Jonny Race profile picture

Jonny Race

Paris or maybe Hull...

About Me

Jonny Race has a knack of writing quirky alt-pop songs. Armed with a ukulele and backed by a tight rhythm section, he sings with passion about corner shops and twitching curtains in suburbia, romanticising modern England. Recent gigs of note include supporting Guillemots at a sold out Brixton Academy.

A DEBUT EP IS ON THE WAY, due to be recorded by the Impossible Band in September and made available at gigs and on the internet. Please get in touch if you are interested in a pre-release copy.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 10/3/2005
Band Website: myspace.com/jonnyrace
Band Members: Present:
Jonny Race (vocals, guitar, piano)
Sam Race (guitar, vocals)
Paul Wilson (bass)
Peter Oliver (drums)

Past:
Laurence Hunt (drums)
Dan Lydon (drums)
Aaron Diaz (bass)
Matt Teager (sax)
Neil McGovern (sax)
Simon Robilliard (trombone)
Barney Everett (trumpet)
Influences: David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, Hawksley Workman, Kate Bush, Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, Captain Beefheart, Richard Thompson, Elvis Costello, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Talking Heads...JOHN PEEL! MyGen Profile Generator
Sounds Like: DEMO OF THE MONTHThe demo by Jonny Race containing four tracks is completely written by the man himself. This instantly puts his status up in my books. He also has a very clear and interesting voice that presents the beautiful lyrical poetry confidently and effectively. It is a personal sound that communicates well to the listener and stays very much within its style without going over the top in expressional tone. The demo is also extremely varied in its overall sound. The use of piano in Our Love with Survive gives it a melancholy, ballad-like feel. Likewise, the vocal harmonies in other tracks support the melodic sound. Each instrument adds something to each song and each song is very different; also, each to its own mood creating a wonderful and authentic whole. Certainly the best song (in terms of lyrics) is the last track Dream. The poetry is very honest and full of reflective imagery; due to a lot of thought its cunningly written.The only thing I can think the music lacks is a drum part to give it a fuller sound.However, the style Race is composing in doesnt really require drums. Its just that the climaxes to each track could do with something extra. All in all, an absolutely stunning demo and certainly worth checking out. It is, so far, the only demo Ive reviewed that Ive gone out of my way to put onto my itunes. Thats saying something. The fact that Ive also said nothing but positive things is also saying something let alone being a rarity. Its very hard to pin point exactly what I find so exiting about Jonny Race. Never in a while have I heard a demo in this style with such controlled brilliance.Call this a brief bout of madness but its hard to argue when four out of your five personalities love it. OPEN VIEW MAGAZINE
Record Label: None
Type of Label: None

My Blog

The band...

It is now a year to the day I began my search, scouring the windswept streets of Oxford, looking in corners, alleyways, parks, graveyards, bus shelters, museums for kindred souls. First came Peter Oli...
Posted by Jonny Race on Sat, 25 Nov 2006 02:13:00 PST