HEAD, JOWE - Widdershins (Sealed) (LP)

Brand new studio album from Ex Swell Maps guitarist & Television Personalities bass player. Widdershins is a term to describe the superstition against walking in an anti-clockwise direction, which was thought to be unlucky or even heretical. This typifies Jowe Head's approach to music-making and to life in general; ignoring transient fashions and prevailing trends in pursuit of a personal creative vision. Distrustful of genres, pigeon-holes and categories, Jowe continues to plough a unique furrow, creating a genre of his own. His background in playing with highly influential, pioneering post-punk bands Swell Maps and Television Personalities is evident here, balancing the dynamics of pop and rock music, with the adventurous use of experimental sounds. Conceived and executed over the last five years, the material involves deliberately contrasting extremes: light against darkness, chaos against order, tenderness against wrath, melody against harsh white noise, past against future. Open-minded music lovers and connoisseurs of psychedelic sounds shall welcome this record. Followers of so-called 'psych-folk' shall hear much of interest; fans of Shirley Collins ('Bolweevil Holler') and Fairport Convention ('Nottamun Town') shall recognise a few songs. Devotees of cult bands The Incredible String Band and Einsturzende Neubaten shall be interested to hear cover versions of their work.