan 2012
With the recent news that folk sales have risen by 20% in the last 12 months due to the success of mainstream folksters Laura Marling and Gillian Welch, it’s no surprise that Cambridge 5-piece ‘The Willows’ are rapidly garnering a following amongst fans of the genre.
Their debut, self-titled EP attracted a great deal of support amongst music critics with its soothing pop-folk melodies and gentle guitar backing. On the first listen it’s easy to see the potential success the band is likely to receive in the future particularly when folk appears to be having somewhat of a rebirth in popular music.
The band has toured with the likes of LAU, Uiscedwr and Boo Hewerdine along with a much-talked-about Cambridge Folk Festival slot. With a debut scheduled for release in early 2012 The Willows have released a fantastic teaser track entitled 'Absent Friends'.
Spiral Earth (November 2011)
The Willows are a band who are garnering great word of mouth approval and popularity; based in Cambridgeshire, they combine great musicianship with catchy and original songwriting. They also have a ingredient which is often missing from bands in their early years, and that is class.
The quintet released their latest single 'Absent Friends' on Tuesday 14th November, and you can soak up its beautifully shot video below. You can download the single for just 99p here http://www.27thlettermusic.net/downloads.htm
Expect to hear them mentioned more in the coming months, Spiral Earth will be interviewing them very soon about their forthcoming album, and in the meantime, take a moment to check out their web site at www.thewillowsband.co.uk
On Saturday 24th March 2012, Grayshott Folk Club presents:THE WILLOWS This outstanding new band from Cambridge are starting to receive rave reviews for their live performances both from audiences and fellow musicians alike and have been compared with Fairground Attraction.We are the first club to feature them in this part of the world and they are certain to become wore widely known in 2012, their breakthrough year. - Des O'Byrne
The Ely Standard (October 2011)
...with triumphant sets at both Ely and Cambridge Folk Festival. Expect very tight musicianship, harmonies and some great folk songs from one of Cambridge's top new bands.
Review of Cambridge Folk Festival (August 2011)
..on Friday night when Bellowhead were doing their thrash-jazz-brass thing... the place to be was the Club Tent, where local band The Willows brought their own-penned tunes – not to mention their own homemade jam – to warm the hearts of those who were beginning to feel the distinct chill of evening. - Olivia Abbott
405 Music & Arts Magazine Review
Formed just last summer and hailing from picturesqueCambridgeshire,The Willows’debut self-titled EP instantly evokes a rush of feeling andmemories. Haunting vocals, and elements of traditional, folk and roots music come together with a distinctly catchy, pop-infused and unmistakably beautiful sound. Their mature melodies are reminiscent of Laura Marling’s earlier tracks, but The Willows’ sound is altogether richer, with a somewhat darker quality.
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EP Review from FATEA
Cambridge based quintet, The Willows, appear to be creating a bit of a stir having already supported Lau and Uiscedwr. They've got a debut album due at later in 2011, in the mean time we'll have to make do with their self titled four track EP. To be perfectly honest it's not enough, I keep feeling the sort of tingle I got when I first came across Fairground Attraction. They've got a really lush sound, rich, but still giving clear space to the individual instruments, something they carry on into the vocals, delicate harmonies and strong solos, one to watch.
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Ely Folk Festival 2011 review - Moving Tone
...it was a quite brilliant set from The Willows that really brought the evening alive. It is easy to focus on the delightful vocals of the charming Jade Rhiannon, but equally important are some sharp arrangements of fiddle, kajon and acoustic guitars. The set was astutely paced, with the tempo upped at just the right moment, and a terrific climax with The Workers' War. The Willows are due for big success.
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EP review - Moving Tone
The Willows’ debut EP confirms their arrival as accomplished purveyors of folk-pop. Their EP launch gig proved both that they are an engaging live act and that they already have a large local following (many of whom had to be turned away from the sold-out performance). Neither aspect was really a surprise, as the five-piece band – Jade Rhiannon, Cliff Ward, Prue Ward, Steve Maclachlan and Ben Savage - come with a history on the Cambridge music scene – notably charming singer Jade’s solo career (which featured a quite similar line-up of backing musicians) and her husband Cliff’s involvement with an number of impressive acts, perhaps most notably Lightning Jack.
Folk groups can often lose much of their appeal on record, away from the intimacy and immediacy of live performance, but on these four songs (Down River; Searching Within Chaos; Senses, Out Of Our Hands) The Willows weave a spell of gentle charm, with four summery ballads, reflective but uplifting in feel. Acoustic guitar is to the fore, while Prue Ward’s fiddle greatly enhances the soft richness of the sound. A picnic on Grantchester Meadows on a sunny, lazy day is the image that comes to mind when listening to this EP. All four tracks are equally strong. Lyrically perhaps the most interesting is Out Of Our Hands, which is about the founding of the Red Cross. Overall there is something of the feel of some of Sandy Denny’s ballads.
Watch out for future live appearances by The Willows, and meanwhile check out this quietly delightful EP. ( A similarly absorbing reproduction of a painting by Emmanuel Martin comes thrown into the bargain.)
R Carrington
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The act which stole the stage was undoubtebly The Willows....They played a small selection of both traditional and modern folk songs with astounding musical agility... leaving me in no doubt that they are a group to watch out for over the coming months.
Imogen Goodman, Varsity Magazine
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"Beautiful...what a band!"
Kerry Devine (BBC Introducing)
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"Had the absolute pleasure of seeing The Willows support Lau recently and they were fantastic...
beautiful voices, lovely tunes n talented musicianship from a group who still look
barely out of college! Buy this EP, see them live and start spreading the news!" (*****)
Robbie Red, itunes review
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“The Willows quietly exuded talent and musical charm with warmth and assurance...
Judging by this performance, they are ready for big success."
R Carrington, Moving Tone
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"This was a group of musicians that I know and love from other projects so when I was looking for a bandfor the StowFest: Acoustic Sessions and I heard they'd got together to form The Willows, I booked them without even needing to listen to a demo. They didn't disappoint. Wonderful, heartfelt vocals, on-the-money harmonies and excellent, cultured musicianship."
Harvey - Stowfest
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The Willows conserve much that is good in acoustic music – strong songs, beautifully played and sung – but imbue it with a modern feel.
J Meed - Cambridge Acoustic Nights, CB2
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“On 27 October The Willows supported Lau at the Malting in Ely. They were well received; delivering a fantastic set and connecting with the audience. They display great musicianship without losing sight of what makes a catchy song, as a result they were a perfect support band who have all the makings of a great headline act in their own right.”
Nathan Jones - Adec