The Blakfish expat puts a sentimental spin on songs by The Get Up Kids, Owls, The Postal Service and more.
Sam Manville will undoubtedly be a familiar name to those that were immersed in the math rock surge of the late 2000s. As a member of Blakfish and †Hymns† thereafter, Manville served as one of the lynchpins of an eclectic music scene that shook the frame of England during a time where the country had become oversaturated with “landfill indie” in the wake of albums by Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party and more.
Now following a bout of successfully playing a hand to the UK’s house music scene, Manville has returned, guitar in tow to pay homage to his predecessors with an album of gentle and compelling interpretations of songs by those that soundtracked his formative years.
The precursor to a release of Manville’s own compositional works, Somebody Else’s Songs features music by the likes of Owls, The Postal Service, Jimmy Eat World and The Get Up Kids portrayed in a more minimalistic light than before. Violin, accordion and banjo accompany delicate, fingerpicked guitar and unobtrusive, hushed vocals for captivating results.
Discussing the inspiration behind the project, Manville states
“Not long ago I was feeling nostalgic so decided to listen to some records I hadn’t heard in a while. I had recently started writing for myself again, for the first time in a long time and realised how influenced I still was by the music I had listened to during my teenage years.
Although what I was writing was in no way punk it dawned on me that at the heart of a lot of my favourite teenage records were great folk/country songs played uncomfortably fast and dressed up in distorted guitars. I could see a direct link between the emotional acoustic music I was writing and the 90’s pop-punk/emo movements.”
Hear Somebody Else’s Songs in full below.
Presented alongside the album is a physical book in which Manville details his relationship with each of the songs featured on the project. Purchase a copy here.
Words by Sam Wilkinson.
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Fruit and Grooves Collective 