19.06.11 Sparrow and the Workshop
Sparrow and the Workshop are a three-piece based in Glasgow consisting of Belfast-born, Chicago-raised Jill O’Sullivan (vocals, acoustic guitar), Welshman Nick Packer (guitar, bass, basstard) and Scotsman Gregor Donaldson (drums, vocals). The band's debut album Crystals Fall was released by Distiller Records in 2010 to critical acclaim, with the likes of Drowned in Sound and Clash Magazine awarding the album 9/10. The band is notable for their use of harmonies and bastardized instruments/FX pedals. Jill's voice is a powerhouse of flexibility, allowing her to soar from keening Sandy Denny-esque tones to sensual peaks you're more likely to expect from PJHarvey. With Gregor providing vocal harmonies alongside drumming and percussion duties, and Nick playing guitar andbass and an instrument combining the two affectionately referred to as the 'basstard', they form a trulyastonishing outfit. They have been compared to bands as varied as Jefferson Airplane, Talking Heads and Black Sabbath.
http://sparrowandtheworkshop.co.uk/
last.fm/music/sparrow+and+the+workshop
youtube.com/sparrowworkshop
soundcloud.com/distillerrecords/sets/sparrow-and-the-workshop-sampler