About
Influenced by a whole wave of exciting new music coming out of the 'Naughties,' (Bloc Party, Local Natives, Cloud Cult, Mumford and Sons,Arcade Fire, Tall As Lions, Elbow, British Sea Power) Brighton based ‘Alamein’s Torch’ started life as a recording Project. Having met at a festival, Paul Oakley and David Evans began meeting and writing together with Pete Coggan with a view to recording an album of “just epic songs.” "Having previously been in four piece bands we just wanted to create a great album that wasn't limited or restricted by the musicians or the instruments we had to play with. We thought – lets create the tracks first and then worry about whether we can form a band to play it."says Paul The album was extensively demo'd as the songs came together and other musicians were brought into the fold along the way to furnish the ever expanding and ambitious soundscape. Along the way the desire to form a band and make the whole experience go 'live' just seemed obvious to everyone involved.
Relishing the challenge of reproducing the songs live, they did discuss the use of tracks, but opted to buck the current technological
trend and go for the excitement of real players, and the raw organic energy that comes from a whole bunch of people playing together rather than programming and loops. The resulting eight piece band that emerged produces a visual spectacle to match the cinematic soundscape. Some members swap instruments from song to song and in addition to the usual guitars, bass and pianos, others will play multiple instruments to cover everything from glockenspiel parts to banjo, pump organ and melodica, as well has harmonies from every corner of the stage. Alamein's Torch have made a definite impression on the Brighton scene winning a competition to play the prestigious Great Escape Festival, with regular appearances at music venues like Hydrant and the Blind Tiger Club and a keen student following. Gigs further afield including Bedford's Esquires (host to Elbow, Bloc Party, Klaxons and many more)…and the legendary Half Moon, Putney, and now commencing their first festival appearances. Their erratic live shows have led to clapping and foot-stomping as well as crowd vocals wherever the band goes.
Here are some other recent reviews ;
"…a cacophony of sound …" ".. by the end of their first song the audience were all on board…."
"…creative lyrics, soaring melodies, … a beautiful sound!" "Admittedly, their brand of indie rock/new folk isn’t commercial or
mainstream, but for me that makes it all the better. Their album is certainly on my play list!" 'Epic, catchy, organic, shout out loud' – "think cinematic wide screen, huge landscapes, multiple voices (everybody sings in this 8 piece band!) a mix of punchy hooks, anthemic choruses and subtle more ambient tracks – themes touching on the whole gamut of human emotion from fear to hope, joy and pain, life and death, certainties and unanswerable questions. Punk energy, thumping bass lines, through soulful emotion to intimacy with mature orchestration" Jon Astley; Producer (Clapton, The Who, Tunstall, Gabriel)
