the black watch - The Hypnotizing Sea
by Andrew Carver
published: 24 / 5 / 2007
Label:
Pink Hedgehog
Format: CD
intro
Intelligent and witty indiepop on the latest album from the Black Watch, the moniker for Californian musician John Andrew Frederick
John Andrew Frederick has been making pop music with a revolving band of players under the Black Watch name for two decades. Although based in California (Santa Barbara, to be precise), Frederick’s inspiration lives across the oceans: In Britain and to an even larger degree in New Zealand and Australia. The noisy kickoff to ‘Innercity Garden’ sounds like a refugee from 1980's New Zealand noisepop like the Cleans. The metallic squeal, tremulous vocal and the piano-sitar-radio mish-mash at the end of the title track charts a similar course. Most of the rest of the ‘The Hypnotizing Sea’ tones things down a notch and keeps its feet in the territory laid out by the Go-Betweens. Acoustic strummer ‘Buttercup Fairchild’ – an ode to a troubled beauty – sets the tone. Frederick’s voice is pleasant, but not blessed with an overwhelming range. Instead he gets by on intelligent, sometimes tart, wordplay. This also justifies his harmonica-heavy tribute to Bob Dylan. Fans of Antipodean pop, or the witty lyrics of performers like Edwyn Collins will find the set entertaining.
Track Listing:-
1 Innercity Garden2 Buittercup Fairchild
3 Papercut
4 Dylan Dylan Dylan
5 The Hypnotizing Sea
6 The Teacup Song
7 Willing To Wait
8 How I Go Round
9 Another Summer Coming
10 The Shakespeare Song
11 Story Of Your Life
12 Room 407
13 The Way Of The World
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/theblackwatchmusichttps://theblackwatch.bandcamp.com
Label Links:-
http://www.pinkhedgehog.com/https://en-gb.facebook.com/Pink-Hedgehog-Records-195934540420844/
http://www.last.fm/label/Pink+Hedgehog+Records
https://www.youtube.com/user/PinkHedgehogRecords
interviews |
|
Interview with John Andrew Fredrick (2024) |
|
| John Andrew Fredrick, the frontman with LA cult band the black watch, talks to John Clarkson about his book trilogy, 'The King of Good Intentions', which is about a 90's indie rock band, and his group's two forthcoming albums, 'The Morning Papers Have Given Us the Vapours' and 'Weird Rooms'. |
| Interview (2022) |
most viewed articles
current edition
Peter Doherty - Blackheath Halls, Blackheath and Palace Halls, Watford, 18/3/2025 and 21/3/2025Armory Show - Interview with Richard Jobson
Liz Mitchell - Interview
Deb Googe and Cara Tivey - Interview
Lauren Mayberry - Photoscapes
Max Bianco and the BlueHearts - Troubadour, London, 29/3/2025
Garfunkel and Garfunkel Jr. - Interview
Maarten Schiethart - Vinyl Stories
Clive Langer - Interview
Sukie Smith - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Davey Woodward - Mumbo in the JumboNigel Stonier - Wolf Notes
Wings - Venus and Mars
Kate Daisy Grant and Nick Pynn - Songs For The Trees
Only Child - Holy Ghosts
Neil Campbell - The Turnaround
Philip Jeays - Victoria
Darkness - Dreams On Toast
Suzanne Vega - Flying With Angels
Charles Ellsworth - Cosmic Cannon Fodder
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart