Sparrow and the Workshop
Encyclopedia
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 and they have been compared to bands as varied as Jefferson Airplane
, Talking Heads
and Black Sabbath
.
, Idlewild
, Broken Records
, Sivert Hoyem (ex-Madrugada) and supported the likes of The Lemonheads
and Thee Oh Sees. They were invited to support American psych-rockers Brian Jonestown Massacre on their 2010 European tour after band leader Anton Newcombe
saw their video of Devil Song on Youtube. In May 2010 the band played a number of gigs in New York, one of which was again supporting Brian Jonestown Massacre in Williamsburg Music Hall. They were also invited by Spider Stacy
to join The Pogues
as main support (on Anton Newcombe
's recommendation) on their 2010 Farewell Christmas Tour.
In 2008 the band played at Connect Festival and British Sea Power
's Sing Ye from the Hillsides festival in Tanhill, North Yorkshire. The following year they played the BBC Introducing tent at Glastonbury Festival
in 2009, along with End of the Road Festival
and Kendal Calling
. They completed a string of festivals in 2010, including the Green Man Festival
, T in the Park
, Bestival
, Stag and Dagger, Pohoda, Hop Farm Festival
, Moseley Folk Festival, Standon Calling
, Y Not
, 2000 Trees and the Insider festival in Aviemore.
The band released single Black to Red on October 11, 2010 through Distiller Records with an accompanying DIY 3D video.
In late April 2011 the band released their 2nd album 'Spitting Daggers'. Produced by Leo Abrahams
, the Album was again well received with Drowned in Sound and the BBC giving the album 8/10 and 7.5 respectively. Despite 2 critically lauded albums to their name the release did little to propel Sparrow into the public consciousness.
'Spitting Daggers' is released in Europe in September 2011.
Gregor plays drums and provides backing vocals throughout Roddy Woomble
's 'The impossible song and other songs' 2010 Album.
EP's
Singles
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
consisting of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
-born, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-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 and they have been compared to bands as varied as Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
, Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
and Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
.
2008 - Present
Sparrow formed in early 2008 and soon after caught the attention of Distiller Records, who offered to put out a single and EP for them in 2009. They have toured with many bands including British Sea PowerBritish Sea Power
British Sea Power are an indie rock band based in Brighton, England, although three of the band members originally come from Kendal in Cumbria. Critics have likened their sound to a variety of groups, from The Cure and Joy Division to the Pixies and Arcade Fire. The band are famed for their live...
, Idlewild
Idlewild (band)
Idlewild are a Scottish rock band, formed in Edinburgh, in 1995, comprising Roddy Woomble , Rod Jones , Colin Newton , Allan Stewart and Gareth Russell...
, Broken Records
Broken Records (band)
Broken Records are a six-piece indie folk band from Edinburgh, Scotland, which formed in December 2006. The band are signed to 4AD and released their debut album, Until the Earth Begins to Part, in June 2009...
, Sivert Hoyem (ex-Madrugada) and supported the likes of The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band first formed in 1986 by Evan Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz. Dando has remained the band's only constant member....
and Thee Oh Sees. They were invited to support American psych-rockers Brian Jonestown Massacre on their 2010 European tour after band leader Anton Newcombe
Anton Newcombe
Anton Alfred Newcombe is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and leader of the music group, The Brian Jonestown Massacre.-Music:...
saw their video of Devil Song on Youtube. In May 2010 the band played a number of gigs in New York, one of which was again supporting Brian Jonestown Massacre in Williamsburg Music Hall. They were also invited by Spider Stacy
Spider Stacy
Peter "Spider" Stacy is an English musician. He is one of the founding members of London Irish band The Pogues.- External links :* [Twitter @SpiderStacy] [myspace.com/spiderstacythepogues]*...
to join The Pogues
The Pogues
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before...
as main support (on Anton Newcombe
Anton Newcombe
Anton Alfred Newcombe is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and leader of the music group, The Brian Jonestown Massacre.-Music:...
's recommendation) on their 2010 Farewell Christmas Tour.
In 2008 the band played at Connect Festival and British Sea Power
British Sea Power
British Sea Power are an indie rock band based in Brighton, England, although three of the band members originally come from Kendal in Cumbria. Critics have likened their sound to a variety of groups, from The Cure and Joy Division to the Pixies and Arcade Fire. The band are famed for their live...
's Sing Ye from the Hillsides festival in Tanhill, North Yorkshire. The following year they played the BBC Introducing tent at Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
in 2009, along with End of the Road Festival
End Of The Road Festival
End of the Road Festival is an annual music festival in England which focuses on alternative music, mostly folk, alt.country and Americana. It is hosted at the Larmer Tree Gardens, on the border of north Dorset and Wiltshire, and usually takes place over the first or second full weekend in...
and Kendal Calling
Kendal Calling
Kendal Calling is an independent music festival held annually at Lowther Deer Park in the Lake District, Cumbria. It has grown from a two-day, 900 capacity event in 2006 to an 8000 capacity three-day music festival...
. They completed a string of festivals in 2010, including the Green Man Festival
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...
, T in the Park
T in the Park
T in the Park is a major British music festival that has been held annually since 1994. It is named after its main sponsor, the brewing company Tennents. It was originally held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire but since 1997 has been held at a disused airfield in Balado, Kinross-shire...
, Bestival
Bestival
Bestival is a four-day music festival held at the Robin Hill country park on the Isle of Wight, England. It has been held annually in late summer since 2004. The event is organized by DJ and record producer Rob da Bank and is an off-shoot of his Sunday Best record label and club nights. The initial...
, Stag and Dagger, Pohoda, Hop Farm Festival
Hop Farm Festival
Hop Farm Music Festival is an annual music festival at The Hop Farm Country Park in East Peckham in the English county of Kent, created by Festival Republic founder, Vince Power...
, Moseley Folk Festival, Standon Calling
Standon Calling
Standon Calling is an annual music festival held just outside the small UK village of Standon, Hertfordshire in the grounds of private residence Standon Lordship...
, Y Not
Y Not
-Reception:Reviews for Y Not were mostly mixed. Review aggregator Metacritic, which assigns a score out of 100 based on critic ratings, rated the album 60 out of 100, based on 11 reviews...
, 2000 Trees and the Insider festival in Aviemore.
The band released single Black to Red on October 11, 2010 through Distiller Records with an accompanying DIY 3D video.
In late April 2011 the band released their 2nd album 'Spitting Daggers'. Produced by Leo Abrahams
Leo Abrahams
Leo Abrahams is a British musician, composer, and producer. He has collaborated with a multitude of professional musicians, including Brian Eno, Imogen Heap, Jarvis Cocker, Carl Barât, and Paul Simon. After attending the Royal Academy of Music in England, he started his musical career by touring as...
, the Album was again well received with Drowned in Sound and the BBC giving the album 8/10 and 7.5 respectively. Despite 2 critically lauded albums to their name the release did little to propel Sparrow into the public consciousness.
'Spitting Daggers' is released in Europe in September 2011.
Other Projects
Jill has provided (backing) vocals on numerous Scottish bands' releases:- Dia dos Namarados! by Broken RecordsBroken Records (band)Broken Records are a six-piece indie folk band from Edinburgh, Scotland, which formed in December 2006. The band are signed to 4AD and released their debut album, Until the Earth Begins to Part, in June 2009...
- Work Like You Can and Roll Along by Roddy WoombleRoddy WoombleRoderick "Roddy" Woomble is the lead singer of Scottish rock band, Idlewild and a solo contemporary folk musician. To date, Woomble has released six full-length studio albums with Idlewild, and two solo albums, My Secret is My Silence and The Impossible Song & Other Songs...
- As yet unnamed tracks on John Knox Sex Club's forthcoming Album
- Fruit Tree Project collaborating w/Jenny Reeve (Strike the Colours), Emma PollockEmma PollockEmma Pollock is a Scottish singer, songwriter, and guitarist.-Early life:Pollock studied Physics at the University of Strathclyde and later Archaeology at the University of Liverpool...
(Delgados), Scott Huchenson (Frightened Rabbit), Rod JonesRod Jones (musician)Rodric "Rod" Iwan Pryce Jones is the guitarist and backing vocalist for indie rock band Idlewild.Son of classical musician, John Pryce-Jones, Jones is an energetic live performer, and his guitar playing has been described as "gritty yet melodic."In 2000 Jones played second guitar for Graham Coxon...
(Idlewild), Alasdair Roberts, James Graham (Twilight Sad), James YorkstonJames Yorkston-Music career:A native of Fife, James Yorkston was an integral early member of the Fence Collective whose reach across contemporary music continues to lengthen: King Creosote, The Aliens, KT Tunstall, The Beta Band...
, Karine PolwartKarine PolwartKarine Polwart is a Scottish singer-songwriter. She writes and performs music with a strong folk and roots feel, her songs dealing with a variety of issues from alcoholism to genocide...
.
Gregor plays drums and provides backing vocals throughout Roddy Woomble
Roddy Woomble
Roderick "Roddy" Woomble is the lead singer of Scottish rock band, Idlewild and a solo contemporary folk musician. To date, Woomble has released six full-length studio albums with Idlewild, and two solo albums, My Secret is My Silence and The Impossible Song & Other Songs...
's 'The impossible song and other songs' 2010 Album.
Discography
Studio Albums- Spitting Daggers (2011, Distiller Records)
- Crystals Fall (2010, Distiller Records)
EP's
- Into The Wild (2009, Distiller Records)
- Sleight Of Hand (2009, Distiller Records)
Singles
- Snakes in The Grass (2011, Distiller Records)
- Black to Red (2010, Distiller Records)
- I Will break You (2010, Distiller Records)
- Horses Grin (2009, Distiller Records)
- Devil Song (2009, Distiller Records)
External links
- http://www.myspace.com/sparrowandtheworkshop
- http://www.sparrowandtheworkshop.co.uk
- http://www.facebook.com/sparrowandtheworkshop
- http://www.distiller-records.com