Reviews - Review of Beard Museum #1
VARIOUS ARTISTS 'Beard Museum # 1'
This is one of the first releases by one of Oxfords finest promotional teams. A collection of some of their favourite tunes by some of the artists to have graced the stage at their regular Beard Museum nights. Our track, Hello Stranger appears alongside songs by Chantelle Pike, Richard Walters, Toulouse and the disgustingly talented and handsome Family Machine. Stuffed full of great music, the CD is available for just £8 at independent record shops across the South West or by ordering it from us or by visiting the Beard Museum chaps themselves at
www.beardmuseum.com .
A review of the CD by Oxford's Nightshift magazine.
Beard Museum is one of the Oxford music scene's best kept secrets. A monthly club night at the Purple Turtle, hosted by the Family Machine, it is not an open mic session or an acoustic club, more a celebration of the gentler side of pop. Local stalwarts like Richard Walters, Kate Garrett, Chamfer and Toulouse are regulars and they are among the sixteen acts contributing to this compilation of Beard Museum favourites.
The Four Storeys return to action as Nick Kenny and the Pig Improvement Company, with the jaunty 'Friends', the addition of former - Overground front man Anthony Green to their ranks lending them a more country rock feel, although Mungo Jerry would be as close to the truth. Chamfer get soulful in a Beatlesy type way on 'White Stone', While Kate Garrett is similarly steeped in classic sixties pop with her folky sci-fi wobble, 'Coming Home'. Further in there is a gothic slide guitar-led canter from king of the Rumbling Spires; a solemn, reflective piano ballad from Stuey Mitch that treads close to Tim Buckley territory; Banshees-style guitar noise and gothic wordiness from Red Star Cycle and wide mouthed pop exuberance from fast-rising scamps Earnest Cox. Beard Museum hosts the Family Machine steer their languorous countrified pop truck just the right side of silly, while Toulouse are similarly minded in their quest, a Merle Haggard-styled dose of down home barroom country bluesIn truth there's not a duff track here, which is rare for these kind of compilations. Beard Museum takes place on the second and last Sundays of every month at the Purple Turtle. You get in free if you've got a beard, although having a beard is not something we'd recommend. We would, however, heartily endorse getting a copy of this album!
Sue Foreman, Nightshift Magazine (Feb 2005)