David Cronenberg's Wife
Encyclopedia
David Cronenberg's Wife is a London-based band.
Described as "where genius meets idiocy" by BBC Radio 2's Mark Lamarr
, the band's lyrics combine dark subject matter (anorexia, murder) with an off-kilter humour. They released their first single "I Couldn't Get Off" in 2007, followed up by two singles and their first album Bluebeard's Rooms in 2008. The album was recorded by Simon Trought (formerly of Tompaulin
and Hayman
, Watkins, Trout and Lee) and Dot Allison
guitarist Ian Button
(formerly of the Thrashing Doves
and Death in Vegas
) and was described in The Fly
as "one of the albums of the year". Other reviews, however, were more critical of the album's dark subject matter and "repugnant imagery".
In August 2009, the band released their fourth single "The Fight Song" and played a second session on Marc Riley
's 6Music show. This was followed by an appearance on Cerys Matthews
' show, also on 6music, in October.
Second album Hypnagogues was released in November 2009, with a noticeably more personal feel to the lyrics and a less harsh sound, even approaching alt.country on some of the tracks. The NME called it "a promising work in progress" with Drowned in Sound naming opening song "Sweden" (the band's sixth single) "one of the tracks of the year", adding that "it stands so far out from the rest that it encumbers the rest of the album."
Band members currently consist of singer & songwriter Tom Mayne, keyboard player and bassist Rhian Tucker, lead guitarist Mark Watts, drummer Stuart Saunderson, violin player and guitarist Thomas Alder and bassist Ian Button
.
Described as "where genius meets idiocy" by BBC Radio 2's Mark Lamarr
Mark Lamarr
Mark Lamarr is an English comedian, radio DJ and television presenter.-Early life:Lamarr was born in the Park South area of Swindon and has three elder sisters. His father is Irish...
, the band's lyrics combine dark subject matter (anorexia, murder) with an off-kilter humour. They released their first single "I Couldn't Get Off" in 2007, followed up by two singles and their first album Bluebeard's Rooms in 2008. The album was recorded by Simon Trought (formerly of Tompaulin
Tompaulin
Tompaulin were an indie pop band formed in Blackburn, Lancashire, England in 1999, and named after the Irish poet, critic, and lecturer Tom Paulin....
and Hayman
Darren Hayman
Darren Russell Hayman is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the lead singer and guitarist in Hefner...
, Watkins, Trout and Lee) and Dot Allison
Dot Allison
Dot Allison is a Scottish singer and songwriter, who has made significant inroads in electronic music circles, most notably as a result of her tenure fronting the band One Dove in the early 1990s...
guitarist Ian Button
Ian Button
Ian Button is an English guitarist best known for being in the band Death in Vegas and The Thrashing Doves . Though Death in Vegas' main creative force Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes are often regarded as the only 2 permanent members of the band, Button's contribution was significant throughout...
(formerly of the Thrashing Doves
Thrashing Doves
Thrashing Doves were a London based rock band. Their line up consisted of Ken Foreman with Brian Foreman , Ian Button and Kevin Sargent . The original bass player was Hari Sajan. Subsequent bass players were James Eller, Claire Kenny and Gail Ann Dorsey...
and Death in Vegas
Death in Vegas
Death in Vegas are a psychedelic rock and electronic rock band from the United Kingdom, comprising two permanent members: Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes...
) and was described in The Fly
The Fly (magazine)
The Fly is a free music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom. The magazine is published by the HMV owned MAMA Group.The magazine started as a listings leaflet in Camden, north London, for the Barfly music venue on Chalk Farm Road...
as "one of the albums of the year". Other reviews, however, were more critical of the album's dark subject matter and "repugnant imagery".
In August 2009, the band released their fourth single "The Fight Song" and played a second session on Marc Riley
Marc Riley
Marc Riley is a British musician, alternative rock critic and radio DJ on BBC 6 Music. Formerly a member of The Fall, he had his own record label, In-Tape, and also worked as a record plugger...
's 6Music show. This was followed by an appearance on Cerys Matthews
Cerys Matthews
Cerys Elizabeth Matthews is a Welsh singer and songwriter. She is known as the lead singer of the Welsh rock band Catatonia, her more recent bilingual solo career, and for a 1998 Christmas duet with Tom Jones.-Biography:...
' show, also on 6music, in October.
Second album Hypnagogues was released in November 2009, with a noticeably more personal feel to the lyrics and a less harsh sound, even approaching alt.country on some of the tracks. The NME called it "a promising work in progress" with Drowned in Sound naming opening song "Sweden" (the band's sixth single) "one of the tracks of the year", adding that "it stands so far out from the rest that it encumbers the rest of the album."
Band members currently consist of singer & songwriter Tom Mayne, keyboard player and bassist Rhian Tucker, lead guitarist Mark Watts, drummer Stuart Saunderson, violin player and guitarist Thomas Alder and bassist Ian Button
Ian Button
Ian Button is an English guitarist best known for being in the band Death in Vegas and The Thrashing Doves . Though Death in Vegas' main creative force Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes are often regarded as the only 2 permanent members of the band, Button's contribution was significant throughout...
.
Singles
- "I Couldn't Get Off" / "My Date With Jenna Bush" / "I'm on the Booze, Mama [Norwood version, mix #2]" (Download only) / "My Ukrainian Girlfriend" (download only) - (7" vinyl/download) (Blang Records - 2007)
- "My Best Friend's Going Out With a Girl I Like" / "Altair Voyager" - (7" vinyl/download) (Blang Records - 2008)
- "Runaway Pram (English/German/Russian versions)" - (download) (Blang Records - 2008)
- "The Fight Song" / "Suicide-Stretch Out" / "I Do Know [Hackney version]" / "I Couldn't Get Off [Solo version]" - (download) (Blang Records - 2009)
- "Jailbird / "Eugene" / "A Bad Feeling About Anna Karenina" / "Harry the Morgue [Church version]" - (download) (Blang Records - November 2009)
- "Sweden" / "Cymru" [Sweden in Welsh] / "Sweden [Oculus III remix]" / "Sweden [8Spirit remix]" / "Sweden [David Apple remix]" - (download) (Blang Records - September 2010)
Albums
- Bluebeard's Rooms (CD/download) (Blang Records - August 2008)
- Hypnagogues (CD/download) (Blang Records - November 2009)
Compilation Tracks
- "Sweden [Version 1]" on "Fruit Machine" (Blang Records - 2006)
- "Coming To Your Hometown [Norwood version]" on "AFUK & I (Vol. 1)" (AFUK Records - 2007)
- "I'm on the Booze, Mama [Norwood version, original mix]" on "Somewhere Between Heaven & Woolworths" (Fortune Teller Records - 2007)
- "I'm on the Booze, Mama [Album version]" on "SWEETFA3" (Strummerville Charity compilation - 2009)
- "Suicide Stretch Out [Prison friendly mix]" on "Breaking Rocks" (Silverdoor Records - July 2010)
- "The Diplomat" on "Electio Pop" (Helen Llewelyn Product 19 - September 2010)
External links
- Official website
- Website of Antifolk UK
- http://news.q4music.com/2008/06/q_radios_featured_albums.html - Q radio featured Album of the week.
- http://www.timeout.com/london/music/review/audio/1188/david_cronenberg-s_wife-bluebeards_rooms.html - Time Out review of Bluebeard's Rooms
- The London Paper review of Bluebeard's Rooms
- http://www.timeout.com/london/features/1971.html - Time Out London article about the Antifolk UK scene, with talk of DCW