Various – Home Is Where The Art Is: 15 Years of Reveal Records 2006-2021
Reveal Records – 11 December 2020
It is hard to think of a tougher period in recent history to start a record label than around 2005. Just consider, the dominance of the physical product had already been edged out by downloading and iPods. Further waves were imminent, first up there was YouTube and its drip feed of musical content, audio and visual, old and new, suddenly available to anyone with internet access. Then, in order to combat the threat of illegal file sharing, streaming became commonplace seemingly overnight. By the end of that decade, it was already looking like nobody would ever have to actually go out and buy music ever again. Surely this was not the time to go into the business of running a label that would need to sustain itself by selling physical music product?
Back in the golden age of record companies, there was always a romance to the notion of how they were structured. As demonstrated in the vinyl LP’s heyday on labels like Transatlantic, Island and Motown, then continued into the 80s and 90s by setups like 4AD, Factory and Creation, you always felt that these companies were run by music enthusiasts from top to bottom. Literally in the case of Motown where famously everyone from the receptionist to the owner would contribute musically on record at some stage. A labels roster of artists would function rather like a team, occasionally coming together on label compilations like ‘You Can All Join In’ or ‘Motown Chartbusters’; in the case of 4AD they had This Mortal Coil which was essentially the artists on the label collaborating to record albums of cover versions. This spirit was in stark contrast to the soulless, money-orientated, artless major label end of the trajectory. Cynical capitalist enterprises that were most visibly represented in the 21st century by Simon Cowell and his knack of making fortunes by selling shit music to people who don’t give a shit about music. It would surely take a brave individual to attempt to form a label in the age-old romantic sense, where the cultural enterprise of the artists would take precedence over the commercial. It would need someone with a natural head for music and a love of explorative expression. Someone prepared to put their money where their mouth is in support and trust of their artists visions. Step forward Tom Rose of Reveal Records.
‘Home Is Where The Art Is’ is a mouth-watering journey through the first fifteen years of a label that has really struck artistic gold with many of its acts. The amazing thing when soaking up this marathon three-disc collection is how a real musical thread, a common Reveal grain, emerges among the extremes. There’s just so much good stuff to pick out here, where to begin? Well, among the variety on display we have Richard J.Birkin’s strings and effects, forming a satisfying brew of cinematic atmospherics, whereas an artist like Jon Redfern is more in the text book singer-songwriter realm, albeit with a jazzy saxophone interlude. Dan Whitehouse, in this context, sounds like a gothic counterpoint to the kind of enriched, piano balladry enjoyed from The Little Unsaid on ‘Human’. However, the many strings to that band’s bow are demonstrated later on the fantastically edgy ‘Atomise’. Eamon O’Leary delivers deep, ethereal folk; indisputably hardcore acoustic wonderment but then A Camp, the solo side project for the Cardigans Nina Persson, prove that Rose has a well-tuned pop ear. Gramercy Arms deliver this too, their ‘Tricky Love Stuff’ crash lands like a lost nugget from the 90s Britpop era. Likewise, a long-established artist like Boo Hewerdine seems positively glowing with the freedom to develop his melodic instincts amidst lo-fi production wizardry on ‘Silhouette’, little wonder he describes Reveal Records as “a mindset, a creative place where I feel free to experiment and take risks”. Eddi Reader too refers to the label as her “musical sanctuary” and you can witness her relaxing as we hear how far she’s travelled musically on a tune like ‘My Favourite Dress’, the sound of an artist assuredly singing from the heart.
Lau are equally tough to pin down, the cherries from their catalogue plucked here are the work of sonic adventurers
The selection of Kris Drever tunes demonstrates just why Tom was so effusive in his championing back in those early days. ‘More Than You Know’ illustrates how he occupies some psychedelic-folk cloud that is entirely, uniquely his own. ‘Hard Year’ is a pulsating, disarmingly bittersweet arm around the shoulder (“don’t do something that you might later regret, why open yourself to ridicule”) embellished with a touch of delicate fuzz guitar soloing. It is a brilliant song, one that any credible record label would be proud to release. His co-conspirators in Lau are equally tough to pin down, the cherries from their catalogue plucked here are the work of sonic adventurers; hypnotic and meditative on ‘Ghosts’ then deconstructing traditional elements to uncover thrilling un-tapped textures on a work like ‘The Bell That Never Rang’, swirling into a heavenly crescendo by the end. The bands Aidan O’Rourke may have called some of their decisions “commercially questionable” but the importance of a supportive label encouraging these explorations is definitively proven in these results. Put simply, the music showcased on this whole set is always captivating, never predictable and frequently sit-up-and-take-notice enlightening.
The highlights are many, I could just put up the entire tracklisting and say there you go! But if a star turn rises to the top it is arguably the incredible Joan As Police Woman, the performing identity of the multi-talented Joan Wasser. In his Folk Radio interview (read it here), label founder and owner Tom Rose speaks of Reveal Records early years, recalling how he approached Joan on Myspace to initially sell her EP in his record store and how this lead to her debut album becoming one of the first Reveal releases. He also remembers her playing at the Spitz in London in 2006; I was there too; she had a short summer residence if memory serves and I was so enamoured I returned for all three of those weekly shows. She was so obviously a performer to pay attention to, that rare kind of artist who inspires instant loyalty and fascination. Totally focused on her art, Joan would reprimand those irritants chatting at the bar in a heartbeat. Then there was that voice, possessed by the punk-ass conviction of Patti Smith and yet as gorgeous and pure of tone as Karen Carpenter on a ballad like the early classic ‘Real Life’, included on this set. I honestly can’t account for the hair-raising effect the line “I never included a name in a song, but I’m changing my ways for you Jonathan” has on me, I guess it just sounds real. Either way, Joan As Policewoman’s progression these past fifteen years has remained thrillingly eclectic and Tom Rose’s Reveal project has played a huge part in this, no wonder they have maintained an ongoing mutually appreciative connection.
Even if you have some familiarity with some of Reveal Records output (and as a Folk Radio reader how could you not?) there are bound to be exciting new discoveries waiting for you on this set. The third disc even includes some previously unreleased and new to CD material from acts like Boo Hewerdine and The Little Unsaid, all of which keeps the hit rate high and the overall impression of high-level musical art intact. Tom Rose could not have maintained a label like this, in these modern times, if he did not have a great ear and a well-tuned instinct for an artist. For that reason alone, it is a real treat to just sit back and soak up this personal curation of his label’s output. It really is amazing how, in the finest tradition of those in-house compiled classic label compilation put out by everyone from Topic to Dandelion to Motown, this stands together as a work of art in its own right. If you want to get to the heart and soul of Reveal Records, then bring this compilation into your home and let some inspired music light up your life. Let us celebrate one of our finest modern-day record label collectives and remember, there is still some fun going forward!
You can order Home Is Where The Art Is – 15 Years of Reveal Records 2006-2021 for the special price of just £5.90 – Available now via the Reveal Records website: https://www.revealrecords.co.uk/shop/home-is-where-the-art-is-15-years-of-reveal-records-2006-2021/
Click here to read our recent interview with label founder and owner Tom Rose.
Home Is Where The Art Is – 15 Years of Reveal Records 2006-2021
Disc One
- Valid Jagger (live) – Joan As Police Woman *
- She Put On Her Headphones (radio edit) Lau *
- Tricky Love Stuff – Gramercy Arms *
- If You Want It – Benjamin Lazar Davis *
- In Luck (radio edit) GRIP TIGHT *
- Human – The Little Unsaid
- Dreamland – Dan Whitehouse
- I Defy – Joan As Police Woman feat. Antony
- Silhouette – Boo Hewerdine
- Hard Year – Kris Drever
- I Love The Sun – Jon Redfern
- Love Has Left The Room – A Camp
- For About A Month – Aidan O’Rourke
- Red Flowers – Mascott
- Beautiful Disguise – Gramercy Arms feat. Lloyd Cole & Joan As Police Woman *
- Whitechapel – Blue Rose Code
- Vagabond – Eddi Reader
- Marina Blue – Eamon O’Leary
- More Than You Know – Kris Drever
- Real Life – Joan As Police Woman
Disc Two
- Take Me To Your Leader – Ian Carr & The Various Artists
- Strike The Colours – Kris Drever
- Blooming – Richard J. Birkin *
- The State of The English – Dan Whitehouse
- Atomise – The Little Unsaid
- Tin Drum – Dead Air
- The Bell That Never Rang (radio edit) *
- My Favourite Dress – Eddi Reader
- Hinba – Lau
- Awake Isn’t Good – Aidan O’Rourke
- The Poorest Company – Drever,McCusker,Woomble
- Sister In Song – Eamon O’Leary *
- Broke Me In Two – Joan As Police Woman & Benjamin Lazar Davis
- Strange Sky – Martin Green feat. Adam Holmes & Becky Unthank
- Latenite – Parker Kindred *
- Sunset – Boo Hewerdine
- Ghosts – Lau
- To America – Joan As Police Woman feat. Rufus Wainwright
Disc Three (Digital Only Bonus Tracks)
- Vigil I – Richard J. Birkin
- The Portal – Martin Green with James Holden
- Dolly – The Little Unsaid
- Give Away Your Heart pt.1 – Jon Redfern
- Love Is The Answer – Dan Whitehouse feat. Gustaf Ljunggren
- Scapa Flow 1919 – Kris Drever
- Half Alive – The Little Unsaid
- Wild Mountainside – Eddi Reader
- Shining Bright – Gramercy Arms
- Poor Mans Son – Kris Drever
- The Flow Country – Ian Carr & The Various Artists
- Tomorrow (Gustaf Remix) – Dan Whitehouse
- Shoot Out The Stars – Nels Andrews
- Far From Portland (Album Version) – Lau
- I Saw The Dead – Martin Green feat. Becky Unthank
- Mark The Hard Earth – Kris Drever
- Gallowhill (Live at the Bongo Club, 2007) – Lau
- Weightlifting (Instrumental) – Dan Whitehouse
- The Language of Love – Boo Hewerdine (brand new song) *
*Denotes previously unreleased or first time on CD