It has been nearly two years since The Ordinary People was released. This was the album that launched Blue Nation to new heights, exponentially increasing their fan base and critical acclaim. The three lads from Birmingham have continued to win hearts and minds with a winning formula of massive riffs blended with gorgeous melodies, meaningful songs and an on-stage chemistry and penchant for humour and chaos reminiscent of Crowded House. Most of all, Blue Nation are authentic. What you see is most definitely what you get, off stage as well as on.Â
After several tours and festival dates over the last year or two, not to mention picking up industry awards and nominations along the way, the trio are ready to unleash new music. Wisdom For Pennies is a four-track EP that perfectly encapsulates their sound and shows real development too.
Recorded at Circle (Recording) Studios under the watchful and exacting eye of producer Trevor Gibson, the EP is compact but brimming with rich layers that reward repeated listening.
To mark the release, a special showcase was held at The Gibson Garage London, where the event room was filled with fans and industry professionals eager to hear the first live run-through of these tracks.
Neil Murdoch (guitar/vocals) and Luke Weston (bass/vocals) gave a sparkling performance, seasoned with the total glee of being among this Aladdin’s Cave of treasures, at one point joking that the presence of a security guard was to make sure that the band themselves did not run off with the goods.
The lads may not take themselves very seriously, but their music is a different matter. From the heavy and profound Wisdom For Pennies to the heartfelt plea of Tired Of Waiting, to the up-tempo groove of Watch Me Fly to the earworm of Comfort with its magical lyrics verging on psychedelia, this EP is stuffed with quality.
On record it sounds huge and powerful, and when stripped down to only acoustic guitar and bass, the songs still shine brightly.
Ending the showcase with fan favourite Echoes, prefaced as always by supportive words and a shout-out to Ian’s Chain, a charity working with those in mental health crisis, then a mass sing-along to Down By The River, this next era of Blue Nation was well and truly ushered in.
Following the performance, all three members, including Nick Sharman whose thunderous drumming was deemed to have too much power for this acoustic show, convened for a Q&A session with doyenne of the airwaves, Absolute Radio’s Leona Graham.
We learnt about the band’s pride at being part of the Birmingham music scene, the thrill and gratitude of playing on bigger stages, and their first albums bought (a nicely eclectic mix of Aerosmith, At The Drive-In and Keane) and how the preferred post-show beverage is tea rather than beer.
Chatting to the band afterwards, as the trio processed the ecstatic reception they had received, they were still marvelling that they got play among all of the mouth-watering Gibson gear.
“I’ve always had Gibsons and Epiphones,” Neil says, who earlier played a Gibson SJ200 and a Dove acoustic. “Every single thing has been a Gibson because when I said to my dad that I wanna be in a band, I wanna play guitar, he said there’s only one thing you can do. You need a Gibson Les Paul, and you need a Marshall.”
For Luke, who wielded a borrowed Gibson EB-3 bass, this afternoon will remain a treasured memory. “I love Jack Bruce, so watching him play an EB-3, I’ve always wanted one. I bought a Gibson a few years back, a Les Paul double cutaway thing which is lovely. To be able to come here and look at all of the guitars, an 11-year-old Luke would be very, very proud right now.”
Even drummers can have guitar envy, as Nick confirms. “I have never owned one, but Sam, our guitar tech, owns a Gibson Firebird, which I’m very, very envious of. It’s a great guitar, it’s beautiful.”
As far as ambitions for the new EP go, Neil answers in typical authentic Blue Nation form. “I hope that people like it. I hope it makes people’s day better.”
Catch Blue Nation on Tour this autumn. Tickets are available from linktr.ee/BlueNationTourDates.
September
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