Sharp Practise - Hiya

  by Olga Sladeckova

published: 17 / 12 / 2001

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Do you wonder what music was produced when six people, travelling from as far away as Australia and Fiji and coming from all over the UK from as diverse points as the Isle of Man, Essex and Jersey in the Channel Islands, got together in 1999 at one place - New Rising Studios in Colchester - to form a band? Sharp Practise were this band. This upbeat rock group features Nigel Clothier on vocals and keyboards, who also leads the band and writes all its emotionally moving lyrics; Mark Daghorn and John Fortune on bass; Kevin Butcher on guitar; Katherine Crowe on vocals; Jason Matlock on drums and Tony Turrell, who used to play in ex-Marillion front man Fish’s band, on Hammond organ. In the two years of their existence since then Sharp Practise have been play-listed on the KAOSFM World Underground Music Show (a radio show featuring artists from all over the world and locating new talents), networked on Australia radio and have also slowly conquered the US and been featured on the Amazing CDs (www.amazingcds.com)and Make It Big Records websites, When you consider all this, there is no doubt that they have a promising future ahead of them. 'Hiya', which has been released on the band's own label Nibblett Records, is actually the results of that first time that the musicians spent together in a studio collaborating on making music, and while recorded in 1999, was not released until earlier this year. A colourful variety of influences including Tom Petty, Rik Ocasek of The Cars, Pink Floyd, Fish, and a wide range of other rock and folk acts, is brightly reflected in the high quality of this album. Anyone who enjoys Teenage Fanclub, Cosmic Rough Riders and admires the humanity of Bob Dylan’s lyrics will gain great pleasure from Sharp Practise. The first track, ‘Eve Got Adam’, turned out to be the debut single from 'Hiya' and reached number 2 on the Global Internet Chart and was also successfully aired on radio stations in Australia. Its fast drumbeat introduces a song which immediately takes you inside its music. Mark’s bass is then added and smoothes out the drumming giving you enough space to relax and to forget about the present for a while. Nigel and Kath’s voices perfectly complete the line-up and as they sing about the power of love, they compare it to the story of the first people on Earth. The following song ‘Complete History’ is based around a simple rhythm but the way the instruments deliver it sound unique and fresh. The bass gently knocks on your escalating curiosity about the love story which the song is about. Lyrics are very important to Sharp Practise, and work especially well on ‘It’s Alright’ which, sung with the highest devotion, sounds so live that you can practically picture Nigel himself sitting in the room in which he is singing about falling for his loved one. Melodic guitar sprinkled with warm drops of piano fill the surroundings while Nigel and Kath reveal the heated-up feelings that exist between two lovers. On the sixth track you can here the beauty of Nigel’s organ in action as it opens ‘Love Freely Given’ and, which then joined by guitar and piano, speeds the song rhythmically along. ‘Are You Red Or Blue’ and ‘Maybe It’s Gonna Be Tonight’ are each in turn also shameless and, in a style which is unique to Sharp Practise, develop the whole album with their positive attitude. ‘Half Full’ is deeply philosophical song. Nigel’s soft voice sounds like your inner consciousness and accompanied by calm waves of Kevin’s guitar, challenges you to measure up whether you have been fair enough to yourself in the past. In the second part of the song the words: “Your opportunities are many/ Why don’t you choose a few,” make you want to go and fight for your life. One particularly fascinating thing about this song is that Nigel wrote it on a train about the people who travelled with him that day. It might, therefore, be about you or me! ‘Him Or Me’ and ‘Book Of Days’ brings ‘Hiya’ to a spectacular end. The Book of Days does in fact really exist and is used and treasured by Nigel to chronicle all his adventures when he is travelling overseas. When the last melodies of the twelfth track disappear, you will be surprised how easily you have befriended these songs and how many of them remain firmly rooted in your head. Great news as well! Sharp Practise have recently signed a deal with Positive Records and later this year will be releasing a brand new album called 'Radiocity'. The music on it will remain faithful to Hiya but a new guitar player Ant Kempster and some instrumental changes should direct the band towards a more modern rock sound and guarantee that Sharp Practise will still have something new to surprise their fans with

Track Listing:-

1 Eve Got Adam
2 Complete History
3 Born and Raised
4 OK
5 Its Alright
6 Love Freely Given
7 Are You Red or Blue
8 Maybe Its Gonna Be Tonight
9 Half Full
10 Won't You Be My Lover
11 Him or Me
12 Book of Days

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