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CD
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ARLEN 010CD
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Brand new album from Southend's Matt Randall, his fourth for the Arlen label in his Plantman guise -- following on from To The Lighthouse (ARLEN 008CD, 2016), Closer To The Snow (ARLEN 006CD, 2013) and the much-lauded Whispering Trees (ARLEN 003CD). In Matt's very own words: "A couple of years back Andy at Arlen asked 'When are you going to make your pop album?'; I started writing/recording this while Roy (Melodiegroup) was making his record, and we shared studio time and ideas, often just a note here or there, but definitely adding to the process, recognizing the common thread even though our records were heading in slightly contrasting directions. In my head, this was going to be my pop record but I've always written far more in winter months, when the melancholy tends to creep in. I allowed myself to be more nostalgic, honing in on distinct memories, and felt at ease in doing so. I held the immediacy of Michael Head, Magnetic Fields and always Forster and McClennan as touchstones, used the input of Roy and Adam (Radmall) along with John Hannon to help pull it together, and left Amy to come up with more beautiful artwork, continuing the loose theme and identity of the previous Plantman releases."
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CD
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ARLEN 008CD
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Arlen presents To The Lighthouse, the third album from Plantman and their first since 2013 - following the critically-acclaimed Whispering Trees (ARLEN 003CD, 2013) and subsequent first full release for its precursor, Closer To The Snow (ARLEN 006CD, 2010). To The Lighthouse represents a subtle but significant step forward in the evolution of Plantman, as main song-writer, Matthew Randall (ex-Beatglider) shifts further from the well-trodden path of many of his contemporaries and establishes a defined identity as a singer-songwriter, with his distinct yet gentle delivery creating an atmosphere and intensity that many yearn for but never achieve. For admirers of Bedhead, The Durutti Column, Yo La Tengo, Nick Drake and Bill Fay.
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7"
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ARLEN 007EP
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RSD 2016 release -- late addition. Limited edition of 500. The lead single for Plantman's 2016 album To The Lighthouse, their third full-length. "Honeydew" features Chantal Acda (Glitterhouse), and is backed with an exclusive cover of "This Is A Happy Garden" by The Moles. Referencing Bedhead, The Durutti Column, and Yo La Tengo, among others, Plantman's work is effortlessly emotive, melancholic, and affecting, while never derivative -- the plaintive, cracked tones of Matt Randall (backed by Bryan Styles, Adam Radmall, and Leighton Jennings) create a distinct mood that's complemented perfectly by Chantal Acda on "Honeydew."
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CD
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ARLEN 006CD
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Arlen's second Plantman release, following January 2013's extremely well-received Whispering Trees. The project of former Beatglider man Matt Randall, this represents his early Plantman recordings, put together on a four-track at home and with band member Adam Radmall at John Hannon's NO recording studios. The songs reflect the mood upon the conclusion of the last Beatglider album Witches, as Randall was getting into The Go-Betweens and their simpler production values, and as a result found himself moving away from the sprawling seven-minute Beatglider offerings. Instead, what emerged was a 17-track album with shorter songs and more of a mixtape feel, influenced by bands such as Sebadoh, East River Pipe and Trembling Blue Stars. Closer to the Snow was originally released in a 35-copy CD-R run on the Cathedral Transmissions label, with available copies predictably hard to come by and commanding sizable fees since.
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CD
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ARLEN 003CD
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Arlen is proud to present Whispering Trees, an album from Plantman, an Essex-based trio primarily consisting of Matt Randall and Adam Radmall, formerly of Beatglider. Following the limited release of their debut Closer to the Snow, Whispering Trees builds on their love of the timeless melancholy of The Go-Betweens, East River Pipe, Durutti Column and Bill Fay, while referencing the likes of Sebadoh and Codeine. While by no means a direct continuation, the qualities that made Beatglider so alluring remain; delicate arrangements, uncomplicated yet powerful songwriting and effortlessly emotive vocals. While the warmth of standouts "Away With the Sun," "The Bitter Song" and "Lunaria" is immediate, the real depth of the songs truly reveals itself on repeat listening, and marks out Whispering Trees as a truly exceptional body of work.
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