It’s all go for Smoove & Turrell at present! Spurred on by Gilles Peterson’s words of encouragement, the Northern funk powerhouse launched their new album, Mount Pleasant, before a packed out Wylam Brewery on Saturday. The band take that momentum into a nationwide tour beginning this week, which culminates shortly before the release of the new record on 29th June, and a string of festival dates.
The boys’ new single You’re Gone, featuring labelmate Izo FitzRoy on vocals, continues to grace the airwaves, having landed as a limited edition double A-side recently. Its Nile Rodgers-esque rhythm guitar, gorgeous horn arrangement and meaty breakbeat ensure it’ll be a smash in the discotheque – while A Deckham Love Song on the flip, shows their appreciation for soul music’s subtleties, not to mention John Turrell’s phenomenal timbre!
But there’s more than just new music for fans to get excited about. They have a newly ‘spruced up’ website, featuring a section of handwritten lyrics and gorgeous artwork from Jimmy Turrell (he’s not heavy, he’s John’s brother). There’s also a pair of fantastic radio sessions to dive into: the recent episode of Craig Charles on his Funk & Soul with featured a fascinating conversation with John and producer/percussionist Smoove, as well as several new album cuts. Their stripped back session for BBC Introducing in the North East reveals the bare bones of new albums cuts There For Me, A Deckham Love Song and You’re Gone, plus plenty of customary banter.
‘We can’t wait to get out on the road to show people what this album is all about.’ John Turrell told us last week. ‘Band on the wall is always a special gig for us, it’s the one venue that is always the first to get pencilled in the diary.’ The self-professed everyman, trained in carpentry and artistically attuned to his working class roots, praised everyone involved in making each Manchester show happen, adding ‘We can’t wait to play there again.’
Tour preparation completed, the Band on the Wall and Craig Charles favourites make their return on Thursday 31st May, supported by the tremendous Buffalo Brothers.
