William Tyler returns to cafe OTO after a mesmerising show here with Michael Chapman. This time it will be as a double bill with North Carolina's Hiss Golden Messenger, described by David Bowie as "mystical country, an eerie yellowing photograph".

WILLIAM TYLER

William Tyler is best known as a long-time member of Lambchop and also Silver Jews, though since he released his excellent album Behold The Spirit on Tompkins Square late last year. The Nashville native's solo reputation is rapidly catching up.

"These spry melodies and generous arrangements are the stuff of pop fantasy, while the reach of Tyler's music offers calling cards for fans of folk and more textural avant garde pieces. Behold the Spirit works as well on a lethargic Sunday afternoon as it does after dark, on headphones in a still space. It's the sort of achievement that acknowledges and challenges the expectations of its form-- and smiles knowingly the whole time. It's iconoclastic, then, just classically so." 8.6 Pitchfork



HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER

Hiss Golden Messenger is the work of Michael C Taylor of North Carolina, whose bewitching mix of woozy roots and bare-spirited country folk has rarely been far from our turntable for the past year. As well as the full-band recordings he's issued in recent years, this year has seen the release of the Bad Debt cd on blackmaps that is just Taylor, voice and guitar in close-up and it floors us with every listen. And not just us - he's had a whole raft of gushing reviews, even DJ magazine giving it 9/10 for its “Beautiful, beguiling songs. Effortless simplicity”.

Hiss Golden Messenger 'Bad Debt' by blackmaps

NEVEREST SONGS

Neverest Songs is the work of Margate based multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Luke Twyman. Mainly making a mess, making songs in between.

After several years of recording songs with friends, Twyman set up some basic recording equipment at home and in December 2008 started work on the album “Small Voyages”. In February 2009 he travelled to New York to record all the piano parts for the album with friend Rick Warren, over the space of a couple of days. By mid October, 24 new songs had been recorded, and the final track list of 13 were selected. The record was fully completed for the end of the year, largely self-assembled including the artwork, and released as part of the Unlabel catalogue in January 2010.

Currently, the live set-up is open ended, with supporting members and instrumentation varying between shows, and rehearsals taking place in a boat on the Thames.

“At times sounding like a post shoegaze flashback, at others Final Fantasy joined by Michael Nyman muffled in a sinking ship; Neverest Songs is a simplistic yet thought-provoking debut” - thefourohfive.com

“One of my absolute favourite albums so far in 2010. I actually think it may be THE favourite album of mine so far this year. The best thing about this is that it’s one of those rare albums that keeps getting better for each listen. I always discover something new” - eardrumsmusic.com

“Small Voyages pulls gently at the heartstrings with its understated, elegant approach. From the poignant By The Lighthouse to the tender Good Luck, it’s a collection of songs that share the same calming, reflective power…Bold and cinematic, it’s easy to imagine Small Voyages soundtracking the more emotive and epic scenes in some films.” - godisinthetvzine.co.uk