The Vicar Songbook #1. Fourteen songs written by David Singleton and produced by The Vicar himself with his unique take on string and chamber pop.
The tracks feature some of the world’s outstanding musicians – for which our everlasting thanks – while The Vicar throws the vocal microphone to emerging singers spotted at small venues or on the internet and lesser-known cult favourites, continuing his lifelong passion for unearthing new or undervalued talent,
The songs go everywhere pop songs should – Gay bars in New York (Man with a Woman), Adolescence (Twenty Two), Moonstruck love (The Moony Song), Vanity (That Boy’s Not Cool), Nostalgia (Childhood Days) – and a few places they probably shouldn’t – a world without belief (San Manuel. Lonely Sunday), a mother coping with the death of a child (Count Your Blessings), and the simply surreal (Inside my Head).
“Highly engaging psychedelic chamber-pop… expertly arranged profusion of string melodies” – Financial Times ****
“Definitive pop arrangements with the harmonic and melodic genius of George Martin and Phil Spector. An incredible acoustic light orchestra” – Rockerilla Album of the Month
“The Vicar recalls the elegance of the Penguin Café Orchestra in a work that could not be more English. Sometimes melancholy and dreamy, sometimes fast and light, but always substantial. Delicious” – Jam magazine****
“Anybody who remembers Colin Blunstone would have an idea of how the secretive Brit known as The Vicar interprets Pop and Rock…An exquisite collection of songs in the Scott Walker tradition” - DFB Musica
“The future of High Definition Music” – Dolby Laboratories
And the thoughts of The Vicar himself:
“If we embrace the unexpected. If we are free not to be slaves to the rhythm. If we have the courage to believe that dreams can and will come true, our ears transform humble songs into music beyond our wildest imaginings.
This album, so long in the making, contains a slice of my soul. It is thus tempting to suggest you tread gently. But far better you stomp wildly and enjoy. “
Featuring : Cathy Stevens (Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Everything but the Girl), Tony Levin (King Crimson), Theo Travis (Gong, Soft Machine Legacy, Steven Wilson Band), Steve Sidwell (Robbie Williams, George Michael), Chas Dickie (Van der Graaf Generator, PJ Harvey), Karen Wimhurst (Zaum, English National Opera), Nigel Barr (Michael Nyman Band), Horacio Pozzo (Argentine BigTime Guitar Trio), Steve Porter ,(steveporter.org), Paul Ibberson (paulibberson.com), Mutch Katsonga (darkjam.com/Mutch Katsonga), Tim Elsenburg (Mercury Prize nominee, Sweet Billy Pilgrim), Andy Yorke (The Unbelievable Truth), David Scott (Pearlfishers) & Lewis Taylor.
