By Deb Kloeden, Adelaide correspondent
Review: The Winter Gypsy, EP Launch Tour
Venue: The Exeter Hotel, Adelaide. 18th September 2016
The Winter Gypsy is a new Adelaide Indie/folk band that has just completed a tour in Eastern Australia promoting their first EP “Page I”. I caught them at the last gig of their tour, at the Exeter Hotel, Adelaide, in a packed-out Garden Bar. There was a real energy in the room, which was filled with adoring friends and family. The 6-piece band could barely fit on the small stage, with a keyboard player, three guitarists, a drummer and a trumpet player.
Tush Singh, the lead vocalist and guitarist originally formed the band with drummer friend, Max Lambert, as a 2-piece in April 2015. As their popularity grew, so did the need for a bigger band. The current band has been playing and recording together since August 2015.
With influences such as Bon Iver, Sigur Ros, The Middle East and Bombay Bicycle Club, The Winter Gypsy’s music has evolved into a surprisingly mature Indie/folk sound, containing melodic vocals, lilting guitar riffs and a tight sound. The 6 song EP opens with the title track ‘Page I’. This melodic track lures you in, with beautiful vocal harmonies and delicate, soothing acoustic strumming.
The single from the album, ‘Took Me By’ has been released along with a very creative video clip, directed by Gerard Wood, who has also worked with fellow Adelaide musician, Timberwolf. The video is quite surreal, with a series of symbolic visual references, including pouring water, burning a family photo, smashing a pot & box, cheating in a card game, & people running past a captive person, bound on a seat with a hessian bag over their body. Tush explained that this song was written in response to his Mother’s diagnosis with cancer, several years ago. He felt so helpless, unable to do anything (hence the symbolism of a trussed and bound person in the video, with lots of people running passed, not doing anything to help). Being a boy, still at school, this obviously was a life-changing event for him. Fortunately, the story has a happy ending, as his Mother has recovered. He said the writing of this song & accompanying video gave him a sense of closure about the whole scary episode.
‘Cellar’ is one of my favourite tracks from the EP. It finishes with a dynamic, crescendo building guitar solo, which reminds me of Pink Floyd and other progressive rock bands from the 70s. The diversity of this young band is quite impressive and I feel they have a big future ahead of them. Now that their first tour is over, they are going to focus on writing and recording another single, with perhaps, another video clip. I look forward to catching them again one day. The music scene in Adelaide is looking really bright.
BAND MEMBERS
Tushar Singh – vocals, guitar
Max Lambert – drums
Dave Thompson – keys
Isaac Kerr – bass guitar
Jonny Kotts – lead guitar
Sean Helps – trumpet
https://soundcloud.com/the-winter-gypsy/sets/page-i/s-tuWAk
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From Darkroom to Lightroom in 4 decades.
Deb is aPhotographer, Music Lover, Ex teacher, and traveller.
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