STANDARD JEWEL CASE CD (12 page booklet). This is a magnificently murky and rum-sodden collection of 11 traditional and original songs from an 11 piece band who defy easy categorization. Not many bands would have the courage to embrace this staggering range of songs or manage them with such enthusiasm and skill. But be advised, 'Matachin' is not for the faint hearted. There are no whimsical maidens or gentle stories of love gone wrong. Instead you'll get dragged along on an exhilarating journey filled with Cholera, whiskey, the high-seas and the Cold War. A truly collaborative affair, 'Matachin' is a self-produced album, which also bares the distinctive stamp of each of its highly accomplished band members. 'Matachin' is the follow-up to Bellowhead's debut album, 'Burlesque' (Westpark) which was praised to the rafters on release in 2006 and became one of The Guardian's 'Top 1000 Albums To Listen To Before You Die'. Often described as a folk big band, the Bellowhead collective are much more than that. Blending folk, rock, ska, jazz, soul and world music influences with dashes of English Music Hall and cabaret, between them, the 11 musicians play more than 20 instruments, six of them sing and their arrangements are already the stuff of legend. Winners of numerous BBC Folk Awards (including an unparalled 3 for Best Live Act) they were recently announced as Band in Residence at London's prestigious Southbank Centre. Already having played everywhere from Glastonbury to The Big Chill, Bellowhead have recently headlined the first Royal Albert Hall BBC Proms Day dedicated to folk going down a storm! Although they have only been in existence for a few years, Bellowhead have an ever increasingly fan-base including high-profile fans who range from the West Coast's Red Hot Chili Peppers to the West Country's Frank Skinner. "The sound of 44 limbs in pursuit of countless more possibilities." - The Times "One of the most kick-ass live bands around." - Observer Music Monthly
