Feature: Thomas-Joseph & Murphy

• 17th Jul 2008

If you’re an insomniac in the mood for a modern lullaby, or three, or more, then here is music to blow gently over your skin and stroke you sweetly off to a pleasant dream. All fourteen tracks (yes, fourteen) follow a similar melodic remit attached to gentle poetry sung with Mother Nature’s inflection. Smooth haunting guitars are occasionally accompanied by violin, viola, piano, bass guitar, percussion and harmonica.

I particularly enjoy the lyrical content left behind this harmonic duo’s aligned trail.

Thomas-Joseph leads vocally, while Murphy adds a whisper of alto backing. Their music has a rural American feel, inviting a welcome path toward an alternative open meadow to those trapped in a Liverpudlian urbanite jungle.

There is something highly understated about this music – perhaps that is why it is so hypnotic and easy to listen to.

INTERVIEW

I was fortunate to catch a few words with Thomas-Joseph following their recent album-launch gig:

Congratulations on the release of *Weary Nights, T-J.

Was this a carefully constructed work from the start of your musical partnership or did the ideas fall one by one for this generous fourteen track CD?

This album was about our metamorphism; bringing ourselves to the fore, with dual freedom of expression. Changes affecting our personal lives feature, such as travel to Europe. Taking off to Europe was when we decided to make music full time, travelling across 14 countries, East and West, in a Citroen AX, busking and playing bars and cafes. We stripped ourselves of everything we hold dear; everything that comforted us: family, friends and home. We had no outside influences when making decisions.

Your songs seem sensitive and quite personal …
Some of our songs are about love: *Not Enough. Loss of love in *The Feeling’s Gone, losing people in *Late Night Line. And *Amy Jayne is about a love I never knew existed until my daughter, (also featured in a track dedicated especially to her) came along.

“Chance” is a repeating theme * A Stranger to Myself adopts a theory that you have to lose yourself before you find who you are; stripping yourself emotionally to find what drives you.

You are both highly competent musically, have either of you been in a band?
We have played in a number of bands and always felt lost. The first band we both featured in was “Daybreak”.

You seem to be good friends who have an instinct without speaking in your joint musical performance; a connection without need for signals…
I’m so glad that through three fate meetings, Murphy and I musically re-united. We have a perfect and honest musical partnership. We actually wrote *Free Man Walking at 4am via a phone call. It’s true to say we connect!

You have had a busy year, what are your future aims?
*Weary Nights basically sums up the past twelve months for me. The only thing that will allow me to “leave these weary nights behind” is the creative process with Murphy; in writing and releasing this material. We’ll continue to write new songs and to play gigs.

Who has the most song-writing input?
With regard to our writing format, all works are 50-50. One of us will get an initial idea and the other will quickly get on the wavelength in completing the song.

Well, it’s a good and well-produced album. Thanks for your time, Thomas-Joseph, best regards to you and to Murphy. Oh, and don’t go disappearing in Europe again until you get a better car!

Album available now in Zavvi, Clayton Square, Liverpool, CDBABY online from Monday 21st July 2008, or from their manager: link