The Winter

Here is the new album by The Winter (available for free download from Bandcamp). The Winter is an improvising trio that I play in – so this isn’t really a review…it can’t be. Joining me (percussion, drums) in The Winter is Dave Edwards (guitar, bass, banjo, harmonica, ukulele, sanshin, electronics) and Mike Kinston (guitar, bass, clarinet, electronics).

We formed over a decade ago – we get together every few years, make some noise, record the results.

This new album, Exit Points, is pretty good I reckon…I like it. It’s comprised of two sets of recordings from this year (with a coda – a 2010 performance from Fred’s). The pieces from this year alternate between an informal jam in Kilbirnie (you’ll spot those by the titles) and a live gig at The Pyramid Club in July. (Fredd Marshall, talented vocalist/looper joins us on a couple of the tracks).

Every time The Winter gets together we use different instruments. We manage to sound slightly different and then exactly the same; which is to say we recognise our voice/s – individually and collectively.

I’ve mentioned the Winter here any time there’s been a gig or recording – but obviously I can’t tell you anything about what we do beyond telling you what it is and why we do it. We make noise and improvised music – and we do it because it’s fun, it’s a challenge, it’s something different for all of us, and it’s a connection – to music, to each other, to being alive.

I had a lot of fun being involved in these recordings – it had been a long time between jamming/recording. I reckon it’s come out okay.

The fiffdimension site has more info/context around this release and links to download the previous Winter recordings too if you’re interested.