Ben Marwood released his second album, Back Down, on 13th May 2013 (you can read The Ruckus’ review for the album here ) and, to coincide with the album release, Marwood began his tour around the UK with a free show at The Monarch in Camden, London. A free show is always a bonus, right? And in this case the free show not only included Ben Marwood but, in support, his fellow Xtra Mile Recordings comrades, The Retrospective Soundtrack Players (albeit a stripped back version of the 6 piece). When I arrived at [...]
“Maybe I’m only here on the strength of my peers?” asks Ben Marwood, but he’s made the answer to that pretty clear with ‘Back Down’. His second album continues right where the last one left off and re-establishes the Reading-native as one of the best songwriters around today. Optimistic yet melancholy, Marwood’s storytelling style of songwriting is unlike any other. He weaves a tapestry with words, turning the usually mundane into absolute poetry, creating a record that’s overflowing with catchy hooks and clever turns of phrase. Whether it’s adulterous lovers, the music industry or simply getting older, [...]
The latest labour of love from folk underdog Ben Marwood , Back Down is released 13th May 2013 on Xtra Mile Recordings. The third and final part of a loose trilogy that began back in 2008, the follow-up to 2011's acclaimed debut album Outside There's A Curse finally sees the self-deprecating solo songwriter swap the bedroom-based 8-track for a studio approach. Recorded over an eighteen-month period where finances allowed, Back Down retains the coiling, intense [...]
Lexapalooza is a charity all-dayer in aid of Breast Cancer Care and those lucky enough to be in the UK (or elsewhere if you fancy a flight, I guess), might want to get down there this coming Sunday. The event was the brainchild of Alexa 'Lexi' Burrows - a fundraiser for the aforementioned charity - who, unfortunately, lost her battle with breast cancer in 2007. Lexi's friends have organised the Lexapalooza event since then and have raised a lot of money for Breast Cancer Care in the process. If this sounds familiar to you, it might be because [...]
© 2013 Ben Morse Ben Marwood looks like a genuine, real life, serial killer in his video for 'Lock & Key'. The singer/songwriter is set to release 'Back Down', his second full-length, on May 13th and this video - directed by, friend of The Ruckus, Ben Morse - only serves to make a little more excited and a little creeped out at the same time. Marwood has been honing his craft for many years now and it's great to see musician of his calibre get the attention they deserve. Many will have seen him [...]
I have a hard time with winter. It seems like a pretty endless hole of darkness and depression, of being exhausted and anxious. Then the days start getting lighter and longer and I wake up one morning feeling hopeful. That is what this mix is about- a bit of being broken and a bit of getting better. Phosphorescent - Song for Zula Niall Connolly - Samurai Jenny Owen Youngs - Keep Me Away Ben Marwood - Tampa International Josh Ritter [...]
Instead of just presenting our favorites, as much as we love to rattle on about the songs and records we loved here, we've asked some experts- people we have befriended in the process, those we admire and respect, our favorite musicians- what records they loved in 2012. FRANK TURNER : JIM LOCKEY & THE SOLEMN SUN - DEATH Frank Turner is a folk punk hero. If you're reading this, you've probably heard of him. He is pretty much our favorite musician and [...]
Photo by Ben Morse [I am so, so, so pleased to bring you these sessions, a collaborative effort between my two favorite Bens ( Ben Marwood on guitar and Ben Morse on camera). Here's some words from Marwood himself on the songs and the session. -Tiffiny] As Summer was turning to Autumn, and before it got too damn dark and cold to be in England in a room without heating at 7pm, I sat down with (local, as it happens) visual superhero Ben [...]
With their third full length release, Future of the Left possibly face their biggest challenge as a band. Amid rising fears of set up changes, member swaps and a deviation from their 'non-commercial' noise rock roots, it was never going to be easy to follow the highly acclaimed 'Travels With Myself and Another'. In light of the changes that had been made, 'Polymers are Forever' served to reassure, but not altogether convince us that Future Of The Left were still the furiously capricious and exciting band we'd come to love in the aftermath of Mclusky and Jarcrew. Now [...]
01 If I'm going to start a project about covers, this is pretty much the way to send it off. I'm not one to state that a cover is better than the original, because without the original, the cover wouldn't exist. This is all very philosophical, but I am a music blogger after all. However, in this situation, the cover made me appreciate the original structure. Ben Marwood 's take on The Postal Service 's is a stripped down, acoustic, melodic, melancholic track (much more along the lines of [...]
Music makes me happy. 2011 made me very happy - SO MUCH good music. Here are ten, not necessarily in order, albums I loved this year. I'm still doing it in reverse order though, because it's my list, and I want to. 10. American Nomad - Apache Relay American Nomad sounds like a warm summer afternoon. It's all happy jangly guitars, nice harmonies, and underpinned by a drive to get on the road and get lost. It's constantly listenable and I love it. They sit [...]
When we set out to make these lists at the end of each year, we usually try to include tracks that aren't on the Best of Albums List to narrow down the choices. This year we took a more honest approach, but it was terrible to cut 365 days worth of songs down to a mere 25 tracks. We changed them up until the last possible minute, driving ourselves, our loved ones, and each other crazy with our "what if..."s. In the end, though, these are the songs that made us hit repeat, and carried us [...]
This is our third year of doing end of the year round-ups at The Ruckus. It’s been a challenge to dig through and re-listen to everything that’s come out over an entire year of music, and we invariably leave out really great albums, so this time around we’ve asked a few of our favorite people to contribute their picks as well. This year, our favorite album comes from Frank Turner ( England Keep My Bones ) and because he’s an awesome person, Frank gave us his pick to start our guest list. [...]
As unbelievable as it is to me, 2011 is drawing to a close, and as it has for each of the two years prior, this year's end brings along with it our annual wrap up posts, where we (as with every other blog on this vast great Internet) count down our favorite records, tracks, and gigs of the year. Today we bring to you the ten albums that caught our hearts, made us fall in love, and meant the most to us this year. BEN MARWOOD – OUTSIDE THERE’S A [...]
In really awesome news, our friends at Dicking Around Productions (a subsidiary of Moon and Back Music ) have made a video about one of the most amazing concepts that I've ever been exposed to: a Chuck Ragan fishing show (if you don't know who Chuck Ragan is, you can stop reading this blog right now). If you haven't already clicked play on the video, checking out this brilliant list of guest stars: Featuring: - Geoff Rickly (Thursday) - Austin Lucas - Helen Chambers [...]
Photo by Ben Morse Here's another artist that is not coming to Denver or even Colorado at all and I will be dying of envy of those of you who get to go. As you have possibly read here or on our twitter or on our Facebook, I love Ben Marwood . He released an album this year that I listen to way too much. Possibly at a creepy level. Make that definitely. I have heard word that Ben Marwood is amazing live, but he has [...]
The year is only half over, and already it has been absolutely amazing for music. It is definitely time to update your play list, so check out Melanie and Tiffiny's picks for the 10 best albums of 2011 (so far). Ben Marwood - Outside There's a Curse I was introduced to Mr. Marwood through the Frank Turner crowd who spoke unbelievably highly of his work. When Outside There’s A Curse I found that everything they said is true. I’ve listened to this album about a billion times [...]
Can you believe that the year is already half over? Yeah, neither can we. Here are our 20 favorite tracks of 2011 from January through June, featuring everything from indie rock to folk to punk and creating a narrative of what the year has been like for us so far. Amanda Palmer - In My Mind I sometimes forget how very much I adore this song, then when it comes up on my iPod, I’m in love all over again. This is a really honest self narrative that I relate [...]
I've been meaning to talk Ben Marwood more here, but I keep coming up short on words. Have you ever listened to a record that just struck you as so perfect that you couldn't really say anything other than "great!" "wonderful!" "buy it!"? That's where I'm at with Outside There's a Curse , this year's debut from Mr. Marwood. To help give you a preview where I have failed, a great track from the album will be going forth as a single. "Singalong" is pretty much what the title implies (with a shot [...]
THE 5TH ANNUAL LEXAPALOOZA FESTIVAL IN AID OF BREAST CANCER CAMPAIGN Celebrating our fifth anniversary ... Read more..
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