Isy Tags: Richard Walters, Weather Song
As soon as ‘The Weather Song’ strikes up you know exactly what season Richard Walters, singer/songwriter, had in mind when he created the track, from the critically acclaimed album ‘The Animal’. The haunting orchestra creates an Autumnal and Wintery ambience, which is slightly reminiscent of Fleet Foxes. Except, being just one man and his orchestra, Walters has a far more intimate and delicate sound probably best described as a mere hush. Walters’ angelic tones penetrate from the dulcet guitar, with only regular slips into his Oxfordshire accent, to offer up some grit. The major thing missing from the record is a warning: this track could seriously affect your mood. The melancholy in Walters voice is so engaging that he could drag you into despair with him, so if you’re feeling slightly down, there’s a chance Mr Walters may just push you over the edge. Perhaps it’s not surprising then that his atmospheric music has been monopolised by various TV soundtracks. If there’s a folk-shaped hole in your record collection I suggest you whack ‘The Weather Song’ into it.
Middle Class Rut’s new single ‘All Walks of Life’ storms out of their album ‘25 years’ with fist-waving aplomb. Despite hailing from Sacremento the duo, singer/guitarist, Zack Lopez and drummer/vocalist Sean Stockham some how seem to omit an English swagger usually only born of having grown up in one of our Northern cities, with a certain amount of resentment. But, it’s hardly like ‘All Walks of Life,’ comes to a Muse-esque crescendo, in fact the guitar and drum’s repetitive rhythm begins to make you feel like you’re on the beginners level of guitar hero. However, with sinister lyrics like, “I watch the clock and realise it’s watching me” and “I’ve been hiding in the middle classes” the band have created the perfect fight anthem for an Orwellian world. They may not make clear who they’re declaring war on but MC Rut, with their 10 years experience of bands gone wrong, have made their mark as a force to be reckoned with. And more importantly they had me headbanging at my keyboard none the less….
