Found Press Kit

[vc_row][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_column_text]

FOUND due November 2015

Set for release in November 2015 Paul Armfield’s sixth album ‘Found’ is a suite of songs inspired by a breath-taking collection of photographs gathered from the flea markets of Berlin.
The hundreds of stunning black and white photographs have been collected over decades and carefully sifted through with an artist’s eye by Paul’s friend Elinor. Each picture is both mysterious and beautiful and presents a tantalizing glimpse into the hearts, loves and lives of the people behind the history.
Of the project Paul says: ‘That we know nothing of the anonymous characters that populate each of these images is captivating enough, but knowing how German history was playing out in the background of each just adds further layers of fascination. Elinor has a real eye for beauty and humanity and there is an abundance of both in every one of the pictures she has collected. When I first looked through them I was overwhelmed, each image just explodes with narrative, but in writing songs about the photographs I have, for the most part, tried not to impose my own interpretations but rather create a soundscape of words and music that will enhance the experience. Three minute frames in which to pore over and marvel at each still image, breathing new breath into each anonymous life.’

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][vc_images_carousel images=”2669,2668,2667,2666,2665,2664,2663,2662,2661,2660,2659,2658,2657,2656,2655″ onclick=”link_image” custom_links_target=”_self” mode=”horizontal” speed=”5000″ slides_per_view=”1″ autoplay=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_column_text]

Thinking myself into other people’s shoes

Recorded in his front room, the album was funded entirely by the ‘Paul Armfield’s Friends Society’, a unique subscription service that, amongst other things, obliges Paul to write and record one song a month on a subject suggested by the members.
‘I relish the challenge of writing to order; song-writing is a very introspective business and outside stimuli is extremely welcome. I’ve been offering a bespoke song-writing service for a few years now providing biographical ballads for presents, songs to be played in lieu of speeches, songs for causes, and even songs of grief and condolence. The challenge of these commissions and of writing the songs for ‘Found’ are similar, I spend a lot of time trying to think myself into other people’s shoes.’

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][vc_single_image image=”2418″ border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_link_large=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_column_text]

An accidental Christmas song

One of the highlights of the album is an unlikely Christmas song. Set to be released as a single Paul explains: ‘I have a real soft spot for Christmas songs and have tried on numerous occasions to write one of my own, but it’s almost impossible not to be either too schmaltzy or too cynical so I’d long since given up on the idea. But when I came across this photograph of family and friends gathered round a Christmas tree, letting their hair down and having a good time in each other’s company I gave it another shot. I wrote about what I could see, hence there are none of the usual trappings: no reindeer, no presents, no snow, no Father Christmas, just the spirit of celebration, quite by accident it hit exactly the right tone that I’d tried so hard previously to capture. And there are NO jingle bells!’[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][vc_single_image image=”2655″ border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”yes” img_link_target=”_self”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

Exhibitions

Dimbola Lodge, the former home of pioneering Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron and now a photographic museum and gallery will be hosting an exhibition of the ‘Found’ photographs from October through to the end of the year, and from October  to November the Spring Arts Centre in Havant will also be displaying the pictures from the album.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Limited edition

The album will be released in a beautiful matt black box containing a cd and 16 postcards featuring the photographs that inspired the songs along with the lyrics. Limited to 1000 signed and numbered copies.

IMGP1417[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Live dates

The album will be promoted with a series of live dates.

UK

10th Oct Dimbola, Freshwater (invite only)
14th Oct: Northwood House, Cowes, IOW
16th Oct: Underground Theatre, Eastbourne, E Sussex
22nd Oct: The Phoenix Theatre/Arts Centre, Bordon, Hants
23rd Oct: The Bank, Eye, Suffolk
30th Oct: Arts4Every1, High Wycombe, Bucks
31st Oct: The Spring, Havant, Hants
2nd Nov: Kitchen Garden Cafe, Kings Heath, Birmingham
5th Nov: Rich Mix, Shoreditch, London
7th Nov: Norden Farm, Maidenhead, Berks
8th Nov: Pavilion Arts Centre, Buxton, Derbyshire

EUROPE

10th Nov: Cafe Vinyl, Wetzlar (D)
11th Nov: Cafe Galao, Stuttgart (D)
12th Nov: Sparte 4, Saarbruken (D)
14th Nov: TBC Ottensheim (AT)
16th Nov: El Lokal, Zurich (CH)
17th Nov: TBC, Koln (D)
18th Nov: Medienhaus, Hannover (D)
19th Nov: Falkendom, Bielefeld (D)
20th Nov: Wohnzimmer, Mendig (D)
21st Nov: Neues Schauspielhaus, Leipzig (D)
22nd Nov: Auster Club, Berlin (D)
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_button2 title=”Listen to the album here” style=”rounded” color=”orange” size=”lg” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpaul-armfield%2Fsets%2Ffound%2Fs-pHOE5|title:Found%20album%20stream|target:%20_blank”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_video title=”Under The Linden (taken from the ‘Found’ album)” link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc_yfopzMNg”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_video title=”‘Evermine’ live in Stuttgart (from the Evermine album)” link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VnVBlIE-hk”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

About Paul Armfield

Former bookstore manager Paul Armfield has been involved in several collaborative projects, including setting the poems of Tennyson to music for an album and performance at the poet’s former home, crafting bespoke songs as literary laureate for various festivals and arts centres, and his self-translated performances of the songs of Jacques Brel have appeared alongside the likes of David Bowie, Scott Walker and Nina Simone. A favourite of Lauren Laverne on her daytime BBC6Music radio show, The Sunday Telegraph said ‘He has a gorgeous voice and ought to become a huge star’. When not performing his own music Paul plays double bass and musical saw with various outfits, you can hear his double bass playing on the best-selling Michael Kiwanuka single ‘I’m Getting Ready’.

Read a more in depth biography here[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

Contact Paul on parmfield(at)btinternet(dot)com

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row iron_row_type=”in_container”][vc_column width=”1/1″][iron_featuredphotos albums=”2692″ gallery_layout=”custom_height” title=”Click on images for full res version” gallery_height=”300″][/vc_column][/vc_row]


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *