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Daisy Chute – 'Songs of Solace' EP Review

/ By Doug Phillips
Daisy Chute – 'Songs of Solace' EP Review

Multifaceted singer/songwriter, Daisy Chute’s newest project, ‘Songs of Solace’ is a warm, comforting collection of acoustic music, powered by sentiment and emotive memories.

 According to Daisy, The EP walks the listener through the "beginning, middle and end of a relationship”. Cleverly, the EP acts not only as a narrative describing the need for solace during a relationship, but also as the solace itself.  

The tone and style of ‘Songs of Solace’ couldn’t have been timed better. The soothing instrumentation found in the twinkling guitars, legato strings and tender vocals provide unmistakably autumnal compositions. The burgeoning seasonal blues also coincides well to the comfort that many could find in this project right now. 

The opening track, ‘Secondhand Heart’ acts as an almost sorrowful prelude to the story Daisy is about to tell, like something you might see at a play to set the audience up for the tragedy they’re about to experience. It’s one of the most effective introductions I’ve ever heard in such a short project. 

Another highlight on the project is the inviting ‘I’ll Drink for You’ which subtly reveals Daisy’s classical background in music theory and understanding as the melodies and rhythms leap and pause around in unexpected yet totally satisfying and accessible ways. I hope Daisy isn’t sick of hearing the comparison but folk legend Joni Mitchell can’t help but come to mind when Daisy demonstrates her brilliant range in pitch as she does on this track. 

‘Meet In The Middle’ holds a certain delicacy and familiarity reminiscent of Laura Marling’s ‘Song For Our Daughter’ album from last year. As a matter of fact, Marling could do with taking a page out of Daisy’s book in terms of expanding her instrumentation. The track ends the project in a similar yet more optimistic tone to the introductory track, ‘Secondhand Heart’. The track swells and features the full band before fizzling out with a spacey hum of the instruments. 

Perfectly produced, each component shines together to make a well-rounded and polished example of modern indie folk. If you need some warmth this Autumn, Daisy Chute’s ‘Songs of Solace’ is out now. 

How can Jeeni support artists like Daisy Chute?  

JEENI is a multi-channel platform for original entertainment on demand. We’re a direct service between creatives and the global audience.  

• We give creatives, independent artists and performers a showcase for their talent and services. And they keep 100% of everything they make.  
• We empower our audience and reward them every step of the way.  
• We promise to treat our members ethically, fairly, honestly and with respect.  
• Access to artist liaison and a supportive marketing team 

Check out Daisy Chute’s page on Jeeni: https://jeeni.com/?s=daisy+chute 

12
Mar

Crunch Time for Festivals

January 2021 is going to be crunch time for festivals. In this still, uncertain time, the organisers of the UK's biggest events remain on a knife edge about festivals being able to go-ahead. Michael Eavis has pinned his hopes on mass vaccination of the country, so Glastonbury can still happen this year. He received his jab, just before new year. Whilst Emily Eavis has been countering claims their festival has already been cancelled and confirming tickets will be rolled over to 2022. Micheal Eavis at Glastonbury - Photo: Getty UK Music have shared a new report, Let the Music Play: Save Our Summer 2021, outlining their recommendations for how to restart the UK’s live music industry. As MPs on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee open their inquiry into ‘The future of UK music festivals’ today (January 5), UK Music – whose CEO Jamie Njoku-Goodwin is among those set to give evidence to the inquiry stating the document “outlines a clear strategy to protect and support the multi-billion pound live music industry so it is ready to restart when safe to do so later this year”. Read the report below: https://www.ukmusic.org/assets/general/Let_The_Music_Play_Save_Our_Summer_2021.pdf “The music industry has worked hard to make event spaces as safe as they can possibly be,” UK Music said in a statement accompanying the new report. “This includes launching testing pilots to be able to hold mass events safely, working with government to develop guidance for how to hold events safely, and looking at new ventilation and air purification systems that would dramatically reduce the risk of transmission. “But there is no certainty about when the industry will be allowed to hold mass events once again.” The report warns that the lack of coronavirus cancellation insurance is “the biggest barrier to major events happening in 2021”, and calls on the UK Government to implement an insurance scheme as it has done for the film and TV sector. Key action points in the report are, “an indicative date for a full capacity restart” for venues and festivals, a government-backed indemnity scheme and targeted financial support for the live music industry. UK Music are also calling for an extension to the VAT rate reduction on tickets, a rollover of the paid 2020 Local Authority licence fees for festivals to 2021 and an extension to business rates relief. Up to 50% of the festival workforce faces possible redundancy if the 2021 season is cancelled and a report by the Musicians' Union stated 71% of musicians were considering leaving the sector or were unsure if they would continue. According to Steve Heap, the general secretary of the Association of Festival Organisers (AFO), major music festivals would have to make a decision about their 2021 editions this month. Smaller festivals, however, could put off cancelling until April. Though the pandemic is still wreaking havoc across the UK the crunch time is definitely, now. The industry and the fans need to know!

05
Jun

Give-Get-Go get creative and launch FREE Mini Talks starting Tonight

We are really looking forward to joining Tony Klinger and his team at Give-Get-Go in launching their new mini talks. They are informative and fun and we want all our members to have the opportunity to join in. Tony told us that, "During these difficult and dangerous times our businesses and our personal lives are disturbed and might well be hurting. We are in the creative industries so we thought let's be creative. Instead of thinking about what later advantage we might gain, for which there will still be time later, we should be thinking of what we can do for each other. To that end we at www.give-get-go.com will be giving our HINTS AND TIPS mini talks to everyone in the creative industry, and it is free to all comers starting at the end of this week and continuing for the duration of the emergency. Don't expect anything fancy, but the information will be useful to anyone with aims and ambitions in this industry and for all creative people looking for ways to make it pay for them after the virus. Who knows, our HINTS AND TIPS might be useful to you and we will do our best to make them interesting. We aim to start with a pre-recorded brief introduction this Friday at 5pm UK time. We will be introducing our subject and ourselves and I might even shave beforehand!HINTS AND TIPS talks start this Friday 17 April 2020 at 5 pm UK time On social media under the name Tony Klinger." https://www.give-get-go.com/

12
Mar

Visa-Free EU Travel Petition for Performers and Bands

Finally, a deal has been agreed with the EU and on 1 January 2021, the UK is going it alone. However, one vital element of the economy seems to have been left out of the agreed terms - Musicians. A petition for visa-free travel or 'Musicians Passport' for this huge part of the the population is gaining enthusiastic momentum via social media and at the point of writing, is well about 155,000 signatures, growing by approximately 1,000 every 1/4 of an hour. Several industries have been granted visa-free access to the 27 EU states in the final agreement. Despite the government being lobbied by a number of industry heavyweights and artists, their concerns the new rules could jeopardise the £5.8billion music industry, when live gigs and shows are back on the social spectrum, have not seen visa-free travel for musicians addressed. Touring Europe, bands and artists may need secure visas for each country they plan to perform in, making it far more costly and harder to afford for many artists and crew members. The Visa-Free petition’s creator Tim Brennan added: “As a freelancer, I and many like me, travel through the EU countless times a year on different tours and events, this will become impossible due to cost and time if we do not have visa free travel.” The petition reads: “We would like the UK Govt to negotiate a free cultural work permit that gives us visa-free travel throughout the 27 EU states for music touring professionals, bands, musicians, artists, TV and sports celebrities that tour the EU to perform shows and events & Carnet exception [allowing the temporary import or export of goods without having to pay duty or VAT] for touring equipment,” You can sign the petition here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/563294 At the time of the lobbying, a government spokesperson told NME: “We are working closely with the arts and culture sector to prepare for the end of the transition period and recognise the importance of touring for UK musicians. We are seeking a reciprocal agreement with the EU to allow UK citizens to undertake some business activities in the bloc without a work permit, on a short-term basis.” Last week (December 25), UK Music's chief exec. Jamie Njoku-Goodwin welcomed the government's EU deal, but said it still left “many questions” unanswered for the music industry. Jamie Njoku-Goodwin - Chief Executive of Music UK Njoku-Goodwin is one of the Government’s most senior advisers with unrivalled political connections across Downing Street, Whitehall and Westminster. He was a special adviser to Health Secretary Matt Hancock and also worked as a special adviser at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Once the petition reaches 100,000 signatures, it may be considered for debate in Parliament. Industry eyes will be looking straight at Njoku-Goodwin to be the man to have the debate converted in to action. We will posts any updates as we get them.