PETER BRUNTNELL

Alternative Country with a Byrdesque Feel

PETER BRUNTNELL

"If we lived in a just world, Peter Bruntnell would by now be in the middle of his third or fourth global arena tour, his biggest worry working out how to courier his latest armful of Grammy awards back to the UK so his butler could have them installed in the west wing of mansion by the time he got home."

In an uncertain number of years time, it will be acceptably cool to say that you first got into non-Grammy-winning artist Peter Bruntnell through his classic 2024 album Houdini And The Sucker Punch, before then going back and discovering his back catalogue of yet more "classics". And you were there! You saw him live. You were one of those "10" people who saw him play in that modestly-sized room, almost 30 years into his career.

So here we are again. Three years on, another album into Peter's 13 or 14 album catalogue and shouldering the burden of even more sublime reviews. Every possible positive adjective has been called into play, although it must be noted that the word "sublime" can never be used enough. Not even 2021's primarily solo, slightly synthy lockdown album succeeded in putting an end to his non-success, despite Mojo echoing the plea that, "Somehow, some way, this cult and infinitely class songwriter must get his due wider recognition". The Scottish Daily Express with its 5 star review, slightly frustrated, said, or perhaps yelled, "I'm getting tired of saying this: He's brilliant". The Irish Times thoughtfully combined two quotes into one, saving us the trouble of going back and getting crushed under the sheer weight of Peter's archive of press quotes: "With Journey To The Sun, the man whose songs NME once noted should be placed on school curriculums has done it again." And he continues to do so. But not without a brief foray into dance music, in collaboration with mega pop-hit songwriter Rob Davies. A foray that succeeded in sneaking by, almost completely unnoticed, therefore providing us with no further fresh quotes. If veering off entirely into the dark world of autotune would have increased his chances of hitting the big time, we shall never know. But fortunately Peter's taking his chances.

New album Houdini And The Sucker Punch sees Peter re-employing his long-term band members Mick Clews (drums), Dave Little (electric guitar) and Peter Noone (bass), along with a number of his favourite musicians. Cameos include pedal steel virtuoso Eric Heywood adding magic to Houdini, The Flying Monk and Stamps Of The World, Son Volt / Uncle Tupelo's Jay Farrar playing piano on Sharks, Peter's old partner in crime (we suspect quite literally), James Walbourne of The Pretenders tearing up Yellow Gold, cellist Laura Anstee on Sharks and Jimmy Mac, Son Volt's Mark Spencer's Hammond organ and piano on Let There Be A Scar and mastering man Peter Linnane touching up the album with some added Hammond organ and synth.

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One of our greatest singer songwriters and still 'one of England's best kept musical secrets'! Voted in the Top 20 Americana artists of all-time by Americana UK! Full band show.

Rolling Stone once declared Peter Bruntnell to be, 'one of England's best kept musical secrets'. England has successfully managed to keep Peter Bruntnell a secret for all this time, even from itself.