Paul James Berry

.. PAUL JAMES BERRY -----------(UK)--------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------- Berrys Back in town - Slim, Mean and Moody, but always with a wry ironic smile (which is sadly missing from the world of popular cool music). Paul James Berry, hit the limelight a few years back with his second solo album, Ginnel which caused quite, quite a stir....---------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------- Following this he toured Europe and thereby introduced increasing crowds to his live performances and ability - as he puts it, to laugh while the doctor cuts off the leg.-------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------In Paris - where he was based, but now to be found somewhere on the English South Coast - he formed his new band and started working on his long-awaited new album Nations. With the help of German producer Markus Maria Jansen, Pauls French musicians and the circle of talented artists found in Markuss hometown of Krefeld and beyond, Paul James Berry created an album incredibly intensive, deeply moving and which will become a classic for years to come.------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ -----------Compared with Ginnel, the new album sounds decisively more natural, since PJB practically did away with the support of electronic instruments. However, some things remained the same Berrys intensity and distinctive forceful voice. His ability to tell a story in a song and lay open to the world the realities of life. Nations is, once more, a masterpiece of an indie songwriter album.------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------both outstanding and most characteristic from the new album are undoubtedly the tracks The Ballad of Serge Gainsbarre (a song about the French singer the eccentric Serge Gainsbourg and his legendary TV talk show appearances), the phenomenal Fever Van Rose (reflecting the wild days with his former band The Rose of Avalanche), the exotic Mexican Girl & the English Rose, the wonderful love songs The Kite or Cable Ride, Supermodel (and the fickle stupidity of the fashion business), and finally the poignant dynamic Whiplash, (which was inspired by all too many tramps found in many a metropolis).------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------......peeled, naked, unsheathed; denude is a good word. A lot of similar words spring to the mind when you start to describe the latest work of Paul James Berry.------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------PJB is a solo singer/songwriter that sounds just as good with a guitar and a few choice lyrics as with a mountain of instruments and ideas. While Berrys last album Ginnel sometimes got lost in the world of gimmicks and gadgets, this new offering is a more natural and pure one, at times becoming an intimate adventure with the listener.--------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------From the first to the last, his songs are crafted with the finesse of a surgeon, while also being disturbingly direct and brutal. This is always the hallmark of great work. His songs are immediately memorable and usually pass the old grey whistle test.------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------There is a lot of history to this artists career - read the personal brief history opposite.--------------------------------------------------- --------------------------If we are truly honest and strip away the tags of pop/rock/indie/folk/ alternative or whatever other ones we like to file things under, youll then find out that this music touches and stirs something deep inside you. And thats the whole point!?----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------Press quotes:----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ -------Soulshine - Canada - 2005 "Forget Tom Waits, PJB is a poetic master easily remixed by DJs internationally and taking in the raw contrast of The Streets to the North American populous. Direct and never subtle, his lyrics step up to what true songmanship should be; occasionally tough to accept overall, an honest and well compiled 'brutal' look at heaven. His next release, 'Nations' is set for an October 2004 release with special performances to follow." ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------- Stylusmag - Canada - 2005 "Berry has a keen intellect, a disdain for those buffered from reality, and an internalized anger that fuels the vitriol in every adjective. It is real life undecorated, and smolders like the everyday pressures. "Nations," though not a light album, is never bleak or heavy, and thus an accessible and enjoyable listen. This is fucking brilliant. Clean glass please, and leave the bottle!" ------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------- Bubblegum Slut - UK 2005 The third solo album from cult singer / songwriter Paul James Berry is put quite simply, a bit of an understated masterpiece, rendered in acoustic guitars and several intense shades of cynicism and cold, brutal honesty. Now based in Paris and aided by a French backing band, the national identity of the Yorkshire mans latest is a rather paradoxical mix of the kind of Northern bluntness that tells it like it is and a continental poetic tongue which educates the likes of Cest La Vie and The Ballad of Serge Gainsbarre.------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ Berrys attempts to force singular nations, worlds and identities to rub together here - the cover shows him dividing by offering a hand-drawn S up to a sign reading Nation - is full of fricticious culture clashes, both universal, and as intensely personal as his hand-scrawled plural on the sleeve. Cest La Vie deals with the trials of coupling, bonding with someone and becoming one half of the plural pair in dramatic style, mixing the promise Ill do anything for you with a bold analogy likening the affair to civil war! One of the records most interesting tracks Mexican Girl And The English Rose, contrasts the two cultural stereotypes to an unexpected soundtrack of traditional flamenco-ish flourishes on the guitar, with meracas providing percussion.------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ -Further clashes come when Berry looks into, and typically straight through, the unfamiliar superficial modeling world on the cynical Supermodel. Finally the exploration of the two-sided soul of another difficult artist and distinctly French figure, in The Ballad of Serge Gainsbarre, is the raison de entre of Berrys razor-edged lyrical wit and truly crystallizes the intense Nick Cave-esque percussive storms and rough throated narrative wisdom that he makes his own over the course of Nations. Mean, moody and quite, quite brilliant.-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------------------------------------D esibel Mag - Finland - 2005 There are many indie-rock explorers today, however listening to Ginnel, one notices that Berry has a clear vision of his subject. ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------- .......transfers us to a sleepy scenery like a soulful bonfire his songs are full and flamboyant. Berry gives us a positive feeling, unlike other creations that have come and gone................." ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------Unicum - Austria - 2005 Intense lyrics with an autobiographical background; Berrys feeling for rough but nevertheless catchy melodies ennoble Nations to one of the most fascinating and complex singer songwriter records in recent years. ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------Rock Folk- France - 2005"Pure British singer/songwriter! His third album is pure and authentic craftsmanshiphe cuts, sculpts, weaves each and every song to get to its core and wraps it up in musical chemistry in order to get his message across. Unravel and cherish." ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------Synthetics - Germany -2005 Red wine a small cigarette and you will become one with this album.------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------------------DNAsix - Germany -2005 Berry sets the listeners soul vibrating. An exquisite jewel.------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------Pri nz - Germany -2005 "Finely composed guitar-songs, catchy melodies, tremendously sad and beautiful."------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------Westzeit Germany -2005 "This album is a singer/songwriter record, and you can hear the past of its protagonist without the album being born yesterday. Stories with a past. Highly recommended!" ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ --------Rock Folk- France -2005"Pure British singer/songwriter! His third album is pure and authentic craftsmanshiphe cuts, sculpts, weaves each and every song to get to its core and wraps it up in musical chemistry in order to get his message across. Unravel and cherish."--------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------Les Inrockuptibles- France -2005 " A voice that often evokes Stuart Staples from the Tindersticks. PJB writes beautiful 'torch songs' basked in strong alcohol, reminding you of the greatest English acoustic heroes from Mark Bolan to Nikky Sudden"----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------ZicaZic - France -2005 "Neither completely bluesy or entirely pop-folk, PJB simply makes his own music, which is close to his heart without worrying about a particular style. PJB is an alchemist when it comes to melody and breaking down musical conventions! Direct, genuine, his songs are pretty varied, while keeping a good homogeneity thanks to a common denominator, the Artist's endearing voice. Well played!"