The Angel Brothers have produced a new album at long last! The eponymously titled ANGEL BROTHERS will be released on Navigator Records in spring 2009.

Dave and Keith Angel describe the new cd as their best yet. The album was inspired by the recent death of their father Ivor Angel who was a real lover of life and a constant source of encouragement and inspiration to the two brothers.

Altsounds got a chance to speak to them about the new album, gigs and the universe...


[altsounds] You called this new album "a soundtrack to a film of your imagination". What is the film about to you?

[The Angel Brothers] Well, the idea is that people will create their own head movie as they listen to the album. At the moment the film for me is about the mysterious weave of the universe and the strangeness and beauty of our brief existence on the planet AND the puzzle of life and death (phew!! well you did ask...). There's also a very specific scene of driving over the 59th street bridge in New York on a beautiful day, looking around and thinking..."it's good to be alive!"

[altsounds] It’s been four years since your last album. What took you so long?

[The Angel Brothers] Well , we were gigging constantly for two years, then took a break from the road and wanted some time to really enjoy writing and making the record. We've been collecting ideas, listening to lot of music and going to gigs . I've also been building a recording studio and producing other people's records and working with a couple of other bands , namely Garforth & Myers and Orchestre Ruffanti.

[altsounds] The new album is inspired by your father’s death. In what way?

[The Angel Brothers] Our dad's death made Dave & i feel very creative, inspired and positive; which is what he would have wanted. Ivor was a very creative person himself, as a photographer and writer.

[altsounds] You stated you wanted to focus on the music again. Where did it go wrong?

[The Angel Brothers] Too much gigging! We were feeling worn out from touring and all the associated 'issues'... so we just wanted to hide away and make some new music. Thankfully this coincided with Tom Rose and Navigator Records coming along and offering us a deal; which spurred us on! it was a really good thing for us, Tom having faith in The Angel Brothers, before his involvement we felt it was just Dave & I having to sort out absolutely everything. Navigator is a great label and we're in good company with some of the world's finest musicians; which definitely raises our game!

[altsounds] The music sounds both smooth and extremely complicated. How does the writing process work?

[The Angel Brothers] Dave & I come up with initial sketches & ideas - pretty much with no pre-conceived idea of where the thing is going and then we just let the music carry us along. Writing and recording for us is a totally organic process and we're lucky to have the support of some fabulous musicians who help us realise our weird, vague ideas and who aren't afraid of taking the piss out of us if we're being just plain silly...!

[altsounds] What’s the main difference between this album and the previous one?

[The Angel Brothers] The last album was fragmented, stressful, fun and recorded in the middle of a load of gigs with some people who we weren't that familiar with ...but it works in places.
The new album is focused, was a joy to record and gave us an opportunity to develop and grow. In short, it's a more mature and complete record. It's definitely our best so far.

[altsounds] What made you decide to invite Sandhya Sanjana, Becki Driscoll and Nick Wyke to perform on your new record?

[The Angel Brothers] We've been gigging with Sandhya for a couple of years and she's an amazingly versatile vocalist and a fantastic person. She's originally from Bombay and obviously brings a lot from the Indian vocal tradition. BUT, she is truly a singer of the world , with a huge range of influences and styles at her fingertips . It's always magical to work with Sandhya and you never know what she'll come up with next.
Becki first met the band when she came onstage to jam with us at a gig in Exeter in 2005. She was so good that we offered her a place in the band there and then and she's become an essential fixture ever since. I've worked with Becki and Nick, recording and producing both their albums , so I've come to know their work and approach very well. It seemed the logical thing to get them both in on the new album as we were very interested in developing the string arrangements. They worked incredibly hard and the results were amazing. The sound of the new record is due in no small part to them. They'll both be joining us on tour which will be very exciting.

I should also mention the other main vocalist on the album , Mick Humphrey. Dave & I have known and worked with Mick on & off for many years and we have always loved his beautiful, expressive voice. Making the new cd gave us the opportunity to work closely with Mick , which was a real pleasure.

[altsounds] What inspires you to write music? What to you makes a song an outstanding song?

[The Angel Brothers] We could be inspired by absolutely anything. We just make the music. I think we're too close to it to say what makes an outstanding song. Perhaps our audience & listeners are better placed to decide for us.

[altsounds] How did your obsession with world music start?

[The Angel Brothers] By listening to Andy kershaw's radio show at my home in the former pit village of Thurnscoe; which is also where Andy Seward is from. Then i started going to WOMAD in morecambe bay and experiencing all this wonderful music. There was also Doncaster record library which had an amazing and enlightened range of vinyl albums and cassettes. I really have to thank Andy Kershaw for enlightening me though. He's a truly outstanding broadcaster and a great loss to the BBC.

[altsounds] If anything, would you say you’ve been inspired by a specific musician, a specific genre/ sound or the freedom world music embraces? And tell me what he/ she/ it means to you.

[The Angel Brothers] I think Dave would probably say Ry Cooder, Ennio morricone, Pat metheny and Martin Taylor . I would say Nana Vasconcelos, John Martyn, George Martin and Andy Seward.

I think we're interested in all music and sounds apart from manufactured pop, pantomime, heavy metal and battery hen happy hardcore. The world / Roots/ folk scenes seem to be all blending into one; which I think is a really healthy thing. The 'world' tag represents a pretty canny browser category and allows people to access brilliant music outside the controlled propaganda of the mainstream. Being part of the world / roots/ folk scene certainly affords us total creative freedom and the opportunity to play to an enlightened audience - which we are grateful for!

[altsounds] The video clip of ‘Shiva’ shows you have an eye for visual aspects. How are you going to recreate that kind of atmosphere on stage?

[The Angel Brothers] We'll go way beyond anything we've done on video. Creating an atmosphere on stage has never been a problem for us. Trying to recreate that on video always is!

[altsounds] The press report talks about using good quality headphones to fully experience the ‘full multiplex sonic effect’. Will you be able to recreate your album onstage?

[The Angel Brothers] The live experience is a completely different thing. We'll play great, exciting live versions of the tune & songs that exist in the moment. We won't try to faithfully recreate the sound of the album, that's not the point of the shared, spontaneous live experience.

[altsounds] Playing world music means you attract an open-minded audience, but also a limited audience, especially when it comes to album sales and places to perform. How do you feel about this?

[The Angel Brothers] We don't care! We're grateful to be part of the scene. It's about music and is populated by people who genuinely love good music. I think it is a positive advantage that the world music scene operates outside the mainstream.
We're not compromised.

[altsounds] September sees the start of an Angel Brothers tour. Tell us a bit about it. What’s the main misconception about the music you make? What’s life going to be like for the Angel Brothers this year?

[The Angel Brothers]

The main misconceptions are
1) that we're some kind of bhangra outfit
2) that we've disappeared!

None of which is true!

Obviously, we've got to re-establish ourselves after what is effectively a three year absence from the scene; which won't be easy. But, with the support of Tom & Navigator , we're convinced that we can do it and go forever onward and upward! We're very excited about it and we've already been rehearsing. We'll be taking out an 9 piece band: Dave & I , Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll, Jim Lockey on bass, Mark Kerrigan on drums, Sandhya on vocals, Peter Rophone on various guitars and vocals, with occasional guest vocals from Mick Humphrey and the odd cameo from Andy Seward. We'll also be taking our fantastic sound engineer 'Dr' Phil Reay who is really like a band member. We're looking forward to playing the new stuff with a fair smattering of old favourites, meeting new people and catching up with old friends. I'm sure the live band will be better than ever. All in all I reckon it's going to be a great year ahead.