I recently stumbled across Wilful Missing, a young up and coming band from Bradford. Just feast your ears on the opening track from their latest EP Vast Atlantic and you’ll know why I’m writing about them.
Vast Atlantic gives a refreshing introduction to the multi-talents of these five musicians. They have a feast of instruments from Cajon to bagpipes to tantalize, their musicianship is beautifully inventive and the songwriting has the intelligence that makes me pleased I’m running this station. Not surprisingly, I’m totally hooked.
Their name, Wilful Missing, is taken from a Rudyard Kipling poem which gave a voice to men who would have been seen as deserters:
There is no need to give our reasons, though
Gawd knows we all ’ad reasons which were fair;
But other people might not judge ’em so—
And now it doesn’t matter what they were.What man can weigh or size another’s woe?
There are some things too bitter ’ard to bear.
Suffice it we ’ave finished—Domino!
As we can testify, for we are there,
In the side-world where “wilful-missings” go.
Kipling
Vast Atlantic was recorded at Sam Kipling’s (Singer +) house which is apparently turning into their collective home and the striking EP artwork was designed by fellow band member Ruth. Keep an eye out for them as they recently supported Duke and the King
Wilful Missing are:
SAM KIPLING – Vocals, acoustic guitar, mandolin, keys
SAM LAWRENCE – Guitars, mandolin, bouzouki, keys, vocals, accordion, bagpipes
ALBERT FREEMAN – Bass, vocals, guitar, megaphone, keys, flute, whistling
RUTH VIQUEIRA – Drums, cajon, percussion
RHYS KELLY – Keyboards, clarinet, percussion
Download album: Bandcamp