Hi folks.
Did the video shoot for Bi-Polar on Saturday. A tiring but very enjoyable day was had by all.
Thanks must go to the team at Duality films.
So a big thank you to:-
Will J Cotton (Director)
Alex Blackburn
Russell Gough
Guy Meachin
Paul Williams(Who also took millions of photo's)
Luke Grayson
Laura Harris
and Sophie Edwards
Plus Mr & Mrs Cotton, for above and beyond the call of duty type stuff.
Take care Bacca

Thanks

Very big thanks to all the good people who purchased the download version of Sugarstealer and helped to make the physical release possible.
Many thanks the So and So's

Sugarstealer now available!!!!

We are very excited to annouce Sugarstealer has arrived!!! :o)

Albeit I have yet to have the copy in my hands... hopefully I'll get to hold a copy today :o). Already the paypal has been well used and several orders have been placed!! Thank you and keep spreading the So & So's around for all to see and hear.

Visit www.mrsoandso.com and order your copy of Sugarstealer now!!!

Lottsa love Chazzer :o) xx

The So & So's are now twitterlated as TheMrSoAndSo
Bacca

Summers end

Way big thanks to Mr Lambe and all involved in the Summers end festival, and the good people in Also Eden for letting us use their gear.
S2

Band Update

Just a quick update to let you all know what we are up to. The band are currently rehearsing the new live set, which is Sugarstealer in its entirety. It’s a strange process really. When we went into the studio to record it, it all very well rehearsed and you knew exactly what you wanted to do, but being in the studio offers new possibilities and so, being the tinkerers that we are, we had to add new things. So when we come back to revisit the songs to learn them, we have new parts to learn. It’s very much a good thing though and adds even more fun to playing the songs as there are little surprising thing popping up. I’ve often said that I would love to see Mr. So & So live and this is as close as it gets I think.

Sugarstealer has been selling really well, as much via Amazon and CDbaby as iTunes which is fantastic. If the cunning plan comes together we will have a physical release out by May. It’s been really interesting finding out what peoples favourite tracks are and it’s really pleasing to find out that it’s very varied, there isn’t a single song that is generally considered the favourite. Always a good sign.

As for me, I’m sure quite a few of you are aware that I’m now part of Steve Rothery’s Wishing Tree live band, I’ll be at Tring for the warm up, that’s now sold out I believe, and at The Marillion Convention on the 20th March.

See you all soon.

Dave x

First Sugarstealer Review

Sugarstealer, the fourth album from Mr So And So, marks a welcome return for a band who have been off the scene for while now, their last album being 1998’s ‘The Overlap’ (which was the first album to be released on Steve Rothery‘s Dorian label) . Since that time the members had gone their separate ways until principal songwriters Dave Foster (guitars) and Shaun McGowan (bass / vocals) resumed contact in 2005. Vocalist Charlotte Evans was soon back on board and two new members introduced, Anthony Hindley on keyboards and drummer Stuart Browne.

A Floydian soundscape of alarm clocks and birdsong introduces ‘Flying Triangles’, a typical example of the bands ability to blend a modern progressive sound with delicate pop sensibilities. ‘New Years Day’ continues in a similar fashion with an insistent melody and highlights the distinctive male / female vocals. There are a number of mood changes throughout and ‘Bleak Hill’ marks a shift in tempo as the band take it up a gear and, despite the title, boasts an uplifting melody. With its PT-esque riffing ‘Bi-Polar’ is a brooding and intense rocker and rightfully earmarked as the first single. The albums stand out highlight is ‘Falling’ which allows Foster a chance to impress on the solo and is high on both atmosphere and emotion.

Across a weighty eighteen tracks McGowan handles the majority of the lead vocals and at times you can’t help but feel that Evans is somewhat underemployed. Her haunting voice is highlighted on the acoustic interlude ‘Lemon Tree’ and piano led ‘Photograph’. Whilst for the most part the album is notable for its tight arrangements and little in the way of excess closing number ‘(Return of) The Gold’ offers a more extended instrumental workout during the coda. With both a powerful chorus, intricate acoustic work and a soaring solo it provides an energetic close.

Available from January 31st Sugarstealer will be exclusively an online release via iTunes, Amazon, CDbaby, Napster and Rhapsody with the physical format following later in the year. Hopefully this will mark the start of a new chapter in the career of Mr So and So and we won’t have to wait so long between albums next time around.

Rating 3.5
Dean Pedley