New Music Scottish Bands Unsigned: rick redbeard
by Matthew
2 comments
Toad 2.0
Rick Redbeard – Truly Gorgeous Music
It’s funny you know: I just got a comment on an ancient post about Rick Redbeard, tonight of all nights.
I posted about Rick Redbeard months ago. He was one of the first small artists I ‘discovered’ for myself when I began this blog, and I hadn’t thought about him for a bit when what should happen but I get a MySpace message informing me that he has a new song. I went along and listened, and it is just as gorgeous as the four I first heard that I thought were so unspeakably gorgeous the first time round. So, I thought to myself, it’s definitely worth doing another post about him to see if I can drum up a bit more support and see what my new, now much larger, readership make of the man.
So you can see how it seems a little odd that all of a sudden someone leaves a comment on that old post, where the mp3 links are long since defunct, on the very day I decide to write about this unsung Glasgow hero once again.
What is so bloody good about this fella then, I hear you ask. Well he sounds an awful lot like Bonnie Prince Billy or the mellower Willard Grant Conspiracy moments. Fans of the recent Iron & Wine album would also be well-advised to check him out as well. Usually when you can so clearly compare an unsigned and largely unheard of artist to such music scene staples so directly, it is because what they are doing is pale imitation. Not so here. My surprise commenter said:
I suspect it won’t be long before Mr Redbeard is singing from the warmth of a big cozy record deal. I can’t wait – he’s better than those artistes you compare him to.
I don’t agree, entirely, but I can certainly say this. If you put his songs up alongside those of Kurt Wagner, Sam Beam, Robert Fisher and Will Oldham then I defy you to spot the callow newcomer in amongst the indie legends. He is not copying this genre, he is adding to it, with gorgeous music that sits comfortably along far more illustrious acts with every right to hold its head confidently high in such company.
Rick Redbeard – Dreams of the Trees The new one. Listen for the melodica (I think) at the end – gorgeous.
Rick Redbeard – Blood
Rick Redbeard – Anyway I Can
Rick’s MySpace is here. Go say hello.
He plays through in the Weeg occasionally. A trip to see Andy & Brian might well be worth encouraging.
Brilliant stuff. The guy looks familiar too … it will come back to me.
Give me a shout if you’re going to see hima ta ny point.