What the common point between : Robert Johnson, William Shakespeare, Karen Dalton, Jack Kerouac, Astrid Kirchherr , Lead Belly , Alan Lomax , Furry Lewis and Jacques Brel ?
No Idea ? They’re all united as e-friends on Howard Eliott Payne myspace page ! Howard Eliott Payne ?
Howard Eliott Payne was formerly the frontman in The Stands but since disbanding a year or back, has become a solo artist to be reckoned with. He has just completed his debut solo album which was recorded and mixed in just seven days on a 8 track tape machine with legendary producer Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams/K.O.L./Ray Lamontagne). It features some of the finest local musicians (including his sister Candie Payne), and self-funded by the sale of “a really nice electric guitar”, Bright Light Ballads is, like Howard Eliott Payne, a unique melting pot of Liverpool melody, New York groove, hip city swagger and the wide sigh soulfulness of the wild open country. Rootsy and unearthly in equal measure, at times raw and visceral, at times startlingly tender. (source SXSW)
This is all i’ve found from a short biography page on last.fm and on its SXSW schedule page. So let the music tell his full story
I can’t resist evoking the name of The Waterboys lead singer Mike Scott after this Come Down Easy listening. With this first solo release, Howard Eliott Payne explores the potential of his songwriting between folk, blues and country. Not sure a choice has to be made as this 10 tracks collection offers through thoses various musical landscapes a light ballad.
Artist : Howard Eliott Payne
Label : Move City Records
Where to pre-order ? Tower or check your local Amazon e-shop before the Itunes release date (april 20th)
Howard Eliott Payne is BRILLIANT. I heard his live session on Dermot O’Leary (BBC Radio2) this weekend and immediately bought his new album ‘Bright Light Ballads’ on iTunes. Turns out it was released last week in the UK as iTunes Record of the Week and went straight to #1 in iTunes Folk Albums Chart & #13 in Albums Chart.
The album is incredible- dirty and stripped down blues-country feeling dark, Northern English songs with startlingly poetic lyrics. This record was designed for heartbreak and road trips. Seriously- this is not just good music, this is great music. I ask you to buy it. After I listened to it once, I had to reconsider why I own half of my current music collection. It is that good.
Bright Light Ballads by Howard Eliott Payne is on iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=305993059&s=143444
It gets even more interesting if you look at his crazy life history- British musician from Liverpool who had to immigrate in the 80′s, had to quit school to move New York as a kid and grew up working odd jobs learning music off NYC musicians half in Queens, New York, half in North of England. Not being mean but those are two rough places especially in the 80′s! Must have been a life-altering upbringing because his sister is the singer Candie Payne (I saw her on tour with Mark Ronson last summer and she’s fantastic), and his brother is the drummer from British band the Zutons. Then Howard Eliott Payne was the singer and songwriter from British band the Stands who had 5 top 40 singles in 2002-2006 and toured with the Libertines, Oasis, etc. Fascinating character.
i LOVE this album!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Get it now!!!!
This guy is so good. He should be huge. No joke. He’s like if Lennon and Joan Baez had a curly-haired, castoff kid juuuuuust disfunctional enough to be all kinds of interesting.
Buy this record now or you’ll feel pretty darn silly in 6 months!
he is outselling fleet foxes in england. i love this record so much.
for once, i have to agree with everyone’s comments. bright light ballads is an amazing album. howard eliott payne is a real ray of light at the end of the dull, stifling tunnel that is today’s over-produced, over-hyped corporate music.
here is a real independent artist making a record of legitimately great music that he financed by selling his best electric guitar.
what more could you want?
it’s hell of a lot more rock n roll than stadium bands with 6 figure marketing plans and shockwaves corporate sponsorship. hallelujah! howie payne rocks!
i’m living in london for the semester and my english friends are all obsessed with howard eliott payne, so i bought bright light ballads this morning, out in hmv today (may 4). can’t say how good this record is, i f****in love it.
Howard Eliott Payne is genius. Beautiful, beautiful record. This is good music.