Photo: Sarah Iannone
August Wells - A Little Too Real
Info: August Wells is the collaborative name of New York musicians Ken Griffin and John Rauchenberger, who have released their latest single, 'A Little Too Real' (above) today. The pair began their tour of Ireland and Germany last night in the famous Róisín Dubh venue in Galway, they depart for Dresden on the 2nd of February before returning for the final leg just over a week later in Brewery Corner, Kilkenny.
2016 breezes in with a chorus of brass, strings and shuffling guitar as the first bars of August Wells' 'A Little Too Real' permeate the January air. Ken Griffin’s baritone returns with the New Yorkers first release of the New Year and a taster of their new album ‘Madness Is the Mercy’ due out later this Spring on FIFA Records. 'A Little Too Real' is a sensitive ode to those who feel the world can be a daunting place. August Wells emotive first singles 'Here in the Wild' and 'Come on in out of that night' set the tone and tempo for a band writing and exploring music that rolls in like dusk; warm yet tragic, inclusive while conveying the
outsider.
The press release for August Wells' new single observes that they are a band who could easily sit at the same table as Scott Walker or John Cale, and in particular, I found the former to be true. Whilst the vocals are different, the tone is similar to Walker's and musically it felt like the opening two tracks of Scott 3, 'Copenhagen' and one of my favourite songs that was ever written, 'It's Raining Today'. That's more to do with feeling than sound though and 'A Little Too Real' is of a far more sunny and merry disposition to the sometimes sombre mood of those songs.
There is something incredibly calming about this song, it's like the feeling you get after releasing a heavy sigh as your shoulders drop and your brain begins to relax. Griffin has a classic baroque baritone voice that's filled with warmth, yet drifts effortlessly into higher notes as required. There's also a charming nonchalance to the lyrics, a story about love that didn't work out, the protagonist describes what happened so casually and comes across completely comfortable with the outcome, an 'easy come easy go and so we move on' message.
If 'A Little Too Real' were released on a well-known 60's band or solo artist's album at the height of their game we would be hearing it today on their best of compilations. It's impossible not to be completely compliant and succumb to the short but extremely happy moments on this single, it's not an overt upbeat feel-good happiness, it's something else, I think the clue is in the last word of the song's title, perfect.
Look / Like / Listen & Follow:
Website: http://www.augustwells.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/augustwellsband
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/augustwells
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AugustWellsBand
Tour Dates:
Thurs 28th Jan – Roisin Dubh – Galway (IRL)
Fri 29th Jan – Thew Thirsty Scholar – Waterford (IRL)
Sat 30th Jan - Levis’ Corner House - Ballydehob (IRL)
Sun 31st Jan – DeBarras - Clonakility (IRL)
Tues 2nd Feb - Roesslstube – Dresden (GER)
Wed 3rd Feb - Ä Neukölln - Berlin
Thurs 4th Feb – Prinz Willy – Kiel (GER)
Fri 5th Feb – TBC – Lippstadt - (GER)
Sat 6th Feb – Molly Malones – Marburg (GER)
Wed 10th Feb – Brewery Corner – Kilkenny (IRL)
Thurs 11th Feb – Boyles – Slane (IRL)
Fri 12th Feb – Coughlans – Cork – (IRL)
Sat 13th Feb – Pine Lodge – Myrtleville – (IRL)
Sun 14th Feb – The Workmans Club – Dublin (IRL)
More dates to be announced……..
