GuilFest 2006. The 3 Day Guildford Music Festival on 14th, 15th and 16th July 2006

About the bands
return to main menu [return]

Artist: Truman Falls
Genre: Refreshingly alternative
Performing: 15th July 2005 /The Surrey Advertiser LiveClub Stage
Website Address: [www.trumanfalls.co.uk]
...................................................................

The band "Truman Falls" centres on the soundscapes created by Simon Rea, an extremely gifted singer-songwriter hailing from the picturesque, often bleak, but always invigorating Isle of Man. The debut album "Little Happyhells" combines the timelessness of well-crafted songs polished off with a contemporary alternative edge. Simon's writing style is indisputably original and yet at the same time pays subtle homage to some of the greatest songwriters of the last thirty years, from Bacharach and Jimmy Webb to Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys. If you need a pointer of how this translates in today’s music think; Josh Rouse, The Finn Brothers, Lambchop to Ben and Jason - and you are in the right
place.

The album combines lilting, sunny and highly singable melodies with beautiful lyrics that are passionate, dark, and witty. Emotional, storytelling words bursting with a mass of visual imagery can only come from the mind of a deeply sensitive and observant soul. The songs say a great deal about life and love - and a great deal more about desire, self-worth, personal battles with rejection, of fear and failure. More than anything, they are painfully honest and are sure to touch the hearts of those who take the time to listen.

Add to this the distinctive, soulful, passionate voice of Simon Rea - and you've reached Truman Falls.

BAND DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESS
Drawing on inspiration from hazy summer drives in the car as a child during the 1970’s, listening to ELO, The Carpenters and 10cc, evoking dream-like memories, Simon quickly discovered his love of music and how to capture a moment in a lyric or a melody. Not long after the first embryos of Little Happyhells were being developed, Simon was bouncing ideas off long time friends, Paul Teare and Dave Armstrong – the albums producer, and with the talents of other local musicians, the album was pieced together,
yet still not officially released in the UK, the band decided to wait for the right moment to prepare for its outing.

When you listen to the album, you will hear that the songs themselves ache with love’s lost dream, “Beautiful Mistake”, “Needlestacks” and “PaperAnna”… and of failure and regret, “The Last Man on the Moon” and “Buttermouth”.

With each song as important as each other, this makes for an album that simply defines the doubt in all of us when it comes to matters of the heart. Almost immediately the band was showcasing the material at venues across the Island and UK, in conjunction with HMV agreeing to sell the album in-store locally. It became apparent that the band worked well acoustically and more gigs were arranged with a stripped down version of the line-up. Truman Falls took their music to the far corners of England and Ireland in support slots to where their ability to deliver the goods live was clear.

During late 2004, Truman Falls recruited full time member, Chris Glaister to provide keyboards, bass and vocals for their live performances and quickly set upon a promotional campaign to push the band further. It was clear that with the sound they had, modern comparisons were being made with the acoustic Altcountry movement; one such exponent of this genre was Bob Harris of Radio 2, heralding a sound that once again echoes back to the glorious songs of the 70s. A copy of the album was introduced to Bob through their London agent, and the response was immediate and fantastic. It was then that the true focus of the band had been recognised. Looking to America and Europe to take the music, had now become a real possibility, this along with the growth of interest generated from the bands website, Truman Falls was ready.

Soon after having tracks played from the album by the legendary Bob Harris on BBC Radio 2; Simon and his songwriting partner Paul Teare were being asked to record sessions for national and independent radio stations on the Island; and emails started coming in from Europe, The US and New Zealand from absolute strangers - professing their newfound addiction to the album. The first song to be released from the album as a radio single, in April 2005, was Last Man on the Moon. It reached the ears of several influential DJs across the UK, and within just a few days of its release, Janice Long requested the band come in to the BBC Radio 2 studios to play on her legendary Sessions show.

The band now with a working line-up of Simon Rea, Paul Teare and Chris Glaister has also performed at BBC Radio Leeds, and played at various venues throughout the UK and Ireland and continue toa gain interest and support wherever their music is heard. The album Little Happyhells is due for official release later this year – keep watching! - until then it is available from the bands website.