Meadow are a Manchester based band comprised originally of cousins Ben Downs and Mano McLaughlin. Shared childhood memories include playing Irish folk songs at big family gatherings which maybe explains that desire to create a wholesome sound with a welcoming warmth. Don’t be expecting Irish ballads though, although their music has a lot to thank to those early nostalgic years their influences are closer to Will Oldham and Beck circa his Sea Change album…and not forgetting Tom Waits and of course Bob Dylan:
“When people hear our music, I want them to feel like a sense of belonging; like you’re sat there with us in the recording room, like it’s a big get-together with your closest friends. Bob Dylan’s Basement Tapes is a big influence on us, and I think that album is something we’re going for – something warm and homely.”
They have eveolved their sound from a duo to full band with bassist Daniel Jones, keyboardist Andrew Melchior and drummer Joe Oakes. They launched their EP ‘Grow Your Own’ on 3rd December via Grow Your Own Records. We loved this EP from first listen, the mid-tempo country tinged opener ‘Bus Stop Strangers’ draws you in before they deal out a variety of sounds demonstrating their breadth of infleunces. The warm harmonica opening of ‘In My Eyes’ launches into sprakling mandolin and infectious hook laden melodies. The more downbeat and quirky ‘Z for Zorro’ gives a small flavour of their more alternative side.
A band with a lot of promise…go and check them out: