Lou Rhodes
Encyclopedia
Lou Rhodes is an English
singer and songwriter from Manchester
, now living in Wiltshire
. In addition to providing vocals and lyrics for the band Lamb
, Rhodes has released three solo albums: Beloved One
, Bloom
and One Good Thing
. Rhodes has collaborated with 808 State
, A Guy Called Gerald
, Funkstörung
, Pale 3, Sugizo
, Plump DJs, Sheila Chandra
, Eliza Carthy
, Art of Noise, and The Cinematic Orchestra
on Ma Fleur and the soundtrack to Les Ailes Pourpres.
, Infinite Bloom, at the beginning of 2006, to issue her debut solo album Beloved One which was shortlisted for the Nationwide Mercury Music Prize the same year. This album explores the folk side of Rhodes's music, which was previously undisplayed while performing in Lamb
, although songs such as "Fortress" are reminiscent of her times playing in Lamb. She has been described as following a Nick Drake
path as a singer-songwriter.
Rhodes performed at Glastonbury Festival
in 2005 and in 2007 on the new stage at "The Park", which had been organized by Emily Eavis
. In May 2007, Rhodes had to cancel her UK tour after the sudden death of her sister.
Rhodes' second album Bloom
was released through A&G Records/Infinite Bloom on September 1, 2007. It was given three (out of five) stars by Q magazine
. On 24 September 2007 she released the first single from Bloom, called "The Rain". In October 2007 Lou Rhodes began a tour to promote the album.
In 2009, Lamb reunited for a tour. During this same period, Rhodes recorded her third album, One Good Thing
, which was released in early 2010.
are famous for blending trip hop
with jazz
and elements of drum and bass
, Rhodes's solo work is more organic and rooted in folk music
. Rhodes expressed a doubt that she will ever return to electronica. She combines finely tuned acoustic guitars—the essence of almost every arrangement—with violin
, double bass
, and rich percussion. Lyrically, her songs can be described as extremely romantic, soulful and very personal, this is how Rhodes explains the last album's lyrics:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
singer and songwriter from Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, now living in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. In addition to providing vocals and lyrics for the band Lamb
Lamb (band)
Lamb is an electronic music duo from Manchester, England, whose music is influenced by trip hop and drum and bass. The duo consists of producer Andy Barlow, who also produces under the pseudonym Hipoptimist, and singer-songwriter Lou Rhodes...
, Rhodes has released three solo albums: Beloved One
Beloved One (album)
Beloved One is Lou Rhodes' first solo album, released in 2006. It was shortlisted for the 2006 Nationwide Mercury Music Prize.-Track listing:# "Each Moment New"# "Tremble"# "Treat Her Gently"# "Fortress"# "No Re-run"# "Beloved One"# "Save Me"...
, Bloom
Bloom (Lou Rhodes album)
-Track listing:# "The Rain"# "Greatness in a Speck of Dust"# "Icarus"# "Never Loved a Man "# "All We Are"# "Chase All My Winters Away"# "This Love"# "They Say"# "Sister Moon"# "Bloom"...
and One Good Thing
One Good Thing (Lou Rhodes album)
One Good Thing it the third solo album released by English singer-songwriter Lou Rhodes. It was released in early 2010, following a reunion tour of Rhodes with her previous band Lamb.-History:...
. Rhodes has collaborated with 808 State
808 State
808 State are a British electronic music outfit, formed in 1987 in Manchester, taking their name from the Roland TR-808 drum machine and their common state of mind...
, A Guy Called Gerald
A Guy Called Gerald
A Guy Called Gerald is the stage name for the musician, record producer and DJ Gerald Simpson ....
, Funkstörung
Funkstörung
Funkstörung is Christian de Luca and Michael Fakesch , a duo of IDM musicians hailing from Rosenheim, Germany...
, Pale 3, Sugizo
Sugizo
, born , is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. Referred to by his stage name Sugizo, he is best known as lead guitarist of the rock band Luna Sea, who were popular in the 1990s. He started his solo career in 1997 and has since collaborated with many artists...
, Plump DJs, Sheila Chandra
Sheila Chandra
Sheila Chandra is an English pop singer of Indian descent.-Indian-Western pop fusion period:Sheila Chandra first came to public attention as an actress, playing Sudhamani Patel in the BBC school drama Grange Hill from 1979 to 1981.As a teenager she formed the band Monsoon with Steve Coe , and...
, Eliza Carthy
Eliza Carthy
Eliza Carthy is an English folk musician known for both singing and playing fiddle. She is the daughter of English folk musicians singer/guitarist Martin Carthy and singer Norma Waterson.-Life and career:...
, Art of Noise, and The Cinematic Orchestra
The Cinematic Orchestra
The Cinematic Orchestra is a British jazz and electronic outfit, created in 1997 by Jason Swinscoe. The band is signed to Ninja Tune independent record label. In addition to Swinscoe, the band includes PC former DJ Food member on turntables, Luke Flowers , Tom Chant , Nick Ramm , Stuart McCallum ...
on Ma Fleur and the soundtrack to Les Ailes Pourpres.
Solo career
Rhodes started her own record labelRecord label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Infinite Bloom, at the beginning of 2006, to issue her debut solo album Beloved One which was shortlisted for the Nationwide Mercury Music Prize the same year. This album explores the folk side of Rhodes's music, which was previously undisplayed while performing in Lamb
Lamb (band)
Lamb is an electronic music duo from Manchester, England, whose music is influenced by trip hop and drum and bass. The duo consists of producer Andy Barlow, who also produces under the pseudonym Hipoptimist, and singer-songwriter Lou Rhodes...
, although songs such as "Fortress" are reminiscent of her times playing in Lamb. She has been described as following a Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
path as a singer-songwriter.
Rhodes performed at Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
in 2005 and in 2007 on the new stage at "The Park", which had been organized by Emily Eavis
Emily Eavis
Emily Eavis is co-organiser of the annual Glastonbury Festival. She is the youngest daughter of the festival's founder and organiser Michael Eavis and his second wife Jean....
. In May 2007, Rhodes had to cancel her UK tour after the sudden death of her sister.
Rhodes' second album Bloom
Bloom (Lou Rhodes album)
-Track listing:# "The Rain"# "Greatness in a Speck of Dust"# "Icarus"# "Never Loved a Man "# "All We Are"# "Chase All My Winters Away"# "This Love"# "They Say"# "Sister Moon"# "Bloom"...
was released through A&G Records/Infinite Bloom on September 1, 2007. It was given three (out of five) stars by Q magazine
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
. On 24 September 2007 she released the first single from Bloom, called "The Rain". In October 2007 Lou Rhodes began a tour to promote the album.
In 2009, Lamb reunited for a tour. During this same period, Rhodes recorded her third album, One Good Thing
One Good Thing (Lou Rhodes album)
One Good Thing it the third solo album released by English singer-songwriter Lou Rhodes. It was released in early 2010, following a reunion tour of Rhodes with her previous band Lamb.-History:...
, which was released in early 2010.
Musical style
Although LambLamb (band)
Lamb is an electronic music duo from Manchester, England, whose music is influenced by trip hop and drum and bass. The duo consists of producer Andy Barlow, who also produces under the pseudonym Hipoptimist, and singer-songwriter Lou Rhodes...
are famous for blending trip hop
Trip hop
Trip hop is a music genre consisting of downtempo electronic music which originated in the early 1990s in England, especially Bristol. Deriving from "post"-acid house, the term was first used by the British music media and press as a way to describe the more experimental variant of breakbeat which...
with jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and elements of drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
, Rhodes's solo work is more organic and rooted in folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
. Rhodes expressed a doubt that she will ever return to electronica. She combines finely tuned acoustic guitars—the essence of almost every arrangement—with violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, and rich percussion. Lyrically, her songs can be described as extremely romantic, soulful and very personal, this is how Rhodes explains the last album's lyrics:
Albums
- 2006 Beloved One
- 2007 BloomBloom (Lou Rhodes album)-Track listing:# "The Rain"# "Greatness in a Speck of Dust"# "Icarus"# "Never Loved a Man "# "All We Are"# "Chase All My Winters Away"# "This Love"# "They Say"# "Sister Moon"# "Bloom"...
(A&G Records) - 2010 One Good ThingOne Good Thing (Lou Rhodes album)One Good Thing it the third solo album released by English singer-songwriter Lou Rhodes. It was released in early 2010, following a reunion tour of Rhodes with her previous band Lamb.-History:...
(Motion Audio, distributed by Ninja TuneNinja TuneNinja Tune is a London-based independent record label started by DJs Matt Black and Jonathan More, better known as Coldcut and managed by Peter Quicke. The label has a strong leaning towards mostly Electronic Music...
)
Singles
- 2006 TrembleTremble (song)"Tremble" is a song by Lou Rhodes. It was the only single released from her debut solo album Beloved One....
- 2007 The Rain (A&G Records)
- 2010 There For The Taking (Motion Audio)