Member Since: 11/15/2005
Band Website: http://www.sergeantbuzfuz.com
Band Members: Kate Arnold - dulcimer, violin, b.vox;
William Barr - mandolin;
John Paul Jones - bass, b.vox;
Eilish McCracken - violin, whistle;
Joe Murphy - guitar, vox;
Influences: Bitter, Guinness, red wine, whiskey, dreams, nightmares, the Borgias, cab rides.
Sounds Like: HIGH SLANG ALBUM:
“Universally charming†(NME)
“ Dazzling...Referencing 1960s punk, psychedelia, German-rock, Irish folk, glam-rock and drone, Sergeant Buzfuz achieve a harmonious, chiming mash-up, sounding like none of the above.†(Aesthetica)
“Ceaselessly inventive...14 candidates for John Peel’s Festive Fifty†(TimeOut)
“Buzfuz are a bloody riot†(Plan B)
“songs full of spirit, an album full of them†(Organ: Album Of The Week)
“Sergeant Buzfuz definitely do whatever they like and they definitely have something to say. Endearing and compelling,†(Supersweet)
“Razor-sharp lyrical wit†(Alternative Ulster)
“The problem with dumbing down radio is that it means most people never to get hear bands like Sergeant Buzfuz.†(Fatea Magazine)
“Excellent stuff†(Marc Riley, BBC 6)
PREVIOUS RECORDS:
“like the Pogues beating up My Life Story....Single of the month by a mile†(Playlouder)
“a bizarre string-driven song about those popes of the middle ages that’s kind of XTCishâ€
(Organ)
“Like the Soft Boys, this is unselfconsciously smart-pop, with a noir-psychedelic twist†(Sounds XP)
“they have taken the Sixties back catalogue and asked Gorky's Zygotic Mynci to give it a remix†(bbc.co.uk London Calling site)
“Wow†(Mark Lamarr, Radio 2)
“Absolutely brilliant†(Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music)string-haunted modern urban angst, like Nick Cave on the doleto paraphrase Art Brut: Sergeant Buzfuz - TOP OF THE POPS!
(SoundsXP.com)
"Northern England's twenty-first century incarnation of Bob Dylan, complete with his own Joan Baez"
(Opposition T)the funniest lyric weve heard for a long time
(Londonist.com)"vocalist Joe Murphy shares an attribute or two with loveable loonies and oddball wordsmiths like Robyn Hitchcock and John Otway. Or even Ray Davies. Or Wreckless Eric. Listening to 'Fire Horse' is like driving out into the green English wilderness and chancing upon a folk night singaround at a remote village pub called 'The Syphilis Ploughboy'. The crusty bread is hallucinogenic, The Handsome Family have booked a room for the night and there's a dead body in the duck pond."
(New-Noise.Net)
“intense, original, clever, funny and moving†(Sounds XP)
“a rich, warm, string-laden sound that luxuriates in the seedy underbelly of urban living†(Morning Star)
â€fabulously amusing lyrics†(Disorder)
“Sergeant Buzfuz have struck gold with this album. A gem.†(Shakenstir.com)
“an album of quietly staggering beauty†(Get Ready To Rock.com)
beautiful... Im hooked.
(Tastyfanzine.org.uk)
Imagine folk music with strong pop sensibilities, an outer layer of humour with a darker inner layer, and a distinctive mix of traditional instruments."
4.5/5
(Shakenstir.co.uk)
a curio and a joy
(Gillian Nash, Logo Magazine)
a work of flawed genius
(SoundsXP.com)
"Buzfuz runs a monthly Blang! night at London's 12 Bar that's featured an alternative array of artists including The Broken Family Band and Chris T-T. It's a vibrant scene reminiscent of the early days of Postcard Records and Buzfuz do recall the bittersweet beauty of The Go-Betweens"
(Essex Chronicle)
Record Label: Blang
Type of Label: Indie