Journal

Hospitalisation, line-up changes & track changes, have delayed the new release by the Listeners somewhat, but we’re nearly there. We have two new live studio recordings added so this is going to be an EP. A most beautiful EP.
And the cover is finished. Here’s a clue…Special Sound Unit

Tentatively titled This Short Sweet Life, the album features recordings drawn from a decade in Costins' life with contributions from Ben Smith, (Smith & Mudd), Kev Bales (Spiritualized), Sam Hempton and James Flower (Six. By Seven), and Long (Neon Heights). Costins succinct song writing is very much still in evidence but for this record an increasing breadth of sound and style has been employed and emotions drawn on from a wider experience: If Regrets was Costins' heartbreak record, This record puts that cathartic reaction in context. Expect a release date this side of Winter.

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Special Sound Unit

Special Sound Unit will be releasing a stunning new record by this rarest of Northern duos. Fortunate enough to catch their support slot on the Tenebrous Liar tour, SSU’s Luke Austin was mesmerised: “The Listeners created a strange, almost breathless tension in the air…the kind of atmosphere that you’d perhaps experience through a film by David Lynch, or a book by Bolano. It dared you to pluck at the turmoil behind the crystal clear directness of the Listeners sound – Emma Thorpes velvet gloved punch of a voice and Robert Cooks baritone scene-setting.

Richard Hawley was seduced too, so much so he had to resort to bad language: “The Listeners were f****** brilliant…”

Music Mart Magazine said: Alternately gentle and dramatic….like PJ Harvey pissed off, unplugged and wearing a kaftan.”

This City described them as “Stirring stuff” and compared them to: “Nico back from the grave for an autumn night's campfire singalong, while their hushed mid-set tracks recall "Ocean of Noise" Arcade Fire.”
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Huw Costins’ as yet un-named band have started recording their debut album over the last couple of weeks. The band evolved from the ashes of The Cold Light Of Day, originally put together by Richard Warren (AKA Echoboy), with the purpose of backing Soulsavers. When Warren quit the band Ming took over the bass and Costin moved to acoustic guitar. The band also features Lee Horsley on Hammond, organ, and piano, Jim Widdop on pedal steel and dobro, and Jeffrey Davenport on drums.Written by Huw and currently being recorded at his own Random Studios, built into a terraced house on the industrial estate to the south of Nottingham City, some of the albums’ tentative titles are ‘Crushed’, ‘Come Down Here’, ‘Birds’, ‘Self-Medication’, ‘Treasure’, ‘Sunshine Gone’, & ‘Ricochets’. Costin says: “My songs have been written always as an emotional reaction – to the ending of relationships, to the drudgery of work, to our complicity in war, and in particular to the fragility of life. …

**** "Another broken heart reaps musical rewards... Former frontman of stoner-rockers Earth The Californian Love Dream, and now at the heart of Echoboy's new project The Cold Light Of Day, Nottingham-based Costin's solo debut is an emotive recollection of a love gone wrong.  But though it opens with the acoustic Jeff Buckley-isms of "We Ride" and "I'm gonna Miss You" is a miserablist's dream, Regrets is far from Damien Rice-styled self-pity, nodding to Big Star and The Stone Roses in equal measures.  "End It All' is an unlikely thumper, "Leisure And Technology" an anthem in waiting, with Costin's rich tenor dominating proceedings throughout." UNCUT




Echoboy

Huw Costin

Regrets

Jeff Buckley

Damien Rice

Big Star

The Stone Roses

Earth the Californian Love Dream

We Ride

I'm gonna miss you

Leisure & Technology

Special Sound Unit