MP3 John Eyre - Beyond the Oak

Folk vocals with classical structures

14 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Traditional Folk, CLASSICAL: Contemporary



Details:
I've been a guitarist since I was five, and a songwriter since I was seventeen. People have compared my style to Nick Drake, and my voice to a cross between early Peter Gabriel and Peter Noon, but my influences are pretty wide: early blues guitarists, sixties blues/folk, medieval music, classical counterpoint and, most especially, progressive rock, including the astonishing Gentle Giant.

My university professor,Brian Newbould, said my style was difficult to pigeonhole, which is fair. Despite that, I wear my influences openly because I know that I could never sound exactly like those I aspire to.

I would warn any listener to stay open-minded and give the music time, as the songs are only cloaked in folk style. If you hang in there, you will find after repeated listening that there are oddities to all the songs, and the more you know, the more obvious the oddities are. "We found a glade", for instance, is a translation from the Hungarian title; once you know that, the instrumental takes on a clearer shape.

The cd is not representative of much, as it is a stand-alone concept album. Other cds I've recorded vary from each other, although there is always an underlying strangeness. I offer each song as a world in which to immerse oneself.

I've been a session musician for years now, and laying down simple guitar, vocals, bass and keyboard quickly is a skill I never take for granted. I hope my desire for simplicity reflects in my songs, and may I never weigh anyone down with music that says nothing, but shows off in the process.

An ep which will appear on CDbaby soon, features the drumming of John Weathers. It will be worth having just for that fact alone!

If you'd like some opinions on my songs, why not contact some of the friends on my Myspace page, and ask them. Good listening!