Winston's Zen

NEW ACTS MAKING BLIPS ON THE ZENDAR

Manchester; England’s third biggest city, largest metropolis in the famously working class North and one of the wettest cities in the country. Little wonder then that the city’s perpetually thriving music scene has gained a reputation for taking poorly waged, disaffected inner-city kids in big jackets and turning them into the kind of camera shoving, cocaine snorting rock stars the tabloids love to hate. The result is that despite a reasonably diverse musical output, the city that gave us the Gallaghers is known to many, firstly as the birthplace of lad-rock.

If that’s your opinion of Manchester music, Turrentine Jones are a band who are going to change your mind. Far from the beer hurling loutishness of the city’s perceived musical reputation their self released debut EP The Empty Bottle That Was Desire reveals a soulful blues laden rock that might be more at home swigging whisky and eating fried chicken in America’s deep South, than trading punches outside a Rusholme curry house. Chris Carcamo on drums and Thom Scotson on organ(?) create rhythms as laid back as a drunk sloth, hanging high in a tree, safe in the knowledge of it's vice-tight grip - the voice of Jude Neville (or at least, that’s what MySpace tells us he’s called). His drawn out vocals, are resonant, deep flowing and instantly listenable, and the Australian front-man keeps an air of mystery about himself that will see journo's disillusioned by the Twitter generation rummaging through his bins, the old fashioned way.

Sunset more than sunrise, sun-baked more than sun-drenched, these are tunes to be savoured as the night draws in and the light fades. If you’ve got ears this is probably what they've been waiting for.

With an enthralling and deadly proficient live set that first impresses and then captivates it’s crowd, this three piece is certain to become a buzz word on the Manchester scene in the coming months.

Remember where you heard the name first.

Turrentine Jones headlined the launch night of Zen-trifuge – the gig night brought to you by Winston’s Zen. You can catch the boys in action on Aug 27th when they’ll be returning to bring more inner peace to NW6 by playing Zen-trifuge II at the Good Ship in Kilburn, North London.

• MP3 - Turrentine Jones - Della May