Welsh music magazine TIWN have announced their first official TIWN TOP TEN, as voted by the TIWN Family and the general public. Showcasing the best albums that were released between October 2022 and November 2023. They then gave the task of choosing the Number one to their audience.This year’s winners are North Walians Holy Coves for their fantastic album Druids and Bards.
Holy Coves’ lead singer and songwriter Scott Marsden responded to the news:
“Huge thanks to Tiwn Media and everyone for voting! This record means everything to me. I feel like I’ve been trying to make this record my whole life!”
“Druids and Bards is part of a trilogy. If you think Druids and Bards was good wait until you hear chapter two!”
This year saw an incredible amount of superb albums released. The top ten albums also include Nancy Ackroyd, Trampolene, Mr Phormula, Skindread and Himalayas, all brilliant albums for 2023.
AWAY WE GO’ is the fourth video in a series of five music videos to be released by the band created by award winning Ukrainian Filmmaker Taras Merenkov.
This video for the single ‘AWAY WE GO’ is taken from the Druids and Bards album and was filmed by Jason Griffith.
Notably, Taras won an award for the video he shot for the band for their video for ‘The Hurt Within’. Merenkov’s hazy cinematic style of direction really emphasises the music and makes a formidable visual, filmed on location in the band’s local vicinity in Wales.
‘AWAY WE GO’ is taken from the band’s critically acclaimed album ‘Druids and Bards‘ which is out now via Welsh label ‘Yr Wyddfa Records’.
‘Druids and Bards’ has been championed by Gary Crowley on BBC Radio London and playlisted on Amazing Radio’s A List, Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music and with BBC Radio Wales support from Huw Stephens and Adam Walton. It’s fair to say that North Wales Psych-Rock Band Holy Coves have had quite the year!
Through long time friend and Producer David Wrench (just mixed the new BLUR album), ‘Holy Coves’ were put in touch with Texan Producer Erik Wofford (The Black Angels / Explosions In The Sky) and have built quite a magical working relationship, one where Wofford found himself on Mixing and Mastering duties for the ‘Druids And Bards’ album and it has certainly contributed massively to their new sound and ethos.
The track ‘AWAY WE GO’ is the work of Welsh Singer/Songwriter, Scott Marsden and was Recorded at Pehhesgyn Hall Studios, Menai Bridge Anglesey, Produced by Scott Marsden, John Lawrence (Gorky Zycotic Mynci ) & Owain Ginsberg ( We Are Animal / Hippies vs Ghosts) and Mixed by Erik Wofford (The Black Angels) in Austin Texas USA.
Scott has said of the inspiration behind the track and video:
“The line ‘ All I see is you and me ‘ was written for my wife. She’s my soulmate,
We’ve been through so much together, Whenever I sing this I think of her.”
And further
“This record is about stepping out of the darkness and into the light”
The physical copies of the Druids and Bards album sold out within just two months and the band are set to release another coloured vinyl pressing shortly.
This year has also seen Holy Coves touring the whole of the UK and they have plans to do so again before the end of the year. During their earlier tour of the UK they took in festivals such as the Isle Of Wight Festival where they enjoyed playing to a packed out tent on the This Feeling stage.
Alternative Psych-Rock band Holy Coves head out on a free entry Welsh Tour of Wales in March to help the Welsh independent music scene during the cost of living crisis. The tour kicks off at The Parish, Wrexham on Thursday 23rd March, followed by Cwrw, Carmarthen on Friday 24th March and the final tour date at Cader Rocks Torrent Walk, Dolgellau on Saturday 25th March. The band will also play an acoustic instore, free entry gig at The Second 45 Record Shop in Llanelli on Saturday 25th March at 1pm, in partnership with Yr Wyddfa Records, Music Scene Wales, Welsh Connections and Cader Rocks.
Thu 23rd March – The Parish, Wrexham.
Fri 24th March – Cwrw, Carmarthen.
Sat 25th March – Cader Rocks Torrent Walk, Dolgellau
* FREE ENTRY *
Sat 25th March – 1pm – The Second 45 Record Shop – Acoustic instore gig
I know many album reviewers like to keep the reader on tenterhooks until the end of the review before the big reveal of how good the piece of work is, but Druids and Bards is an absolutely wonderful record so there is no need for beating around the bush here. We have been treated to a previous Holy Coves album (albeit 15 years ago) we have had four exceptional singles from this album already and we have had half a U.K. tour so you know what you are going to get; a hazy, shoe-gazy whirl of fuzz, packed with emotion and plaintive guitars, layers of sound and an intense man absolutely exposing his soul.
We all know that music can transcend space and time, it has the ability to transport the listener to moments in their own life or evoke feelings of understanding of some truth the writer needs to express. In this way Druids and Bards conjures a sonic soundscape that transports the listener to the realm of Holy Coves; a mystical place separated from the mainland by a narrow rift in the land that is filled with turbulent waters, more than that, Holy coves come from an island off this island; a place twice removed. This place is beautiful and sparse, it can be wild and isolated, the island was once the most important place in Wales, the only place where the native language had a legal status and speakers could defend themselves in court in their native tongue. From the island, the view back across to the mainland is dominated by foreboding snow peaked mountains dotted with castles and fortifications. Scott was formed in the environment and as much as he himself is a force of nature in his own right, we all have to conform to our environment.
Just like the physical land itself, connected to the mainland by a bridge transporting tourist and heavy goods vehicles to the island when the elemental forces allow; this bridge can close when the weather turns tempestuous and the straits become tumultuous, closing the gateway to the land of the Holy Coves. Like the bridge, this album connects Holy Coves to a place and time, it connects the listener to the artist’s deepest thoughts, his very soul like an umbilical. From the opener Away We Go to the closer Taste The Wine (possibly my two personal favourite tracks on the album, although picking favourites here is liking picking favourites on the Verve’s A Storm in Heaven; pointless, just love the album as a whole as it was intended) the record is an absolute joy. It is right to be bookended in this way, Away We Go evokes feelings of eerily hollow euphoria; its a haunting anthem, it draws you in, it makes you want more, foreshadowing the feeling of going on a journey through your headphones. While Taste The Wine is the beautifully evocative metaphorical death knell of the record, it is the end of side two, arrival at the destination. O.K. it might not be an album you would stick on to kick off a Friday night with your mates, but it’s not a maudlin dirgefest either, it is more of a 2am introspection vibe or a road trip on your own so you can just have it in on repeat. For hours. Tracks like Grey sound more upbeat but Scott reminds us to “Let go the feel again, ‘cos everything is hopeless when you’re Grey. Hurt will find you, love will guide you home.” But as is often the case with soulful brilliance and emotionally charged
song writing, the overall effect is one of affirmation, hope redemption and resurrection. It is an album that bares its soul; the good and the bad, and says “I accept it all, I might not like it but it is me, my strengths, my flaws.” The album feels spacious and claustrophobic at the same time, possibly evoking the feeling of living on an island that is off an island that is off an island; but hey, it’s a nice place to visit.
As I said, What an album! 10 out of 10. Go and buy it, stream it, sing it, love it, go and see them live, Come on, Get in, Take two, my friend and AWAY WE GO!
North Wales Psychedelic rock band ‘Holy Coves’ have recently unveiled brand new video for their ‘Desert Storm’ singlewhich was released on Friday 29th of April via prolific North Wales Label ‘Yr Wyddfa Records’.
Dropping swiftly into the slip-stream and following on from the successful ‘The Hurt Within’ which was released last month, ‘Desert Storm’ sets the psych mood with droney riffs, hazy vocals on an epic musical landscape.
Led by Welsh Singer-Songwriter Scott Marsden, ‘Holy Coves’ find themselves crossing an unseen threshold on a fantastical new journey where new psych-hazed material spells an exciting new era for the collective.
Through long time friend and Producer David Wrench, ‘Holy Coves’ were put in touch with Texan Producer Erik Wofford (The Black Angels / Explosions In The Sky) and have built quite a magical working relationship, one where Wofford found himself on Mixing and Mastering duties for the material and certainly contributes to their new sound.
Holy Coves Welsh singer songwriter Scott Marsden released his debut solo EP titled Scars last week, followed by the announcement that his band Holy Coves will be retuning in 2022 with their third studio album titled Druids & Bards. Scars has been recorded as a half studio, half live acoustic EP. Recorded with Welsh Producer John Lawrence at his studio Nant Y Benglog near the Ogwen Lake, Snowdonia. Scars is a short, sweet listen which will leave you wanting more! Great timing of Holy Coves’ new record announcement!! Perfect to wet your whistle before the new Holy Coves record drops. Scott Marsden’s lyrics cut deep as ever and there’s a different feel than other Holy Coves records. This EP is honest & raw. Will we see the full length Scott Marsden solo record in the future? Who knows!! Maybe it’s already been made!!! Go check it out today. It definitely deserves a listen.
Released by Yr Wyddfa Records
Available from Spotify, Apple, Itunes, Amazon & Bandcamp
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