Americana UK
The Klondyke Bowls Club, Levonshulme
So here we are at The Klondyke Bowls Club Levonshulme, Manchester on a Saturday Evening - it doesn’t look much but once inside you just know its going to be intimate if nothing else. First up is a songwriter that’ s just started to get small praise in Manchester, Garron Frith. At present he’s making an album with the likes of Willard Grant and Grand Drive with producer and all rounder Simon Alpin. His music is an
eclectic mixed bag of songs that has aspects of Adams/Rice but with an originality of its own - he plays a six song set that goes down well. Later someone tells me he’s unsigned; I cant see it lasting and with gigs with Glen Tilbrook, Eliza Carthy, Micheal Hurley and Mark Mulcahy under his belt I think we’ll hear a lot more from this guy.
By Jess Pettener
Manchester Music
The Met, Bury
Garron Frith on the other hand is already a long standing MM favourite who easily (some say effortlessly) impressed with his debut album in October. Frith is in solo format and even with just his trusty acoustic guitar, his distinctive velvet lined voice and romantic notions are strummed out with a faithful streetwise vigour. His melodies sweep easily from lofty, indie styled themes, to delicate and considered moments of cast iron gentleness. As he closes on the harmonica fuelled final track of his album, he’s not just entertained he’s also moved a good proportion of the crowd. Still one to watch in 2008.
By JA Dec 07
MM
The Witchwood, Ashton
It's back to acoustic next with Garron Frith, a man whose impressive collaboration list includes members of The Willard Grant Conspiracy, Blue Aeroplanes and Green On Red. Which could flatter a lesser talent, but of course they're not here tonight; and armed just with his voice and guitar he's soon captured peoples' attention. So what's the selling point then, in a world where six-string troubadours with some Dylan, Neil Young and Elliott Smith records are not exactly an endangered species? Good tunes, basically, a lovely warmly familiar voice (which is not to say he sounds particularly like anyone else; just that he's not trying to be anything he isn't - always a good thing) and the sort of understated, effortless sounding guitar that everyone thinks they can do but a lot can't. The only complaint is that he seems to be finished almost before he's started...
By Cath Aubergine
Soundsxp Live
Sheffield, The Grapes
Garron Frith, from Manchester, is still narked by the review of his album in the current Sandman which claims that it’s music for sad people to curl up with and comfort-eat a tub of Ben’n’Jerry’s. No, Little Miss Cloth-Ears. He’s a singer-songwriter and many of his songs are non-specific maudlin romances but he has a way with a melody that sounds a little bit like Glenn Tilbrook. I’d name some American influences but he anticipates my thoughts; “it’s hard to be Leonard Cohen or Jeff Buckley when you’re happily married with kids” he says, before launching into his best song, this time specifically about his wife, which has some intricate, almost raga-ish, guitar picking.
By Ged M
Reviews for deleted 05 EP
