Ralfe Band - Women Of Japan
by Jamie Rowland
published: 27 / 4 / 2006

Label:
Select Label
Format: CDS
intro
Quirky folk rock from British surrealists the Ralfe Band on third single to be taken from their 'Swords' album
Ralfe Band’s 2005 album, ‘Swords’, was a selection of twisted sea-shanties with surreal lyrics and a quirky sense of humour (it’s no surprise to learnt that the band appeared in the popular and highly strange BBC comedy 'The Mighty Boosh'). ‘Women of Japan’ is the third single to be taken from the album, and it tells a tale of leafless sticks, murderous Spanish chartered accountants, dead Iranian children and, of course, all of the women in Japan. The B-sides are ‘Run Down the Lane’ and ‘Sleepwalking at the Carnival’. They are a couple of eerie waltzes which conjure up images of dark alleys filled with scallywags and ne’er-do-wells, or an old folk legend you might hear in some isolated pub on a cold, rainy night. I’m a big fan of all things quirky and humorous, so it’s no surprise to me that I love this single wholly and completely. Ralfe Band are one of a number of artists breathing fresh life into folk, which includes Bristol-based SJ Esau and creepy Kentish minstrel Lupen Crook; taking traditional English music and turning it not quite on it’s head, but certainly at quite a jaunty angle.
Track Listing:-
1 Women Of Japan2 Run Down The Lane
3 Sleepwalk At The Carnival
4 Women Of Japan (video)
digital downloads
reviews |
Bunny and the Bull (2010) |
![]() |
Emotive and heavily European-influenced soundtrack from the Oxford-based Ralfe Band to new indie film |
most viewed articles
current edition
Robby Krieger - Set The Night on Fire, Living, Dying, And Playing Guitar with The DoorsBoomtown Rats - Ten Songs That Made Me Love....
Lida Husik - Interview
Cathal Coughlan - Interview
Peter Doherty and Frederic Lo - Cavern Club, Liverpool, 27/3/2022
Rick Wakeman - Interview
Cliff Richard - Not Fade Away
Simon Bromide - Interview
Candlelight Tribute to Coldplay - Manchester Cathedral, Manchester, 1/4/2022
Wolfgang Flur - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Rupert Wates - For The PeopleBanjo Jen - Fine Line
Kiki Dee and Carmelo Luggeri - The Long Ride Home
Dead South - Easy Listening for Jerks Parts 1 and 2
Bonham-Bullick - Bonham-Bullick
Family - A Song for Me
Loop - Sonancy
Stereophonics - Oochya!
John Mayall - The Sun is Shining Down
Weather Station - How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Adrian P
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Carl Bookstein
Chris O'Toole
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dixie Ernill
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank