David Thomas Broughton
Encyclopedia
David Thomas Broughton is a London
-based folk
singer and guitarist. Born in Otley
, West Yorkshire
, he creates the sound of a large ensemble by sampling
himself singing, playing acoustic guitar
, and making an assortment of other sounds through a Boss
loop pedal. He also uses various non-traditional musical instruments to augment his songs, including radio
s and television
s, and occasionally incorporates a use of natural field recording
s into his music. He is also known for his love of spontaneity and musical improvisation, recording albums in one take (allowing recording faults to remain) and beginning live performances with no clear plan in mind. He has cited Tom Waits
and Bill Callahan (Smog) as key early influences.
Two solo albums have been released under his own name, The Complete Guide to Insufficiency
(2005) and It's in There Somewhere
(2007), as well as the EPs Anchovies and Boating Disasters (2010). In 2007 he collaborated with Leeds chamber music
group 7 Hertz
to release David Thomas Broughton vs. 7 Hertz
, and released a single during the same year with Chris Casati. Outbreeding, his newest album, will be released in 2010. Most of his releases have been met with great critical acclaim, with publications such as Pitchfork Media
and Tiny Mix Tapes
rating his work highly, though Broughton has revealed he is largely indifferent towards such praise.
Broughton has toured around the world, including appearances at Barcelona's Primavera
and Britain's Green Man
festivals. He has recently begun including seemingly self-conscious, ironic
dance moves and off-mic (often off-stage) singing into his live performances.
, was released in 2005. Recorded in a Leeds
church by suggestion of the label, it contains five relatively long compositions that combine previously existing songs and improvisation. This album was followed by a decidedly lo-fi
release, 2006's three track EP Anchovies, and then 2007's It's in There Somewhere
, a collection of home recordings from the previous six years. 2007 also saw the release of a single with Chris Casati, featuring the songs "The Rage" and "Be My Boy".
His first full-length collaborative work, with Leeds-based chamber music
group 7 Hertz
, entitled David Thomas Broughton vs. 7 Hertz
, was released in October 2007. The album 5 Curses was supposed to be released in April 2008 by Golden Lab, but it has now been delayed indefinitely. However, Outbreeding, his newest album, will be released in 2010. "Perfect Louse" from Outbreeding has been previewed on Broughton's official MySpace
page. In 2010 he released Boating Disasters, a four track EP containing, among others, newer versions of the songs "Perfect Louse" and "Ain't Got No Sole" from It's in There Somewhere.
Broughton currently remains only a part-time musician, having worked as a conservation officer
, a data analyst for an electric company, and currently in customer services for Transport for London
.
David Thomas Broughton's voice, although distinctive, has been compared with singers such as Antony Hegarty
of Antony and the Johnsons
and Devendra Banhart
. Broughton, however, insists he had never heard their music before the comparisons were made, seeing the similarities as being the likely result of people growing up with the same records. His lyrics often deal with serious, universal topics such as romance and death
, though mirrored with more everyday references; one clear example can be heard on "Weight of My Love" from David Thomas Broughton vs. 7 Hertz, which mentions his inability to afford a pasty
from Greggs
bakery.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer and guitarist. Born in Otley
Otley
-Transport:The main roads through the town are the A660 to the south east, which connects Otley to Bramhope, Adel and Leeds city centre, and the A65 to the west, which goes to Ilkley and Skipton. The A6038 heads to Guiseley, Shipley and Bradford, connecting with the A65...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, he creates the sound of a large ensemble by sampling
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
himself singing, playing acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, and making an assortment of other sounds through a Boss
Boss Corporation
Boss is a manufacturer of effects pedals for electric guitar and bass guitar. It is a division of the Roland Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer that specializes in musical equipment and accessories...
loop pedal. He also uses various non-traditional musical instruments to augment his songs, including radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
s and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
s, and occasionally incorporates a use of natural field recording
Field recording
Field recording is the term used for an audio recording produced outside of a recording studio. The recording is typically recorded in the same channel format as the desired result, for instance, stereo recording equipment will yield a stereo product...
s into his music. He is also known for his love of spontaneity and musical improvisation, recording albums in one take (allowing recording faults to remain) and beginning live performances with no clear plan in mind. He has cited Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
and Bill Callahan (Smog) as key early influences.
Two solo albums have been released under his own name, The Complete Guide to Insufficiency
The Complete Guide to Insufficiency
The Complete Guide to Insufficiency is the debut album by David Thomas Broughton, released in 2005. The entire album was recorded in a single continuous take at a church in Leeds - the church bells can be heard during the record. It was originally released by small indie label Birdwar in the UK...
(2005) and It's in There Somewhere
It's in There Somewhere
It's In There Somewhere is an album by David Thomas Broughton, released in 2007, collating a number of unreleased songs recorded during the previous six years.- Track listing :#"Circle is Never Complete" – 4:05#"Negativity" – 0:32...
(2007), as well as the EPs Anchovies and Boating Disasters (2010). In 2007 he collaborated with Leeds chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
group 7 Hertz
7 Hertz
7 Hertz are a chamber music group based in Leeds, England. As well as releasing the album Tender Almost Vulgar in 2007, they have collaborated with fellow Yorkshire musician David Thomas Broughton to release David Thomas Broughton vs. 7 Hertz. They cite Erik Satie and Eric Dolphy among their...
to release David Thomas Broughton vs. 7 Hertz
David Thomas Broughton vs. 7 Hertz
David Thomas Broughton vs. 7 Hertz is a collaborative album between David Thomas Broughton and Leeds-based ensemble 7 Hertz. The music was all improvised and recorded in a single take in a church in Leeds. The record was released in 2007 by Acuarela Discos....
, and released a single during the same year with Chris Casati. Outbreeding, his newest album, will be released in 2010. Most of his releases have been met with great critical acclaim, with publications such as Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
and Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, as well as its mix tapes generator.-History:Originally called Tiny Mixtapes Gone to Heaven and...
rating his work highly, though Broughton has revealed he is largely indifferent towards such praise.
Broughton has toured around the world, including appearances at Barcelona's Primavera
Primavera Sound Festival
San Miguel Primavera Sound, commonly known as Primavera Sound or simply Primavera, is an annual music festival which takes place in Barcelona, Spain in late May and, in some years, early June...
and Britain's Green Man
Green Man Festival
The Green Man Festival is an independent music festival held annually in the Brecon Beacons, Wales. It has evolved from a one-day, 300 capacity event in 2003, to a three-day festival with live music including psych, folk, indie, dance and Americana across five stages, as well as DJs playing...
festivals. He has recently begun including seemingly self-conscious, ironic
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
dance moves and off-mic (often off-stage) singing into his live performances.
Biography
Although he was bought a guitar by his father, Broughton was never formally trained to play any instrument. The outcome of this background was an outlook that saw "the world [as] a set of musical instruments [with] every inanimate object playing its part." Broughton's debut album, The Complete Guide to InsufficiencyThe Complete Guide to Insufficiency
The Complete Guide to Insufficiency is the debut album by David Thomas Broughton, released in 2005. The entire album was recorded in a single continuous take at a church in Leeds - the church bells can be heard during the record. It was originally released by small indie label Birdwar in the UK...
, was released in 2005. Recorded in a Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
church by suggestion of the label, it contains five relatively long compositions that combine previously existing songs and improvisation. This album was followed by a decidedly lo-fi
Low fidelity
Low fidelity or lo-fi describes a sound recording which contains technical flaws such as distortion, hum, or background noise, or limited frequency response...
release, 2006's three track EP Anchovies, and then 2007's It's in There Somewhere
It's in There Somewhere
It's In There Somewhere is an album by David Thomas Broughton, released in 2007, collating a number of unreleased songs recorded during the previous six years.- Track listing :#"Circle is Never Complete" – 4:05#"Negativity" – 0:32...
, a collection of home recordings from the previous six years. 2007 also saw the release of a single with Chris Casati, featuring the songs "The Rage" and "Be My Boy".
His first full-length collaborative work, with Leeds-based chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
group 7 Hertz
7 Hertz
7 Hertz are a chamber music group based in Leeds, England. As well as releasing the album Tender Almost Vulgar in 2007, they have collaborated with fellow Yorkshire musician David Thomas Broughton to release David Thomas Broughton vs. 7 Hertz. They cite Erik Satie and Eric Dolphy among their...
, entitled David Thomas Broughton vs. 7 Hertz
David Thomas Broughton vs. 7 Hertz
David Thomas Broughton vs. 7 Hertz is a collaborative album between David Thomas Broughton and Leeds-based ensemble 7 Hertz. The music was all improvised and recorded in a single take in a church in Leeds. The record was released in 2007 by Acuarela Discos....
, was released in October 2007. The album 5 Curses was supposed to be released in April 2008 by Golden Lab, but it has now been delayed indefinitely. However, Outbreeding, his newest album, will be released in 2010. "Perfect Louse" from Outbreeding has been previewed on Broughton's official MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page. In 2010 he released Boating Disasters, a four track EP containing, among others, newer versions of the songs "Perfect Louse" and "Ain't Got No Sole" from It's in There Somewhere.
Broughton currently remains only a part-time musician, having worked as a conservation officer
Conservation officer
A conservation officer is an employee who has the role of protecting conservation values.-United States:*Michigan Conservation Officers*Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries - Enforcement Division*Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police...
, a data analyst for an electric company, and currently in customer services for Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
.
Style and songwriting
Both Broughton's recorded and live music is based heavily on spontaneity and improvisation. However, he often has a basic melody or lyric in mind beforehand, building the layers into a full composition that can be dismantled whenever he sees fit; in his own words, this process allows the music to be more organic. Similarly, the length of compositions are dependant on feelings at the time, allowing the loops of the previous song to gradually fade out and bleed into the next song when nothing else is deemed worthy of addition. Aside from his usual combination of an acoustic guitar and loop pedals, field recordings are often used; Broughton puts their usage simply down to his love of nature and the environment.David Thomas Broughton's voice, although distinctive, has been compared with singers such as Antony Hegarty
Antony Hegarty
Antony Hegarty is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead singer of the band Antony and the Johnsons.-Early life:...
of Antony and the Johnsons
Antony and the Johnsons
Antony and the Johnsons is a music group presenting the work of Antony Hegarty and his collaborators.-Career:British experimental musician David Tibet of Current 93 heard a demo and offered to release Antony's music through his Durtro label. The debut album, Antony and the Johnsons, was released...
and Devendra Banhart
Devendra Banhart
Devendra Obi Banhart is a singer-songwriter and visual artist. Banhart was born in Houston, Texas and was raised by his mother in Venezuela, until he moved to California as a teenager. He began to study at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1998, but dropped out to perform music in Europe, San...
. Broughton, however, insists he had never heard their music before the comparisons were made, seeing the similarities as being the likely result of people growing up with the same records. His lyrics often deal with serious, universal topics such as romance and death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, though mirrored with more everyday references; one clear example can be heard on "Weight of My Love" from David Thomas Broughton vs. 7 Hertz, which mentions his inability to afford a pasty
Pasty
A pasty , sometimes known as a pastie or British pasty in the United States, is a filled pastry case, associated in particular with Cornwall in Great Britain. It is made by placing the uncooked filling on a flat pastry circle, and folding it to wrap the filling, crimping the edge at the side or top...
from Greggs
Greggs
Greggs plc is the largest specialist retail bakery chain in the United Kingdom. It was established in the 1930s as a single shop but has approximately 1,500 outlets....
bakery.
Discography
- The Complete Guide to InsufficiencyThe Complete Guide to InsufficiencyThe Complete Guide to Insufficiency is the debut album by David Thomas Broughton, released in 2005. The entire album was recorded in a single continuous take at a church in Leeds - the church bells can be heard during the record. It was originally released by small indie label Birdwar in the UK...
- 2005 CD album (Birdwar/Plug ResearchPlug ResearchPlug Research is an independent record label, based in Los Angeles, California, USA.-Artists:*Damon Aaron*Adventure Time*AmmonContact*Bilal*David Thomas Broughton*Calamalka*Camping*Chessie*Daedelus*Dntel*Thomas Fehlmann*Flying Lotus*Headset...
) - Anchovies - 2006 10" EP (Golden lab records)
- It's in There SomewhereIt's in There SomewhereIt's In There Somewhere is an album by David Thomas Broughton, released in 2007, collating a number of unreleased songs recorded during the previous six years.- Track listing :#"Circle is Never Complete" – 4:05#"Negativity" – 0:32...
- 2007 CD/LP (Birdwar) - David Thomas Broughton vs. 7 HertzDavid Thomas Broughton vs. 7 HertzDavid Thomas Broughton vs. 7 Hertz is a collaborative album between David Thomas Broughton and Leeds-based ensemble 7 Hertz. The music was all improvised and recorded in a single take in a church in Leeds. The record was released in 2007 by Acuarela Discos....
- 2007 CD (Acuarela) - Boating Disasters - 2010 EP (Static Caravan)
- Outbreeding - Forthcoming CD/LP (Brainlove RecordsBrainlove RecordsBrainlove Records is an independent record label with a DIY ethic, based in London, England. The label works with artists making experimental indie, pop and electronic music, and those who blur the boundaries between genres....
) - 5 Curses - forthcoming CD/LP (Golden Lab)