DYMA FANYLION YNGLYN A ALBYM DIWEDDARA ANKSTMUSIK ,

SEF RHEINALLT III’ GAN RHEINALLT H. ROWLANDS .

HERE YOU WILL FIND DETAILS ABOUT THE LATEST

ANKSTMUSIK RELEASE RHEINALLT III’ BY RHEINALLT H.ROWLANDS

 

 

 

 

Whatever happened to Rheinallt H. Rowlands?

Way back in November 1996, the enigmatic duo Rheinallt H. Rowlands released their second album Bukowski. Rheinallt, the "genetically melodified" joint alter ego of singer Owain Wright and arranger

Dewi Evans, had no great expectations for the album. A small but very loyal following in their native Wales had bought and cherished their first tape-only release Hendaid Bran a Straeon Eraill in 1993. Now signed to legendary Welsh label Ankst (former home of Super Furry Animals and

Gorky's Zygotic Mynci), the band hoped to gain a few more fans with Bukowski's unique blend of musical styles. Suddenly, to their great surprise, people began to take notice.

"Bukowski is one of the most extraordinary releases of this (or any) year. It’s 10 tracks feature a series of opulent orchestrations - lavish strings and sprightly harpsichord, crashing timpani, courtly harp and ominous glockenspiel crowned with the fullest and most mellifluous voice this side of Bryn Terfel."

(The Independent)

"The only way to believe it is to hear it" (Mojo)

"a memorable collage that cuts up Tom Waits, Jimmy Webb and Morricone within a sequence of melodies that are as nutty as a rich fruit cake." (London Evening Standard)

"The overall result is funny, warm, dark and refreshingly unpredictable" (Time Out)

Time Out editor, Laura Lee Davies, went on to choose Rheinallt’s performance at London’s Garage as one of her gigs of the year. Music writer Ben Thompson liked the band so much that he devoted a whole chapter to them in his acclaimed book Seven Years of Plenty - A Handbook Of Irrefutable Pop Greatness. Successful gigs followed in the UK (including support slots with Super Furry Animals) and Europe. They even played at a book launch for publisher's Faber & Faber.

Almost everyone who heard Rheinallt loved them and said they deserved to do well. Alas, as so often happens in the fickle world of pop, it didn't quite happen. After a lot of hard work, everything went quiet. Disillusioned, the band retreated into their shell and all but gave up.

After a while, those who had grown to love Rheinallt began to wonder what had happened to them. Fortunately, these included people who were in a position to offer them work. In 1998, the notorious Cardiff-based theatre company Brith Gof commissioned the band to write and perform a soundtrack for their latest production. They also composed theme tunes for S4C (the Welsh Channel 4) and BBC Radio. In 1999, playwright Paul Lucas asked them to write a song for the Birmingham Rep production of his new work All That Trouble That We Had. And at long last, Rheinallt's first album Hendaid Bran was re-released on CD.

During this period, the band finished half-written new songs and before they knew it had enough material for a new album. Dewi Evans set up a small studio at home to record it all and finally, after months of agonising over arrangements, mixes and edits (not to mention one or two crises of confidence), their work was complete. The result is the brand new CD, Rheinallt III.

The centrepiece of Rheinallt III is a condensed version of the aforementioned Brith Gof soundtrack. This follows a number of shorter songs, including live favourites Llanw, Gwirod and the summer hit in waiting Never Thought I'd Feel This Way (from Paul Lucas’ play). Finally, there is a new recording of

Gwawr Newydd yn Cilio, Rheinallt's acclaimed Welsh language version of Joy Division's New Dawn Fades, originally featured on the Ankst compilation Triskedekaphilia.

In contrast to the more accessible Bukowski, Rheinallt III is complex, the overall mood dark and uncompromising. There are, however, occasional glimpses of sunlight with songs like Never Thoughtand the poignant Hush My Lover. But in no way is the album difficult to listen to. The characteristic Rheinallt melodies, thought-provoking lyrics and lush arrangements are still very much in evidence. Once again, Rheinallt have no great expectations for their new album. Just a desire to build on the critical acclaim of Bukowski and to reach the wider audience they surely deserve with Rheinallt III.

 

TEITL / TITLE - RHEINALLT III

DYDDIAD RHYDDHAU / RELEASE DATE - 19.02.01

DOSBARTHU / DISTRIBUTION - SHELLSHOCK

RHIF CATALOG / CAT NO. - ANKSTMUSIK CD 095

CD NEWYDD RHEINALLT H.ROWLANDS

AR FIN YMDDANGOS

Ma’r grwp rhyfeddol Rheinallt H. Rowlands ar fin rhyddhau eu trydydd albym ar recordiau ankstmusik . Mae Rheinallt III’ yn gasgliad o ganeuon newydd sbon gan y grwp yn ogystal a uchafbwyntiau y trac sain a greuwyd gan y band ar gyfer sioe theatr Brith Gof Dyddiau Olaf , Dyddiau Cynta’ nol yn 1998.

Mae Rheinallt III’ yn olynydd i'r campwaith Bukowski’ a rhyddhawyd i glod mawr nol yn 1996 ac yn albym sy’n ymestyn swn unigrwydd Rheinallt i'r eithaf .

Mae'r caneuon pop dal i’w clywed ond mae yna hefyd ochr fwy tywyll ar yr albym newydd yma .

Ma rhyddhau yr albym yma'n gyfle gwych i ail gyflwyno artist hollol unigryw i'r gynulleidfa pop yn Nghymru a thu allan .

Mwynhewch !