The title of this album “Live In Box” can be taken as a reference to where it was recorded late last year, in recording studios in the village of Box, Wiltshire, England.
This is Spiro's third album, to be released on 22 June 2009 on the Real World label, under the title “Lightbox”.
Spiro is a Bristol based band that has been together since 1993, coming from the backgrounds of classical, folk and rock. They are Jon Hunt on guitar, Jason Sparkes on accordion, Alex Vann on mandolin and Jane Harbour on violin. They compose their own arrangements and melodies around traditional tunes (mostly North Country English), often weaving elements of minimalism, dance rhythms, classical harmonies and discords into an intricate interplay of parts.
The band work fast in the recording studio, often nailing a track in one or two takes, and don't use overdubbing or other tricks, the intention being that what is recorded should be playable live.
A characteristic of Spiro is that no instrument dominates – there is no showboating – the whole being the sum of the parts. The key to their success, and almost certainly a result of the longevity of the band, is their outstanding ensemble playing, which the band refer to as “the mesh”. An absence of almost all ornamentation (and incidentally a deliberate absence of vibrato on the part of the fiddle) in the playing allows the individual instruments to make that mesh more easily. Band member Jon Hunt says that he feels he playing the band instead of the guitar.
My apologies for getting a little confused about this recording (Live In Box). It is in fact a preliminary release by B&W which won't be available after 23 April 2009. The 22 June 2009 release (Lightbox) will be a full release with extra tracks, and the order of the tracks probably won't be the same as in Live In Box.
Jane Harbour has kindly provided the following information about the tunes used in Live In Box. This information will also apply to the full album Lightbox.
"The White Hart", "Altrincham Round" and "Mr Keys" are based on eponymous tunes from John Offord's collection "John of the Greeny Chesire Way".
“Underland” features part of the “Sunderland Hornpipe”, also from the John Offord collection.
"A Small Light in the Far West" features "Grimstock" from John Playford's Dancing Master.
“Shaft”, “Pop” and “The Radio Sky” all feature tunes from “Peacock's Tunes”, published by the Northumbrian Pipers' Society; "Shaft" is based on "Bobby Shaftoe", “Pop” is based on “Highland Laddie”, and “The Radio Sky” is based on “The Bonny Pit Lad”.
'Live In Box' by Spiro
The title of this album “Live In Box” can be taken as a reference to where it was recorded late last year, in recording studios in the village of Box, Wiltshire, England.
This is Spiro's third album, to be released on 22 June 2009 on the Real World label, under the title “Lightbox”.
Spiro is a Bristol based band that has been together since 1993, coming from the backgrounds of classical, folk and rock. They are Jon Hunt on guitar, Jason Sparkes on accordion, Alex Vann on mandolin and Jane Harbour on violin. They compose their own arrangements and melodies around traditional tunes (mostly North Country English), often weaving elements of minimalism, dance rhythms, classical harmonies and discords into an intricate interplay of parts.
The band work fast in the recording studio, often nailing a track in one or two takes, and don't use overdubbing or other tricks, the intention being that what is recorded should be playable live.
A characteristic of Spiro is that no instrument dominates – there is no showboating – the whole being the sum of the parts. The key to their success, and almost certainly a result of the longevity of the band, is their outstanding ensemble playing, which the band refer to as “the mesh”. An absence of almost all ornamentation (and incidentally a deliberate absence of vibrato on the part of the fiddle) in the playing allows the individual instruments to make that mesh more easily. Band member Jon Hunt says that he feels he playing the band instead of the guitar.
Spiro's website is http://www.myspace.com/spiromusic, on which you can hear the opening track "The White Hart".
On Track 2 Jane Harbour playes viola, and Jon Hunt plays cello on Tracks 11 and 12.
# Posted on April 17th 2009 by lazyhound
'Live In Box' by Spiro
My apologies for getting a little confused about this recording (Live In Box). It is in fact a preliminary release by B&W which won't be available after 23 April 2009. The 22 June 2009 release (Lightbox) will be a full release with extra tracks, and the order of the tracks probably won't be the same as in Live In Box.
# Posted on April 21st 2009 by lazyhound
'Live In Box' by Spiro
Jane Harbour has kindly provided the following information about the tunes used in Live In Box. This information will also apply to the full album Lightbox.
"The White Hart", "Altrincham Round" and "Mr Keys" are based on eponymous tunes from John Offord's collection "John of the Greeny Chesire Way".
“Underland” features part of the “Sunderland Hornpipe”, also from the John Offord collection.
"A Small Light in the Far West" features "Grimstock" from John Playford's Dancing Master.
“Shaft”, “Pop” and “The Radio Sky” all feature tunes from “Peacock's Tunes”, published by the Northumbrian Pipers' Society; "Shaft" is based on "Bobby Shaftoe", “Pop” is based on “Highland Laddie”, and “The Radio Sky” is based on “The Bonny Pit Lad”.
# Posted on April 24th 2009 by lazyhound
'Live In Box' by Spiro
Here are links to a couple of newspaper reviews of the full album "Lightbox", due for release on 22 June 2009.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jun/19/spiro-lightbox-folk
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-spiro-lightbox-real-world-1704993.html
# Posted on June 19th 2009 by lazyhound