http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:22:42 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5766/helen-love-john-mouse-collaboration-the-doors-to-the-double-diamond-club-are-open http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5766
The Double Diamond Club are officially open for business, releasing their self-titled debut single via Alcopop! Records back on New Years Day got 2025 off with a bang with the video previewing on Louder than War and receiving play on BBC Ulster and BBC Wales.
The original Double Diamond Club were a renowned vocal duo that dominated the South Wales club scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Hailed (or maybe that should be mythologised?) as the greatest club singing duo in Caerphilly and surrounding areas, they captivated audiences across the valleys and beyond, playing to sell-out crowds at working men’s and social clubs. Their unique blend of tight harmonies and high-energy performances made them household names in the local club circuit, earning them a loyal fanbase and a reputation for putting on electrifying shows.


After a decade of success and excess, the duo’s remarkable run came to a dramatic end. Personal and artistic differences led to their split, marking the close of a golden era in Welsh club entertainment. Thanks to an unlikely collaboration the legend of ‘the club’ has been revived by Welsh ‘Indie Pop royalty’,  Helen Love , and the unofficial ‘voice of the Rhondda Valleys,’  John MOuse . Although according to an anonymous insider their relationship is as rocky as the original duo’s!




Somehow, they have managed to produce a selection of recordings that pay homage and are testament to the remarkable talent that defined that golden era. Fittingly the Video features many great Welsh icons from the 80’s including ITV’s Arfon Haines Davies, the ‘godfathers of modern Welsh comedy’ Ryan Davies and Ronnie Williams, star of stage and screen Margaret Williams along with actress Myfanwy Talog, tenor Trebor Edwards and former Mrs Roger Moore and singer Dorothy Squires.


Double Diamond Club can be found on  X/Twitter  and  Instagram
]]> Sat, 18 Jan 2025 02:20:03 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5764/an-interview-with-dan-rhys-author-of-knight-in-the-scarlet-cloak http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5764
...







AmeriCymru:  Care to introduce your novel 'Knight in the Scarlet Cloak' for our readers?'
Dan:   Yes…set in late thirteenth-century Pembroke,  Knight in the Scarlet Cloak  takes an unusual approach for a Welsh novel by centering on an eighteen-year-old squire who is due to become a knight for the English crown. Young Robert, whose Anglo-Welsh family has benefitted from its position in the Welsh Marches, suddenly realizes the injustice of the local government when it expels the family of his close Welsh friend Iolo and his sister Angharad (whom Robert loves) from Pembroke for only a minor infraction. 
Infuriated by the event, Robert leaves Pembroke and his pending knighthood behind to start life anew in North Wales, but, through a bizarre sequence of events, ends up joining the biggest Welsh rebellion ever against England until he is eventually captured and brought to Hereford’s Pleshey Castle. From there, Robert must navigate his tricky new role as a highly valued prisoner, even winning the heart of the Lady of the Castle, before making his daring attempt to escape. 
The story is based heavily on real events and people, including my own ancestors, among whom is the actual Robert of Pembroke, born in 1275.  
AmeriCymru:  Care to tell us a little more about Madog ap Llewelyn who figured prominently in the novel'?
Dan:  Prince Madog was essentially the Welsh William Wallace, who rebelled against Edward Longshanks’ control of Wales just a couple of years before the Wallace rebellion in Scotland began. Branding himself ‘Prince of Wales,’ Madog united virtually all of Wales against England and was every bit as difficult for King Edward to handle as was Wallace, for Madog ravaged many English-controlled towns and disrupted English supplies before he was finally captured. Unlike Wallace, however, Madog lived out his days in captivity, never being executed. While Madog’s time in the novel itself is brief, the rebellion he started and which Robert joins sets Robert on a path that carries through the rest of the novel.
AmeriCymru:  Where can readers buy the book online?
Dan:  Currently,  Knight in the Scarlet Cloak  is available only on Amazon (in Kindle and paperback format), but I hope to make it available on other outlets soon.
AmeriCymru: You are a fluent Welsh speaker. How did you go about learning the language?
Dan:  I began by watching skits from the Big Welsh Challenge that were once available on the BBC Wales website. I was obsessive and watched the skits over and over, reading and translating every word of the Welsh subtitles until I could perfectly understand the skits without looking at the subtitles at all. I then went to the same website and listened to the Welsh radio soap opera,  Ysbyty Brynaber , which, to its credit, presented Welsh characters of various dialects and who spoke at native speed, forcing me to keep up and truly develop my Welsh. I went over the skits there as well until I understood every word. After spending over a year listening to the episodes, my Welsh was good enough to where I began to listen to shows on BBC Radio Cymru (which I still do today) and try my best to comprehend them, replaying segments that I don’t fully understand and looking up words that are unfamiliar to me. It has paid off tremendously. I now speak only Welsh to my six-year-old son Evan. 
AmeriCymru: Care to recommend any resources for other aspiring learners?
Dan:  I would gladly recommend the BBC Big Welsh Challenge resources, but they are no longer available. However, I also spent a little time listening to the free items on Say Something in Welsh (which has a website), but as I was financially very poor, I stopped after the free lessons. Nonetheless, I benefited greatly from the lessons that I was able to go through, impressing the people who run the site with how fast I learned them. Anyone who has a little money to buy the remaining lessons would, no doubt, benefit tremendously. If one’s Welsh has advanced enough, regularly listening to BBC Radio Cymru on its podcast, which allows one to pause and replay segments as often as needed, will keep one’s abilities nicely honed. 
AmeriCymru: Are there any Welsh authors and/or titles that you particularly admire and would like to recommend?
Dan:  I have gotten into reading the Della Arthur mysteries by the lovely and humorous Gwen Parrott, who takes it upon herself to write her own Welsh and English versions of each book, refusing to leave it up to a translator. Her devotion to producing Welsh-language literature is an inspiration. I am in the middle of reading  Cyw Melyn y Fall , a Welsh-edition book in Gwen’s Della Arthur series, and I highly recommend her more recent novel  Dead White . Reading a Welsh-language novel can be tedious for someone new to Welsh, but the immersion is very helpful for developing one’s grasp of the language.
AmeriCymru:  What's next for Dan Rhys? Any new projects in the pipeline? 
Dan:  In all honesty, it depends on how successful  Knight in the Scarlet Cloak  turns out to be over the next two years. If it is successful, I would like to do one or two more stories focusing on Robert. If not, I will either try a standalone novel with an entirely new character or continue on my Bob Kelton series, which focuses on a Welsh-American college professor who gets into very bizarre situations. My only published Kelton story reached the semifinals of the Chanticleer Book Review ‘Clue Awards’ in 2018. If I am successful, I do not plan to keep churning out novels. Instead, I would like to give back to the community that helped me and do all I can to bring attention and prosperity to Wales.
AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?
Dan:  While I applaud and celebrate all efforts to enjoy and preserve every element of Welsh culture, I think if one can learn the language and pass it down to someone, that is perhaps most important of all. A language truly is a window into a culture’s ‘soul’, as they say, and I certainly feel more a part of Welsh culture having learned the Welsh language and passed it down to my son. Welsh almost went out altogether forty years ago, and after all of the efforts by England to erase it and the Welsh to keep it alive, I believe it is our duty to build on the work done to preserve it. I am thankful that I am playing a part in its preservation, and I thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk about my novel to your audience. I hope it spurs its own movement towards a more self-governing Wales. 





Disclaimer - I would like to add, with regard to the cover of  Knight in the Scarlet Cloak , that the individual I hired to create the image chose to add the modern Flag of Wales to it in order to make clear the story’s association with Wales. Since some may find the modern flag asynchronously on medieval attire offensive, I want to clarify that it was an honest oversight by the illustrator and that the novel itself accurately describes the banner that would have been used to represent Wales in the thirteenth century. Diolch yn fawr!




]]> Wed, 08 Jan 2025 20:13:10 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5759/mwy-o-straeon-ffraeth-i-ddysgwyr-gan-sion-tomos-owen http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5759



Mae’r arlunydd, cyflwynydd, bardd ac awdur Siôn Tomos Owen yn cyhoeddi ail gyfrol o straeon am fyw yn y Rhondda’r wythnos hon. Mae  Y Fawr a’r Fach 2: Mwy o Straeon o’r Rhondda  yn rhan o’r gyfres Amdani, ac mae llyfr Siôn yn addas ar gyfer dysgwyr lefel Sylfaen.  
Mae Siôn yn wyneb cyfarwydd i wylwyr S4C, diolch i  Pobol y Rhondda , cyfres oedd yn mynd ar daith trwy Gwm Rhondda, ac roedd ei gyfrol gyntaf o straeon ffraeth am ei blentyndod a’i arddegau yn boblogaidd iawn.  
Meddai Siôn Tomos Owen:
“Pan sgwennes i’r gyfrol gyntaf nôl yn 2018 ges i lawer o hwyl ond ges i drafferth yn dewis pa storïau i’w cynnwys, ac o’n i’n gwybod byse rhaid i mi sgwennu ail lyfr rhywbryd! Ac ar ôl magu fy mhlant yn y cwm hefyd, mae gen i hyd yn oed mwy o straeon doniol i’w rhannu.  
“Mae’r ymateb i’r gyfrol gyntaf wedi bod yn wych a dwi wedi siarad a gwneud ffrindiau gyda chymaint o ddysgwyr Cymraeg sydd wedi darllen fy llyfr – pobl o Brighton i Lithuania, Gwlad Pwyl a hyd yn oed Santa Barbara yng Nghaliffornia! Ac mae pawb yn dweud eu bod nhw’n mwynhau’r ffaith bod yna gartwnau yn cyd-fynd gyda’r straeon hefyd, sy’n gwneud i fi wenu.”  
Cafodd Siôn Tomos Owen ei eni a’i fagu yn y Rhondda, ac mae e’n byw yno o hyd. Mae’r ail gyfrol yma yn dweud ei hanes yn tyfu’n ddyn a dod yn dad, ac am y lle mae’n ei garu – y Rhondda.  
Mae lluniau du a gwyn Siôn yn cyd-fynd â phob un o’r 18 stori fer. Mae geirfa ar bob tudalen a rhestr eirfa yng nghefn y llyfr.  
Meddai Siôn Tomos Owen:
“Un o fy hoff bethau am deithio yw cwrdd â phobl newydd ac mae’r niferoedd dwi wedi cwrdd â nhw yn ddiweddar sy’n dysgu Cymraeg mor galonogol. Yn ddiweddar, mae teulu ffrind fy merch wedi newid iaith y tŷ i’r Gymraeg ar ôl dysgu’r iaith – rwy’n sgwrsio gyda’r fam ar y ffordd wrth fynd â fy merch i’r ysgol bob dydd. Mae’r profiad yn gwneud i mi eisiau ysgrifennu mwy o lyfrau i ddysgwyr oherwydd y cynnydd yn y nifer o bobl sy’n dysgu ac mae brwdfrydedd dysgwyr i siarad Cymraeg yn anhygoel!”  
Lansiwyd cyfres Amdani yn 2018, prosiect a welodd gweisg Cymru yn cydweithio gyda’r Ganolfan Dysgu Cymraeg Genedlaethol a Chyngor Llyfrau Cymru i ddatblygu a chyhoeddi llyfrau darllen cyffrous yn arbennig at gyfer oedolion sy’n dysgu Cymraeg. Erbyn heddiw mae yna dros 40 o gyfrolau i gyd.  
Mae cyfres Amdani eisoes yn boblogaidd ac wedi meithrin darllenwyr brwd. Y gobaith yw y bydd llyfrau fel straeon Siôn Tomos Owen yn annog darllenwyr hen a newydd i ddatblygu eu Cymraeg.
 
Bydd straeon  Y Fawr a’r Fach 2  yn cael eu darllen bob diwrnod ar Faes D yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol am 2 o’r gloch.
Mae  Y Fawr a’r Fach 2: Mwy o Straeon o’r Rhondda  gan Siôn Tomos Owen ar gael nawr (£6.99, Y Lolfa).





]]> Thu, 01 Aug 2024 20:31:39 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5758/welsh-born-experimental-drone-folk-duo-peiriant-new-can-idris-single-out-friday http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5758

BIOGRAPHY

 

Peiriant are a duo of violin and electric guitar, who play with melody and tonality to create atmosphere and soundscape. Electronic equipment, samples and found objects also add to their semi-improvised pieces, which are spun from grounded ideas.

 

Rose and Dan Linn-Pearl draw from their foundation in folk and classical in addition to post-rock, minimalism and sound art to weave experimental music that is anchored in the Welsh landscape. They play with layers of drone and dissonance, contrasting with songs and pure tones to give a rich and sonorous auditory experience. 

 

‘Welsh-born duo Peiriant’s self-titled LP sculpts startling instrumentals from the bones of folk music, guitar delays and deep drones.’

- Jude Rogers (The Guardian)  

 

Live performances have included BBC Radio 3: Late Junction at Chapter arts centre, Cardiff 2017, NAWR concert series (Swansea & Hay on Wye 2018 to present). They are regular performers at Nozstock festival & How The Light Gets In. In 2021 they released River Songs E.P : A collection of four pieces inspired by the River Wye.

 

 

ABOUT

 

Rose Linn-Pearl balances playing the violin with work as a veterinary ophthalmologist.

 

Early classical training and folk complemented a lifelong interest in improvisation and experimental music. Her interest now lies predominantly in tonal shifts and playing with discord and pattern.

 

Dan Linn-Pearl is a composer, songwriter and sound artist. His work includes alternative rock and electronic music, sound installation, experimental film and moving image under Deaf Pictures. He is a founding member of sound art collective Gwaith Sŵn who produce a monthly thematic show for award-winning arts station Resonance 104.4FM.

 

Both Rose and Dan are members of experimental concert series NAWR whow curate shows featuring established and up-and-coming artists. These take place in Swansea, Aberystwyth and Hay on Wye.

 

 

'Peiriant' Online


https://peiriant.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/peiriantband/



https://x.com/peiriantband?lang=en-GB



https://www.facebook.com/peiriant/




]]> Thu, 01 Aug 2024 02:28:36 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5757/the-boy-from-the-coach-by-jas-rees-a-review http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5757
The Boy From The Coach is a delight to read. If you have ever wondered how life is lived in the innumerable small pubs and Inns which dot the Welsh countryside this book is for you. The author,, J.A.S. ( Tony) Rees, was a frequent visitor to the pub in the late 40's and 50's when he stayed during the school summer holidays. The pub was owned and run by a relative of his mother, May Morgan, who greeted him every summer, "with a Craven A cigarette lodged at the center of her mouth" .

The book provides an insight into many of the colorful aspects of rural village life in Wales at the time. The pub's plumbing arrangements are described in the following terms:-

"At the roadside, set against the wall of the Coach and with open access from the road was the 'Gents': a corrugated iron 'privacy' wall was all that sheltered participants from inquisitive eyes and from the weather (there was no roof)."

The village of Llangynidr stands at the confluence of the River Usk and the Afon Crawnon (see map below) . In a later chapter we learn that after heavy rainfall the water would be inundated with brown mud which contained many treats for the fish who would gather there:-

"The locals also took advantage of the opportunity presented. Fishing the Usk proper was only allowed by permit and fee paid, but not so for the Crawnon. So, with thanks for rain and flood, locals...., would crowd the lowest point on the Crawnon, just inches from the Usk , and fish, and fish, for hours. There was jovial local rivalry, and some comments about tangled lines not meant for youthful ears. In all it was a kind of rebellion against the control of fishing waters by the bailiff and the wealthy."

Although short this book offers an invaluable insight into the lighter side of Welsh village life in the post war period. The author's son, Matthew G Rees is a brilliant short story writer ( see linked interviews and reviews below ) and it is evident from the quality of the writing that literary talent runs in the family.

We unreservedly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the area or Welsh rural life in general.



Matthew G. Rees on AmeriCymru


The Coach & Horses, Llangynidr ]]> Sun, 28 Jul 2024 02:37:37 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5756/skal-release-their-raucous-debut-single-all-of-the-people-on-friday-the-30th-of-august-on-snowdonia-records http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5756






Skäl release their raucous debut single 'All of The People' on Friday the 30th of August on Snowdonia Records. 

‘All Of The People’  is an urgent, infectious and exciting debut track from  Skäl , that bursts out of the speakers on a wave of tremulous guitar hooks, grooving bass lines and quickfire drums, while Ev Kirwan's vocals hook you in with a swaggering confidence as the song spirals into a frenetic guitar anthem and a rollicking crescendo with fantastic carousel of guitar solos. It reminds one of the resplendent early sound of  The Stone Roses,  they call it a   "cross between  The Verve  and  The Replacements ".  It's a frenetic union of anthemic melodies, floor filling grooves and uproarious rock, with an all for one attitude of all the best fledgling gangs possess. Engineered, produced and mixed by Jono Tringham,  was recorded at Allo Sounds in Studio Widnes.

Skäl are an alternative five piece rock band from Winsford in Cheshire and a brand new signing to Snowdonia Records, the North Wales based record label that's home to  Holy Coves,   Sister Envy, Box of Trash, Subterrania . They are made up of Ev Kirwan on vocals, Jack Enty on guitar, Darcy Smith on guitar and backing vocals, Adam Latham on bass and Tom Giltrow on drums and backing vocals. 

They cite bands like  Smashing Pumpkins,  The Verve, The Las, The Replacements, Pixies, Echo and the Bunnymen, Wunderhorse, High Vis  and  The Real People  as an influences yet they are filtered through young magpie eyes of emerging musicians from their hometown of Winsford, with a knack for melodic shots of rock songs, with a burning ambition to be heard by as many people as possible. With a string of releases and shows in the works their unmissable debut single  'All Of The People'  is a statement of intent. 


Ev Kirwan - Vocals

Jack Enty - Guitar 

Darcy Smith - Guitar / Backing Vox 

Adam Latham - Bass 

Tom Giltrow - Drums / Backing Vox  



























 





















]]> Sat, 27 Jul 2024 03:09:28 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5750/tom-emlyn-releases-tender-new-single-double-crossed-and-video-filmed-in-cardiff-by-sam-ffoto-inbox http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5750



Tom Emlyn releases his new single ‘Double-Crossed’ on the 21st June. Accompanied by a video filmed by Sam Ffoto / Pypi Slysh. From his forthcoming new album Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat, Vol.2, due for release on August 29th, 2024.
Welsh singer-songwriter Tom Emlyn releases his new single, ‘Double-Crossed’ on the 21st of June. With tender vocals, introspective lyrics caressing a daydreaming guitar motif, and lo-fi percussion it explores the darker side of self-reflection to a stripped back  Velvet Underground -inspired groove. Originally written and recorded in lockdown, the song features on his forthcoming album  Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat, Vol.2 , due for release on August 29th, 2024.
The self-produced record is his fourth solo effort in the space of two years, continuing an impressive streak of creativity and inspiration. The single is accompanied by a video by Sam Ffoto - a series of photographs, taken rapidly enough to give the illusion of film, on a cold January day in Cathays Cemetery, Cardiff.
What is it that pursues our hero through these frigid spaces? Is it a stranger, a friend, or his own shadow? Explore ‘Double-Crossed’ and find out for yourself. A song that explores self-portrayal and small-town paranoia, but not without a sense of warmth and comfort.
Tom Emlyn's fourth album in two years,   Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat Vol. 2   is a self-produced, powerful, fully realised creative statement.The album will be released digitally and on cassette, with a launch show at the Moon, Cardiff on August 29th to celebrate. 
In summer 2022, Tom released his debut solo album ‘News From Nowhere’, a bittersweet love letter to his hometown of Swansea, described by Adam Walton (BBC Radio Wales) as a record of “undoubted brilliance, eloquence and energy”. It has been positively received, with airplay and support from Radio Wales, BBC Horizons, R.E.P.E.A.T. fanzine, God Is In The TV, and Joyzine, among others. Tom’s second album ‘I’ve Seen You In Town’ followed quickly– a more mellow, acoustic affair which was also well received. He also released the ‘Scounger EP’ on Bandcamp last February.
His latest record follows hot on the heels of Return Journey Revisited: Scaredycat Vol 1, which was released in May 2023. In the same vein as the first volume, Rehearsal For The Rain gathers up lost fragments from years of songwriting and making music.


A dreamlike, lo-fi psychedelic bedroom pop journey, with elements of prog, blues, indie and alternative folk.
"Peripatetic musical genius" - Adam Walton
"The songs have true emotional depth, are highly tuneful and melodic with lyrical sharpness and shades of dark, combining the magical ingredients of melancholy and wit" - Cath Holland, God Is In The TV zine
"Tom has an unerring knack of turning up with an unexpectedly vivid phrase or metaphor that will jolt you, and make you think" - Richard Rose, R.E.P.E.A.T. fanzine
Artwork: Keith Bolton




https://linktr.ee/tomemlyn
https://tomemlyn.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/tom_emlyn
https://www.instagram.com/tomemlyn/

]]> Thu, 27 Jun 2024 18:12:29 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5748/adios-release-impish-dark-wave-of-new-single-they-on-the-7th-of-june-ffo-human-league-kraftwerk-depeche-mode http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5748



Adios MF will release the new single ‘They’ on the 7th of June through Dash The Henge Records.
Adios MF is a musical collective spearheaded by Nathan Keeble carving fresh dark wave and electronica sound the underground of Sheffield. Their latest single, "They," was recorded between Brooklyn and Brixton, serves as a sonic manifesto of what's to come. Their music defies categorisation, blending elements of post-punk, electronica, and avant-garde into a sonic tapestry that's uniquely their own.
With sleek production by Nathan Saoudi and Richard Wilson yet coursing with enough detail and character to set it apart, with this impish 80s beat, sinewy guitars, metallic dapping keyboards, and sample loops, it forges a uniquely futuristic sound that’s at once both familiar and yet mirrors the churn of the cityscape. 
With a sound that hints at the influence of acts like Human League, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk and Molly Nilsson, the vocals are addictive and almost mechanical, driven with hooky melodic ticks that sink their nails into and won’t let go, and yet the lyrics reside with a disquiet at the creeping gentrification of urban redevelopment “They built a Starbucks on my street” and reference to shadowy figures who might take you away. It hints at a dark underbelly and Sci-fi dystopia where your every action is being watched. 
ADIOS MF say “They” is a Kitsch by product of existence amid the constant churn of urban development and the persistent buzz of drilling. It was written as a tonic to the realisation that resistance is futile; you must simply acquiesce to the world of urbanism and let it carry you along on its unpredictable journey, set to a naughty 80s beat.”
Born from the industrial landscape of the north of England. Adios MF was ideated in January 2024, South London's Dash The Henge Records signed them shortly after hearing their demos.
Digital Only
Words & Music by Corey Clifton & Nathan Keeble
Produced by Corey Clifton, Nathan Saoudi & Richard Wilson
Mastered By Richard Wilson
A release by Dash The Henge Records & Cracked Media
]]> Wed, 22 May 2024 03:25:58 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5747/classic-collection-of-welsh-folk-tales-republished-alongside-poster-of-artist-margaret-d-jones-and-author-robin-gwyndafs-wo http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5747



This week sees an updated 5 th  edition of a collection of Welsh folk stories republished.  Welsh Folk Tales  by Robin Gwyndaf (Y Lolfa) was originally published by the National Museum of Wales in 1989 and is an important record of the folk narrative tradition in Wales.  
The 2024 edition has been dedicated to the author’s late wife, Eleri Gwyndaf, who sadly died in 2023.  
For a period of over twenty years, Robin Gwyndaf interviewed over 2,500 informants, around 400 of them on tape. This material, both written – in books and journals – and oral testimony of around 600 hours of recordings, “gives the reader a vivid glimpse of that long and creative tradition,” as Colin Ford, Director of the National Museum of Wales, says in his foreword to the third edition in 1995.  
Welsh Folk Tales  records 63 stories from all over Wales, including ‘The islands of saints’ from Ynys Enlli, ‘The eagles of Snowdon’ from Caernarfonshire, ‘Owain Glyndŵr and the Abbot of Valle Crucis’ from Denbighshire and ‘The death of “Llywelyn our Last Prince”’ from Brecknockshire. It describes the legends and traditions and places them in their historical and social context. It also refers to the types and classification, the themes, function and meaning, as well as the value of the tales themselves. Pronunciation of Welsh words and placenames also features.  
Dr Robin Gwyndaf says:
“The need to present the history of Wales in an interesting and meaningful manner to all the inhabitants of the country and beyond, whatever their age or language, has never been more crucial. My hope is that this volume, in Welsh and English, will be a small contribution towards fulfilling a dream. It is my dream that all the people of Wales, and Welsh people living abroad – and, yes, the inhabitants of Britain also – come to appreciate the wealth of our inheritance as a nation – our native language, our literature and our culture. An intrinsic part of that vibrant, wide-ranging culture is our folk tales and folk traditions.”  
Only necessary changes have been made to the text, and the wonderful illustrations, now in colour, by artist Margaret D. Jones, who is now 105 years old, still shine in the volume. Margaret Jones was commissioned by the National Museum of Wales in 1988 to illustrate a map featuring the folk tales and traditions of Wales, to be published at the same time as the first edition of the book. Both the book and the A2 poster has been out of print for around 10 years, but will be available again this May for £9.99 each.  
The book:  Welsh Folk Tales  by Robin Gwyndaf (£9.99, Y Lolfa) is available now.  
The A2 poster: Welsh Folk Tales by artist Margaret D. Jones, and Robin Gwyndaf, researcher and designer, (£9.99, Y Lolfa) is available now.


]]> Wed, 22 May 2024 03:16:52 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5745/sybs-debut-album-albym-gynta-olew-nadroedd-out-mas-0305-via-libertino http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5745
ALBWM CYNTAF SYBS ALLAN YFORY AR LIBERTINO
Mae albwm cyntaf SYBS, 'Olew Nadroedd', yn gapsiwl amser teimladwy o’r cyffro a’r pryderon â ddaw ynghyd wrth dyfu fyny. Er bod y byd o'n cwmpas yn gyffrous a'n lliwgar, mae ymroi yn llawn i'r profiadau newydd hynny yn frawychus ac ar adegau, yn anghyfforddus. Dyna'n union mae Osian Llŷr (cyfansoddwr, prif leisydd a gitarydd SYBS) yn ei gyfleu ar yr albwm.

Eglura Osain: "Yr hyn roedden ni moen cyflawni gyda ‘Olew Nadroedd’ oedd cymryd snapshot o ble oedden ni fel band pan gafodd llawer o’r caneuon eu cyfansoddi; ble roeddem ni’n arbrofi llawer ac yn ceisio ffeindio ein ‘sŵn’, a ble o ni’n agored i fyd o ddylanwadau cerddorol gwahanol.

Cefais fy ysbrydoli gan albyms fel 'I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One' gan Yo La Tengo a 'Fantasma' gan Cornelius, sy'n teimlo fel ryw collages mawr o synau a genres gwahanol, ond sy'n dal i swnio fel eu bod yn perthyn i'r un lle.

Roedd e’n adeg gyffrous iawn yn ein bywydau cyn covid, lle’r oedd y rhan fwyaf ohonom wedi symud i ddinasoedd gwahanol ar gyfer y brifysgol a'n cael yr holl brofiadau newydd yma, ond yn dal i ddod yn ôl i gigio yng Nghaerdydd yn aml iawn. Dwi’n hoffi meddwl ein bo' ni wedi llwyddo i ddal ychydig o’r anhrefn a’r egni o’r cyfnod hwnnw ar yr albwm.

Mae llawer o'r geiriau ar yr albwm yn fyfyriol, yn bryderus a'n ansicr, ond mae'r gerddoriaeth ar y cyfan yn lliwgar, swnllyd, a'n 'llawn'; a dwi'n teimlo bod hynny yn cyfleu'r ddeuoliaeth o ble'r oedden ni pan ddechreuon ni ddod â'r albwm at ei gilydd yn 2018."

Bydd 'Olew Nadroedd' allan ddydd Gwener 3ydd o Fai ar Libertino.


 

https://www.libertinorecords.com/

 



SYBS' DEBUT ALBUM OUT TOMORROW VIA LIBERTINO
SYBS' debut album, 'Olew Nadroedd', is a moving time capsule of the excitement and wide eye wonder — on one hand fear, and anxiety on the other — of young adulthood. The world outside entices and enthrals yet there is trepidation in fully embracing a life beyond the comfort of childhood. It’s this dichotomy that Osian Llŷr (songwriter, vocalist, guitarist) captures with every note and lyric on SYBS' debut album.

Osian explains: “I think what we wanted to achieve with 'Olew Nadroedd' is a snapshot of where we were as a band when a lot these songs came to fruition; when we were still experimenting with finding our sound, and where we opened ourselves up to a world of musical influences where anything goes.

I was really inspired by albums such as ‘I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One’ by Yo La Tengo and ‘Fantasma’ by Cornelius, that feel like this big collage of sounds and genres, but still manage to sound like they’re coming from the same source.

It was a really exciting time in our lives pre-covid where most of us had moved to different cities for university and were having all these new experiences, but still gigging in Cardiff very frequently, and I like to think we’ve managed to capture some of that chaos and energy in the album.

A lot of the lyrics are reflective, anxious and uncertain but the music for the most part is vibrant, noisy, and almost hyperactive; and I feel like that really captures the dichotomy of where we were at when the album started coming together around 2018. You have all this enthusiasm and curiosity for the world but you’re not really sure what to make of any of it or what you’re meant to be doing, so you end up being open to everything.”

'Olew Nadroedd' is out this Friday 3rd May via Libertino.  

 

https://www.libertinorecords.com/

 

 

]]> Fri, 03 May 2024 02:16:48 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5744/the-art-of-translation-an-interview-with-susan-walton http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5744



AmeriCymru: Hi Sue and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. Care to introduce yourself and your work for our readers? 
Sue: Hello! It’s a pleasure to be here. ‘Here’ for me is near Porthmadog in North Wales. However, I lived near Aberystwyth in Mid-Wales until I was ten years old, and then lived on Anglesey (Ynys Môn) until my early twenties. 
I currently work as a proofreader and editor of English, and as a Welsh-to-English literary translator. But I didn’t start off that way! 
After school I trained as a cartographer, and then worked drawing maps by hand (that’s how old I am) for various local authorities. I went to university as a mature student, but that still didn’t get me any closer to doing what I do now – my degree is in a science subject. 
By my mid-forties I had some health issues that meant that working from home and at my own pace would be better for me than working in an office, which is what I was doing at the time. I decided to retrain as a proofreader and work freelance, which is what I do now. 
AmeriCymru: What is your Welsh language background? 
Sue: I grew up in Wales, but within a monoglot English family that was culturally English and (mostly) English language social settings. I had to do compulsory Welsh at school, but back when I was at school there wasn’t the same emphasis on the language as there is now, and I failed my Welsh O Level exam at 16. And that was that, or so I thought then. 
After realising that I’d need Welsh to work in the public sector in North Wales, and after many evening classes, I got my Welsh O Level at twenty-seven years of age. I secured a job with the Snowdonia National Park (now Eryri National Park), which meant I moved to live in a very culturally Welsh area. More adult Welsh classes, and just being sunk in a Welsh community, means that I’m now a fluent speaker and comprehender, a reasonably fluent reader, and an adequate writer of emails. 
AmeriCymru: How did you become involved in translation work? 
Sue: Through my proofreading work I was in contact with publishing houses in Wales, and was asked by Myrddin ap Dafydd at the publisher Gwasg Carreg Gwalch to translate poetry selections for a bilingual book called  Hud a Lledrith Llŷn / Llŷn a Magical Place  into English. My Welsh reading skills were still quite shaky at this point. (As an aside: I later learned that being asked to translate literature is quite rare; mostly translators pitch books they think would work in translation to publishers.) 
Since then, I’ve translated another thirteen books for Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, including eight novels for older children. Through doing this my reading skills have improved. I also took the basic Welsh-to-English translation test to qualify for membership of the Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru (the association of Welsh translators and interpreters), although I’m no longer a member. 
In 2020 I was the recipient of a mentoring award that was jointly funded by Literature Wales, Wales Literature Exchange, and the UK’s National Centre for Writing. This helped me to expand into translating adult literary fiction, and the outcome is my first translation of a novel for adults,  This House , which was published by 3TimesRebel Press in March 2024. (AmeriCymru readers may be pleased to see that it’s available as an ebook from Amazon.) 
Sian Northey is the author of the original novel, which is called  Yn y Tŷ Hwn . She and I are busy on the promotional trail at the moment as a bit of a double act


.


AmeriCymru: Where is the best place to go online for anyone seeking a wide selection of Welsh language children's books? 
Sue: The  Gwales  website, which is part of the Books Council for Wales, is a good place to start. Go to ‘Browse by Category’ and you’ll get a list divided into fiction and non-fiction, and by age groupings. However, you should be aware that some of the books listed are adaptations into Welsh of English books, such as those by David Walliams. 
AmeriCymru: You have translated many Welsh language children's books. Any favorites that you would particularly like to mention? 
Sue: The children’s books I’ve translated are by Myrddin ap Dafydd. They are all rollicking adventure stories, as well as providing a fun way of teaching aspects of Welsh history (and other lessons). I think he has done an especially good job with  The Moon is Red ,  Faster than the Swords  and  Fleeing the Fascists . All the novels are exciting, but what these three have in common is particularly gripping scenes of physical jeopardy. 
I also learned a lot by translating them and several of them introduced me to unfamiliar parts of Wales. I try and make a point of visiting the locations where the stories are set. I do this in my own time, of course, and this has made for some interesting trips. I also feel that it helps with the translation process if I have the lie of the land in my head. (Remember, I’m a geographer and cartographer at heart!). 
AmeriCymru: Are you working on any translation projects at the moment? 
Sue: I have just started on my next children’s novel translation for Gwasg Carreg Gwalch. The Welsh version will be out in May – just in time for the Urdd National Eisteddfod – with the title  Rhedyn, Merlyn y Mawn . I guess the English version will be published later this year, or early next. 
Not a current project, but I’d like to translate another of Sian Northey’s novels:  Perthyn . But I guess we need to see how successful  This House  turns out to be before I can consider pitching  Perthyn . I blogged about my year of being mentored while writing  This House , and about the subsequent search for a publisher. If you wish to see whether my  Perthyn  dream comes to fruition, I’m still posting on that  blog  every six months or so. 
AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru? 
Sue: If you read any of my translations, I hope you enjoy them!

]]> Wed, 01 May 2024 20:00:49 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5743/sister-envys-second-single-tide-an-epic-psych-tinged-anthem-focus-wales-debut http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5743



Sister Envy return with their awesome second single  ‘Tide’  on the 10th of May. The follow up to their warmly received debut single ‘ Mourning Sickness’ , the cinematic psychedelia of  ‘Tide’ , grows from enveloping heart on the sleeve melodies, decorated in a carousel of psych tinged guitars into a sprawling epic anthem.
‘I’ll be the one to saves you’  promises Joliffe in a track that’s woozy, romantic, mysterious yet with a sting in the tail. Gradually swelling into a fuzz laden chorus that has elements of the shoegaze anthems of Ride. Verve or the grungy gaze of early Smashing Pumpkins. It's another fascinating glimpse of Sister’s Envy’s sonic arsenal and world of intrigue and ambition that looks at the horizon beyond their North Walian homes. 
Vocalist and guitarist, Kameron Jolliffe says:  " Tide is the first song we recorded together as a band, I wrote it whilst severely hungover one sunny afternoon, it was one of those days where the moon was visible.. I wrote it about someone i used to see, a toxic relationship that still pulls you in just to inevitably throw you back. "


Sister Envy hail from the North Wales coast, a place of mystery, harshness, and beauty, a place where opportunity is blocked for younger people yet dreams can break through. It’s here that Sister Envy met at college, this fast-emerging Alternative Psychedelic rock quartet are a brand new signing to North Wales label Yr Wyddfa Records Snowdonia(home to Holy Coves). 
Sister Envy have been busy honing their sound in the studio with Welsh producers  Owain Ginsberg (Hippies Vs Ghosts) & Scott Marsden (Holy Coves) over recent months getting ready for the release of a trio of initial tracks. 
Their initial three singles were recorded in Liverpool at the famous Motor Museum Studio with Ben Harper. Mixed in France by Welsh legend Owain Ginsberg and mastered in Austin Texas by American producer Erik Wofford (The Black Angels).  Over the next twelve months, Sister Envy will invite you into their fascinating world over a series of singles releases and shows including a debut performance at Focus Wales in May.  Gradually revealing the different faces of their tapestry of sound and fledgling experience. 

  "Compelling, intense and brooding...something atonal beneath that sets it apart" Adam Walton, BBC Radio Wales .
 “Full of complexities, Verve-esque vibes from the early days, shoe-gaze tonalities with an undercurrent that is reminiscent of bands like Velvet Undergound, a heady blend of rock fused with 60’s psychedelia and delivered in a way that makes your head spin”  Upcoming Bands
“A raw and visceral blend of 90s Brit Rock with a twinge of psychedelic rock, with the spark and earnest nature of the early 2010s NME scene.”  We All Want Someone 





Sister Envy band members
Kameron Jolliffe - Vocals and Lead Guitar
Matty Waring - Guitar
Callum Jones - Bass
Ryan Roberts - Drums

http://www.facebook.com/sisterenvyband
http://www.instagram.com/sisterenvyband
http://www.twitter.com/sisterenvyband






]]> Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:36:47 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5741/sister-envys-new-single-tide-a-sprawling-psych-and-grunge-tinged-anthem-debut-appearance-at-focus-wales http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5741



Sister Envy · Tide



Sister Envy  return with their awesome second single  ‘Tide’  on the 10th of May. The follow up to their warmly received debut single ‘ Mourning Sickness’ , the cinematic psychedelia of  ‘Tide’ , grows from enveloping heart on the sleeve melodies, decorated in a carousel of psych tinged guitars into a sprawling epic anthem.
‘I’ll be the one to saves you’  promises Joliffe in a track that’s woozy, romantic, mysterious yet with a sting in the tail. Gradually swelling into a fuzz laden chorus that has elements of the shoegaze anthems of Ride. Verve or the grungy gaze of early Smashing Pumpkins. It's another fascinating glimpse of Sister’s Envy’s sonic arsenal and world of intrigue and ambition that looks at the horizon beyond their North Walian homes. 
Vocalist and guitarist, Kameron Jolliffe says:  " Tide is the first song we recorded together as a band, I wrote it whilst severely hungover one sunny afternoon, it was one of those days where the moon was visible.. I wrote it about someone i used to see, a toxic relationship that still pulls you in just to inevitably throw you back. "


Sister Envy hail from the North Wales coast, a place of mystery, harshness, and beauty, a place where opportunity is blocked for younger people yet dreams can break through. It’s here that Sister Envy met at college, this fast-emerging Alternative Psychedelic rock quartet are a brand new signing to North Wales label Yr Wyddfa Records Snowdonia(home to Holy Coves). 
Sister Envy have been busy honing their sound in the studio with Welsh producers  Owain Ginsberg (Hippies Vs Ghosts) & Scott Marsden (Holy Coves) over recent months getting ready for the release of a trio of initial tracks. 
Their initial three singles were recorded in Liverpool at the famous Motor Museum Studio with Ben Harper. Mixed in France by Welsh legend Owain Ginsberg and mastered in Austin Texas by American producer Erik Wofford (The Black Angels).  Over the next twelve months, Sister Envy will invite you into their fascinating world over a series of singles releases and shows including a debut performance at Focus Wales in May.  Gradually revealing the different faces of their tapestry of sound and fledgling experience. 



"Compelling, intense and brooding...something atonal beneath that sets it apart" Adam Walton, BBC Radio Wales .
“Full of complexities, Verve-esque vibes from the early days, shoe-gaze tonalities with an undercurrent that is reminiscent of bands like Velvet Undergound, a heady blend of rock fused with 60’s psychedelia and delivered in a way that makes your head spin” Upcoming Bands
“A raw and visceral blend of 90s Brit Rock with a twinge of psychedelic rock, with the spark and earnest nature of the early 2010s NME scene.”  We All Want Someone 


Sister Envy band members

Kameron Jolliffe - Vocals and Lead Guitar
Matty Waring - Guitar
Callum Jones - Bass
Ryan Roberts - Drums


http://www.facebook.com/ sisterenvyband
http://www.instagram.com/ sisterenvyband
http://www.twitter.com/ sisterenvyband



]]> Tue, 23 Apr 2024 21:23:32 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5738/yn-y-ty-hwn-by-sian-northey-now-published-as-this-house http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5738

THIS HOUSE by Sian Northey Translated from Welsh by Susan Walton Published by 3TimesRebel Press Plastic-free paperback with French flaps & Wibalin® endpapers Pages: 190 ISBN 978-1-7391287-9-1 Price £12.99 / e-book £6.99

Our first translation from Welsh comes out this March. The fair trade independent publisher 3TimesRebel Press is excited to announce the publication of This House . It is the sixth fiction title in our groundbreaking and debate-sparking catalogue of works in translation written exclusively by women in minority languages. This House is written by Sian Northey and translated by Susan Walton. It is a novel that comes out of a booming Welsh literary scene, as attested by last year’s Yoto Carnegie medal being awarded for a translation of a Welsh YA novel. Out 21 March 2024 Grief, solitude, and the inner call to be freed from her past are the threads that beautifully and tightly intertwine in this novel. Anna has lived alone for decades. She is cocooned by, and marooned in, an isolated cottage called Nant yr Aur in the Welsh mountains. The arrival of Siôn, a young man who seems strangely at home in the house, leads to an unpicking of Anna’s past. As Anna’s relationship with Siôn develops, her perspective on the solidity of her past shifts. Uncertainty, distortion, illusion and subtle betrayal are gradually exposed. Ultimately, a quietly devastating revelation changes the lives of both Siôn and Anna. Sian Northey writes with economy and precision, setting out what the life of a middle-aged woman with an emotionally complicated past feels like from the inside. 'Astute, understated, compassionate. Sian Northey gently unpicks the threads of love and memory that bind us to place and to each other. A beautiful, glowing gem of a novel, now brought to a wider audience by Susan Walton's wonderful translation.' Angharad Price, Welsh academic and novelist. Sian Northey has been a full-time writer for the last fourteen years. Almost all her work is written and published in Welsh. She is the author of three novels for adults, one poetry collection, three short story collections, several scripts, and numerous children’s and teens’ novels. Her novels are Yn y Tŷ Hwn (Gwasg Gomer, 2011), Rhyd y Gro (Gwasg Gomer, 2016), and Perthyn (Gwasg Gomer, 2019). In 2022 she co-edited the bilingual poetry anthology A470: Poems for the Road/Cerddi'r Ffordd (Arachne Press, 2022). Sian Northey is also a literary translator. She translated into Welsh the memoir The Journey is Home by John Sam Jones, and Alys Conran’s debut novel, Pigeon , which in its original English won the Wales Book of the Year Award in 2017. Both books were published in English and Welsh by Parthian Books in 2021 and 2016, respectively. She recently translated the award-winning The Last Firefox by Lee Newbery (Penguin Random House, 2022) under the title Y Llwynog Tân Olaf (Firefly Press, 2022). Susan Walton has been commissioned to translate books from Welsh to English for the publishing house Gwasg Carreg Gwalch since 2009. She has had fourteen translated books published, including eight novels for older children/young adults. During 2020 Susan was mentored under the Literature Wales scheme as an emerging literary translator. This House is her first translation of adult fiction. ABOUT 3TIMESREBEL PRESS Based in Dundee, Scotland, and founded by Bibiana Mas, 3TimesRebel Press is an independent publisher like no other, looking to shake up the publishing world and contemporary society. Challenging the mainstream by being rebel in three ways, 3TimesRebel Press exclusively publish books that are: written in minority languages originally; written by women; and finally written to inspire deep, challenging conversations. As a pioneering fair-trade publisher, 3TimesRebel Press work to achieve equitable agreements with their authors, translators, illustrators and partners. Their books are locally printed in the UK using responsibly sourced paper, minimising carbon footprint and following environmentally friendly standards. This House is its first plastic-free publication. 3TimesRebel Press are keen to preserve an artisanal feel and meticulous attention to detail in everything they do. Their books are beautifully designed by award-winning master in typography Enric Jardí, and each has a visually striking cover created by a nominated artist. Website : 3TimesRebel.com | X : @3TimesRebel | Instagram : @3TimesRebel
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THIS HOUSE gan Sian Northey Cyfieithwyd o'r Gymraeg gan Susan Walton Cyhoeddwyd gan 3TimesRebel Press Clawr meddal cyfan gwbl di-blastig
gyda fflapiau Ffrengig a thudalennau gweili Wibalin® Tudalennau: 190 ISBN 978-1-7391287-9-1 Pris £12.99 / e-lyfr £6.99

Bydd ein cyfieithiad cyntaf o'r Gymraeg yn ymddangos fis Mawrth eleni. Mae'r cyhoeddwr annibynnol marchnad deg 3TimesRebel wedi gwirioni eu bod yn cyhoeddi This House. Hwn fydd y chweched gyfrol ffuglen yn ein catalog arloesol sydd wedi ennyn cryn drafodaeth – cyfieithiadau Saesneg o lyfrau wedi'u hysgrifennu gan ferched mewn ieithoedd lleiafrifol. Ysgrifennwyd This House gan Sian Northey ac mae wedi cael ei gyfieithu gan Susan Walton. Fel y tystia llwyddiant The Blue Book of Nebo yn ennill gwobr Yoto Carnegie mae'r byd yn barod am gyfieithiadau o lyfrau Cymraeg. Dyddiad cyhoeddi 21 Mawrth 2024 Galar, unigedd, ac angen menyw i gael ei rhyddhau oddi wrth ei gorffennol yw'r llinynnau sydd yn plethu yn dynn a chelfydd yn y nofel hon. Mae Anna wedi byw ar ei phen ei hun ers degawdau. Caiff ei gwarchod, a'i hynysu, gan Nant yr Aur, ei chartref anghysbell. Yna mae Siôn yn ymddangos, dyn ifanc sydd fel petai'n od o gartrefol yn y tŷ, ac mae hynny'n arwain at ddatod gwead gorffennol Anna. Wrth i berthynas Anna a Siôn ddatblygu, sylweddola nad yw ei gorffennol mor gadarn ag y dychmygai. Bob yn dipyn datgelir ansicrwydd, twyll a brad tawel. Yn y diwedd mae datguddiad distaw ddinistriol yn newid bywydau Siôn ac Anna. Mae Sian Northey yn awdur eithriadol gynnil, ac yn cyflwyno bywyd mewnol menyw ganol oed sydd â gorffennol emosiynol gymhleth. Craff, cynnil a thawel angerddol. Perl o nofel sy'n datod edefynnau cariad a'r cofion sy'n ein clymu wrth le ac i'n gilydd. A braf yw gweld dawn arbennig Sian Northey yn cyrraedd cynulleidfa ehangach trwy gyfieithiad meistrolgar Susan Walton. Angharad Price Bu Sian Northey yn awdur llawn amser ers bron i bymtheg mlynedd bellach. Mae wedi cyhoeddi tair nofel i oedolion, un casgliad o gerddi, tri chasgliad o straeon byrion, a sawl llyfr i blant. Mae hefyd yn sgriptio a golygu. Ei nofelau yw Yn y Tŷ Hwn (Gwasg Gomer, 2011), Rhyd y Gro (Gwasg Gomer, 2016), a Perthyn (Gwasg Gomer, 2019). Yn 2022 cyd-olygodd, gyda Ness Owen, A470:Poems for the Road/Cerddi'r Ffordd (Arachne Press, 2022). Ond mae Sian hefyd yn gyfieithydd llenyddol ei hun. Cyfieithodd gofiant John Sam Jones, The Journey is Home , a nofel gyntaf Alys Conran, Pigeon , i'r Gymraeg o dan y teitlau Y Daith Ydi Adra a Pijin . Yn y Saesneg gwreiddiol enillodd Pigeon Lyfr y Flwyddyn yn 2017 a bu cynhyrchiad llwyfan dwyieithog llwyddiannus. Cyhoeddwyd y llyfrau hyn, yn Saesneg ac yn Gymraeg, gan Parthian. Yn ddiweddar cyfieithodd The Last Firefox gan Lee Newbery (Penguin Random House, 2022) o dan y teitl Y Llwynog Tân Olaf (Firefly Press, 2022). Mae The Last Firefox wedi ennill sawl gwobr. Mae Susan Walton wedi bod yn cael ei chomisiynu i gyfieithu llyfrau o'r Gymraeg i Saesneg ar gyfer Gwasg Carreg Gwalch ers 2009. Bellach mae tri ar ddeg o lyfrau a gyfieithwyd ganddi wedi'u cyhoeddi, gan gynnwys saith nofel ar gyfer plant hŷn neu oedolion ifanc. Yn ystod 2020 derbyniodd Susan fentoriaeth dan nawdd cynllun Llenyddiaeth Cymru ar gyfer cyfieithwyr llenyddol newydd. Dyma'r tro cyntaf iddi gyfieithu nofel lenyddol ar gyfer oedolion. GWYBODAETH AM WASG 3TIMESREBEL Lleolir y wasg yn Dundee yn yr Alban a chafodd ei sefydlu gan Bibiana Mas. Mae 3TimesRebel yn gyhoeddwr annibynnol unigryw a'r nod yw gweddnewid y byd cyhoeddi a chymdeithas. Gan herio'r prif-ffrwd trwy fod yn rebel mewn tair ffordd mae pob llyfr sy'n cael ei gyhoeddi gan 3TimesRebel wedi'i ysgrifennu yn wreiddiol mewn iaith leiafrifol, wedi'i ysgrifennu gan fenyw, ac yn olaf wedi'i ysgrifennu i ysbrydoli sgyrsiau dwfn a heriol. Fel cyhoeddwr marchnad deg blaengar mae 3TimesRebel yn ymdrechu i gael cytundebau teg gyda'i awduron, cyfieithwyr, darlunwyr a phartneriaid. Mae'r llyfrau yn cael eu hargraffu yn lleol yn y DU gan ddefnyddio papur wedi'i gaffael yn gydwybodol, gan wneud yr ôl troed carbon mor fach â phosib a chan gadw at safonau amgylcheddol gyfeillgar. This House fydd y llyfr cyntaf iddynt lwyddo i'w gynhyrchu heb unrhyw blastig yn y clawr hyd yn oed, peth sydd yn anghyffredin iawn. Mae 3TimesRebel yn awyddus i'r llyfrau gael eu cynhyrchu yn grefftus a chan roi sylw gofalu i'r manylion ym mhob ffordd. Creir dyluniad hardd y llyfrau gan y teipograffydd arobryn Enric Jardí, ac mae clawr trawiadol pob un wedi'i greu gan artist penodol.
Website : 3TimesRebel.com | X : @3TimesRebel | Instagram : @3TimesRebel ]]> Sun, 21 Apr 2024 23:08:58 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5736/worldcubs-new-album-back-to-the-beginning-out-17th-of-may-a-trippy-jaunt-through-past-lives-and-memory http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5736



Worldcub release their new album ‘Back to the Beginning’ is out 17th of May.   New single 'One Small Mistake' out on the 12th of April. 
Worldcub  invites you on a jaunt through past lives and memory with their brand new concept album  'Back To The Beginning'  a carefully crafted collection of tracks containing sharp hooks, joyous West Coast pleasure trips and contemplative stop-offs along the way. Beguiling lead single and title track rumbles through time and space, that opens up new worlds on the arms of a kraut rock groove. spacey guitar licks, splashes of keyboards, floating harmonies, the vocal interplay guides you deep into the mind's eye of a melody, at once both wistful for a past and for a future of unknowns. 

Worldcub, are a group from North Wales piloted by brothers Cynyr (guitar & vocals) and Dion Hamer (drums & vocals), they began their musical journey under the name CaStLeS, taking influence from 70s/80s  Paul McCartney  and DIY ‘Fantastic Man’,  William Onyeabor . They produce material from their home studio on the hills of Eryri, splicing together elements of surf guitar music, kraut-rock grooves and hypnotic psych tinged Cymru vocal harmonies.

Through fourteen lucid and addictive tracks  ‘Back To The Beginning’  journeys through wormholes, keyholes and time warps.   'Grog'  is an awesomely woozy trip, fantastic surf guitars decorate a pulsing percussive tapestry,  trippy and lilting vocals, it could be something lifted from the famous Nuggets compilations. Haunting  ‘One Small Mistake’  with its lucid melodies, almost bossa nova rhythms and bouncing psych pop sound, is an off kilter delight.  The album also contains previous single 'Look through the Keyhole' is a hypnotic, West Coast tinged, surf inspired jaunt through past lives and memory. The record also contains Welsh language tracks the gleaming  ‘Hel Y Hadau’  and the iridescent entwined melodies, 70s fuzz guitar and insidious percussion of  ‘Pwysau Yn Pwyso’  which translates as a Pressing Matter. 

Their self-released, site-specific themed debut album Fforesteering gained coverage on major platforms such as The Guardian and UNCUT Magazine, with air time on BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio Cymru & Wales. The band also earned their debut performance slot on the BBC Introducing stage at Reading & Leeds Festival and found success playing shows as part of the 'Horizons 12' scheme; which included a recording session at the historic Maida Vale Studios in London.

After an extensive run of live shows, including festivals such as Liverpool Sound City, Liverpool Psych Fest, Farmfest and more recently BreakOut West in Canada and main support to Public Service Broadcasting at FOCUS Wales Festival, Worldcub emerge again with a new catalogue of material for 2024 along with band members; Calvin Thomas on Bass and Jasmine Roberts on guitar.

Tour dates:



FOCUS Wales - 9th May




93 FEET EAST, London - May 24th




Gwyl Tawe, Abertawe - 8th June




No1 Harbourside, Bristol - 6th July


http://www.twitter.com/worldcubworld

http://www.worldcub.bandcamp.com


]]> Tue, 09 Apr 2024 21:48:23 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5734/siula-new-single-lucid-love-out-now-via-libertino http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5734
SENGL NEWYDD SIULA, 'LUCID LOVE', ALLAN NAWR AR LIBERTINO

Mae Siula, prosiect newydd Llion Robertson ac Iqra Malik, yn plethu pop-sinematig gydag alawon meddal ac mae'u trac diweddaraf, 'Lucid Love', yn gwneud union hynny mewn modd cwbl hudolus.

Yn gerddorol, mae 'Lucid Love' yn gweu alawon chwerw-felys gydag hooks hypnotig, tra bod y curiadau cyson yn cydio'n hiraethus a'n efelychu arddull artistiaid fel y Cocteau Twins a Yazoo.

Eglura Iqra: “Mae’r gân yn daith sy’n dangos cyfnodau o gariad a chaethiwed i rywbeth/rhywun, er eich bod yn gwybod nad ydynt yn dda i chi. Mae'n cyfleu’r da a'r drwg mewn perthynas a'r cryfder a ddaw ar ôl i'r cwbl ddod i ben."

Mae 'Lucid Love' allan nawr ar Libertino!

 



 


SIULA'S NEW SINGLE, 'LUCID LOVE', OUT NOW VIA LIBERTINO

Siula’s vivid sound pallet evokes a nostalgic yet futuristic dive into a world of poetic optimism and romantic vulnerability and that's perfectly realised on their new single, ‘Lucid Love’.

The Cardiff-based cinematic pop project from Llion Robertson and Iqra Malik have crafted a song that explores the darker side of love. ‘Lucid Love’ is unafraid to delve into the shadowy corners of the heart and expose hidden desire that can turn into romantic obsession.

Musically we can hear the influence of the Cocteau Twins' beautiful and fragile melodies intertwined with Yazoo’s hypnotic pop hooks to create a song naked in its open hearted vulnerability, even as the dance floor lights blind and the rhythm carries your troubles away.

Iqra explains: “The song is a journey that shows the stages of love and addiction to something/someone that’s bad for you; shows the highs and lows of being consumed by someone and the growth that comes after it’s all over. It’s kind of like looking back on something that you know was harmful but appreciating the euphoria you got from the experience (whilst knowing you’re grown enough to never go back).”


'Lucid Love' is out now via Libertino!




]]> Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:35:16 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5733/sybs-release-new-canned-laughter-single-via-libertino-sengl-newydd-sybs-canned-laughter-allan-nawr-ar-libertino http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5733
SENGL NEWYDD SYBS, 'CANNED LAUGHTER', ALLAN NAWR AR LIBERTINO

‘Canned laughter’ yw’r gân gyntaf a ysgrifennwyd ar y cyd rhwng gitarydd SYBS, Kieran Macdonald-Brown, a’r canwr/gitarydd, Osian Llŷr. Mae'n nodi sengl ddwyieithog cyntaf y band a hefyd yn ein cymryd yn gam yn agosach at albwm cyntaf SYBS, fydd allan cyn diwedd y flwyddyn.

Yn drac sydd â dylanwadau sy'n ymestyn o bossa nova i pync, mae 'Canned Laughter' yn dwyn ysbrydoliaeth gan bobl fel Mark E Smith (The Fall) a Dave Datblygu.

Eglura Kieran: "Yn y bôn, 'Canned Chwerthin' ydy fi'n trio 'sgwennu cân SYBS ar ôl cael fy nylanwadu'n fawr gan arddull 'sgwennu Osian. Ysgrifennais y riff yn gyntaf cyn gwneud rhyw fath o demo sydyn yn ystod y pandemig. Er hynny, ddo'th y gân 'mond at ei gilydd ar ôl i ni gyd ddod at ein gilydd yn y stiwdio yn Hounslow, ger Llundain, i recordio'r albwm. Yn fano, penderfynom y byddai'r trac yn gweithio'n dda yn ddwyieithog."

Ychwanega Osian: "Yn delynegol, roeddwn i eisiau 'sgwennu cân a oedd yn seiliedig ar fy mhrofiad i o weithio mewn swyddfa. Mae'n dilyn cymeriad unig sydd wedi llwyr colli diddordeb a'u gwaith 9-5 ac yna'n cwestiynu pa mor annheg yw gweld pobl eraill sy'n byw bywydau tebyg ond yn hapus ynddyn nhw ei hunain."

Mae 'Canned Laughter' allan nawr ar Libertino.

 




SYBS' NEW SINGLE, 'CANNED LAUGHTER', OUT NOW VIA LIBERTINO

‘Canned laughter’ is the first single written in collaboration between SYBS' guitarist, Kieran Macdonald-Brown, and singer/guitarist, Osian Llŷr. It’s also the bands first bilingual song and another step closer to the release of their eagerly anticipated debut album later this year.

‘Canned Laughter’ is bossa nova, post-punk with Mark E Smith meets Dave Datblygu urgent lead vocals pulling the listener in to be fully immersed in the bands exciting musical world. Kieran and Osian explain the background to the creation of their unique and compelling new single.

Kieran explains: "Basically ‘Canned Laughter’ is me trying to write a SYBS song, having been greatly influenced by Osian's writing style after a long stretch gigging throughout 2019, particularly in the summer. Writing the riff firstly, then making a sort of off-kitler muzak/Splatoon inspired demo when the pandemic kicked off. It wasn't until we got together to record the majority of the album in Hounslow that the arrangement, while still maintaining the casiotone beat and the quacky autowah lead lines, was fully worked out with Daf's drums and a heightened angst likely influenced by impending uni finals, the style beginning to lean more into bossa post-punk.

Synths and percussion were overdubbed a bit further down the line, keeping the electric organ sound but adding a g-funk-esque lead synth, at that time very influenced by GTA San Andreas theme. Then me and Osian, deciding it would be fitting to make it a bilingual song, decided to run with the more angsty/paranoid feeling."

Osian adds: "Lyrically, I wanted to write a narrative song, somewhat loosely based on my own experience of office work. It’s about a character who’s going through the motions at their 9-5 who’s lost a sense of purpose with their work, clocking out and wasting away the rest of their day watching sit coms, and becoming envious of these characters' positive outlook on life in spite of their repetitive lifestyle.

Eventually the character begins to spiral after a few too many instant coffees, loses grip on reality and begins to feel they themselves are in one of these sit coms, in a Truman show-esque sense, with every decision made for them already. Essentially it’s a meditation on ideas of free will, and what it is that gives us a sense of purpose and meaning".

 

'Canned Laughter' is out now via Libertino.

 

]]> Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:24:41 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5730/silent-forum-new-album-domestic-majestic-out-now-via-libertino http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5730
With tongue-in-cheek humour throughout, the themes of  ‘Domestic Majestic’  revolve around self-care in the face of the difficult and mundane early-2020s.  Here’s the Email  is the band at its angriest and mostdestructive - presenting the perspective of the disgruntled office worker, now working from home, juxtaposing corporate life lyrics with jagged post-punk chaos. “Here’s the email / Hope you are safe and well / Hope your family’s well.”

 

Indie number  Me but not Tired  captures recurring thoughts that can plague our minds as we try to sleep (lyrics appropriately written at 2am).  Treat Yourself  is the classic mixture of revealing, uncomfortable lyrics paired with animated, uplifting pop instrumentation. You can hear the band having a ball playing around in much poppier territory than they are used to. “Why don’t you treat yourself to a little self love / You matter, you matter so much / You don’t matter, you matter”.


On the other end of the spectrum you have  Petrol Station Flowers , perhaps the most different and defiant song on the album which could be described as ambient chamber pop. The ghostly slide guitar, reverberating synths and crisp percussion join together as a monumental cloud. It would be the band’s most romantic statement yet if it wasn’t for Better With You, a song which started life as a synth line run through various bass guitar pedals, forming the backbone of the melody. The guitars, trying to find a
way in, pull from classical music tropes rarely heard in rock music. This results in a bombastic, spy movie feel. 

 

Yes Man’s  opening and closing choral sections were devised by producer  Charlie Francis  over 2 years after the band had written the bulk of the track. It sounds as if David Byrne was invited to write a songfor Gran Turismo 5 - the ultimate driving song.

 

The lyrics relate to life working under a psychopath, againneatly fitting into the album’s self-care theme. The eye-catchingly titled  The Grand Burstin Hotel  (named after the dilapidated ship shaped hotel in Folkestone, Kent) provides another curveball with the bandunexpectedly embracing a swing time rhythm.

 

Whilst they wear many hats it all fits neatly on one record.  

 

'Domestic Majestic Tracklist'
1. Yes Man
2. Here’s the Email
3. Treat Yourself
4. Better with You
5. Me but not Tired
6. Cat Pose
7. The Grand Burstin Hotel
8. Petrol Station Flowers
9. U OK?
10. Little Bird

 

 

'Brilliant Band!'


John Kennedy, Radio X 

 

'Silent Forum have the best lyrics'


Bethan Elfyn, BBC Radio Wales

 

'It's my favorite new song'


Gary Crowley, BBC Radio London

 

'Featuring more ideas that some manage in entire careers...that's fantastic'


Adam Walton, BBC Introducing

 

"Eschewing many of the tired troupes of modern indie bands Silent Forum have an ambition, vision andthe tunes that make them irresistible."


God Is In The TV Zine


“Silent Forum are a combination of shadowy post punk and the more accessible side of indie rock. Theymove from cold and brooding to nervy, and almost overbold.” 

Destroy//Exist


“Silent Forum provide a cinematic take on broody indie rock… The band melds thrumming guitar linesand emphatic vocals with an unwavering beat.”


Buffablog

“So many textures and layers...the rippling guitars and the wall of voices that hit you when you first listen to it...i'm absolutley obsessed'


Molly Palmer, BBC Radio Wales



 

]]> Sat, 24 Feb 2024 02:33:23 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5729/gillie-releases-new-yn-y-bore-ep-via-libertino-gillie-yn-rhyddhau-ep-newydd-yn-y-bore-ar-libertino http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5729
Deeply influenced by place, Gillie blends musically on songs that make up ‘Yn Y Bore’ gold-flecked guitar loops into an ambient haze on top of relentless driving rhythms. Gillie harnesses the anxieties, stress and struggles of modern life, weaving them into something unapologetic and inherently intimate.

Gillie explains:

“There have been a lot of changes in my life over the time I wrote this collection of songs. It captures a chapter of two years, with lots of uncertainty and big changes - as this track title suggests, I wanted to end the EP on something that says it's all going to work itself out by the arrival of the morning.

This is the first collection of tracks that I have ever released in Welsh, and it feels nice to bind them together within an EP. These songs are really special to me; I can hear the journey that I have gone on as an artist when I listen to them, and a growth in confidence. They are in chronological order with regards to when they were written and released, so I feel it takes the listener on a journey too.

There are moments of light and dark throughout all four tracks, which perfectly encapsulates my feelings around uncertainty and change. It was really cathartic to explore space and texture within this EP, and lay a foundation for what’s to come next.”

]]> Sat, 24 Feb 2024 02:24:12 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5727/diaries-of-victorian-welsh-swagman-republished http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5727



This week sees the extraordinary book  Pity the Swagman: The Australian Odyssey of a Victorian Diarist  by Bethan Phillips republished. Described by the late Jan Morris as “a truly fascinating book”,  Pity the Swagman  is a classic that has been out of print for over twenty years. 
The book is the biography of Joseph Jenkins (1818-98) who was a successful farmer in Tregaron in west Wales. Without warning, aged 50, he left his farm and family to travel Australia and live as an itinerant farm labourer. His diaries returned to Wales with him and were kept by one of his daughters for over 70 years, until a chance encounter between the author and Joseph Jenkins’ great-grand-daughter. 
In his Preface to the book, Dr R. Brinley Jones, then President of the National Library of Wales, describes it as “a very moving human story” and Bethan Phillips’ work as both “readable and scholarly”.
The diary illustrates both the state of Welsh rural society at the time – with social and financial inequality between the poor and the gentry - and the corruption in parliamentary elections. The hardships endured by early migrants to Australia and the travails of the Aborigines are described, as well as the fate of the Kelly Gang. 
In her Foreword, written in 2002, Bethan Phillips says:
“The diaries reveal him as a man seeking to exorcise his own demons by attempting to escape from them, but they also reveal him as an astute observer of the people and occurrences impacting on his own eventful life. His dogged determination in keeping a daily journal, often under the most difficult of circumstances and in the most unpropitious surroundings, has given us a uniquely valuable historical record of life in the nineteenth century.” 
Bethan Phillips’ spent 15 years studying the original diaries, which covered a period of 58 years, skilfully choosing extracts from them. She also spoke to Joseph Jenkins’ descendants, still living in Ceredigion, hearing family stories, and reading further writings, including his poetry, which won prizes. She also followed Joseph Jenkins’ footsteps in Australia, which was filmed for a documentary for the BBC. 
Joseph Jenkins’ diary spanned 58 years and is celebrated as one of the richest sources of information about life in rural Australia.  Pity the Swagman  is an in-depth, authoritative study of rural life in the nineteenth century and is studied on the school curriculum in Australia. 

Pity the Swagman  by Bethan Phillips (£16.99, Y Lolfa) is available now.


]]> Wed, 14 Feb 2024 03:19:18 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5726/angharad-releases-brand-new-hormone-called-love-single-and-announces-motherland-debut-album-via-libertino http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5726
The latest single to be taken from  ANGHARAD’s  debut album,  ‘Motherland’  (out on March 1st) is the joyous and unstoppable  ‘Hormone Called Love’


“If there was ever a song to sum up my recent journey into songwriting and motherhood, it would be this.
This is a feel-good song about music and love. It's about all those gorgeous, juicy hormones we need to bond with one another, make love and... give birth! Oxytocin is often referred to as the love hormone. Along with endorphins and adrenaline, the body creates quite a potent concoction of chemicals during labour.


I practised for birth like I would practise for a gig. In stead of scales and arpeggios, I'd be doing my breathing exercises, my visualisations, my meditations. I took my labour as serious as my music. And it paid off. I had the most wonderful, un-assisted home births - twice - all through the power of hypnobirthing.


I soon realised in the first few days and weeks of my daughter's life, that the only way to communicate with a newborn baby is to sing to them. Singing became a way not only to soothe and entertain my baby, but myself too. This is one of those songs that popped out postpartum, when reflecting on birth and motherhood.




Without oxytocin, the world would be a love-less place. Cwtsh up to your loved ones, and make music people!” -  Angharad  

 

Hormone Called Love Lyrics

 

Chorus

This hormone called love

This hormone called love

Can’t stop thinking of

This hormone called love

Gets you through anything I can think of

This hormone called love

This hormone called love.

 

When I was a child

I wanted to be

A musician first

Then a mother of three

Now I am both

Am I doing it well?

God only knows

Only time will tell.

 

Hypnobirthing yeah

I know that I can and my body will.

Oxytocin yeah,

Cwtsh up baby it’s such a thrill!

 

Chorus

 

I sing in the night

and I sing in the day

I sing when I work and

I sing when I play

I sing to my baby

to get her to sleep

It’s the only way I know

And it sure works a treat.

 

Chorus





 

Motherland – Angharad




I am mother . These are the first words we hear after hitting play on Swansea-based [genre: e.g. pop-folk storyteller] Angharad’s debut album Motherland, and this affirmation resounds across the twelve tracks that follow, revealing the gravity of what initially appears to be a simple statement but is in fact an assertion weighted by the story of mothers and motherhood across the ages. I am strong. I am gentle. I am mountainwoman. I am nourisher . I am life-giver . I am all you need right now. I am the moon and the stars. I am everything to you. I am your world.


It’s said that early motherhood is simultaneously the happiest and hardest period of time a mother can experience, and this is reflected by the juxtaposition of the dreamlike spoken-word jazzscape of title track ‘Motherland’ and the bass-driven midnight-feed nightmare of ‘Postpartum’. In ‘Motherland’ we listen as the tidal pull of the moon ushers new life in – “nocturnal and luminous” – while in the album’s first single ‘Postpartum’ both music and mother unravel in an unapologetic cacophony of fatigue and repetition: “I’m exhausted and I’m broken, exhausted and I’m broken, I’m exhausted and I’m broken…get off my tits.”


As the songs that open the album, these two compositions couldn’t be more different, but as Angharad points out “...this is exactly what motherhood is like. It’s the joys and horrors.  Elation and despair . I put those songs next to each other because that’s how it is in real life – you can feel both emotions simultaneously .”


Although Angharad is an experienced musician, perhaps best-known as part of revivalist Welsh folk band Calan, Motherland represents her first foray into songwriting – something which has long been an ambition. “I’ve always felt like I had a lot to say , but I presumed that someone else somewhere would be saying the same things. It took me so long to realise nobody else can tell my story .” However , it was the double isolation of experiencing early motherhood during Covid lockdowns that finally made her pull on this songwriting thread. “I’ve always collaborated with others when it comes to music, but lockdown forced me to work alone. I’ve written melodies in the past, but never lyrics. I began with making up songs to get my daughter Tanwen to sleep, and then I’d find myself fine-tuning them during daily walks with her in the pram, or making up new ones. I’d never sung before but, after becoming a mother , finding my voice was both a necessity and a gift.”

 

Being out in nature during those spring lockdown walks became a strong influence on the writing of the songs, reflecting how parenthood can promote a realignment with the natural world. But, in ‘Hey , There’s Always the Night’, there is also the acknowledgement that first child can squeeze a creative life – the whirlwind of the day’s activities forcing the artist to snatch inspired moments out of hours. Angharad invites us into this quiet exhale at the end of a day by imagining “when the baby’s asleep, I will write,” but over the course of the song there’s a realisation that mothers never clock off – who else “is keeping us clean and fed and dressed?” – and so the Muse will have to wait her turn.


If nature provided inspiration, then so too did the fact that these songwriting walks were plotted across her hometown Swansea and, when restrictions eased, the wider map of Wales. Angharad’s geographical motherland provides the setting for this album which, even though it covers universal themes, is unashamedly and defiantly Welsh. Angharad admits she has her parents to thank for this desire to tell the stories of ‘here’ rather than ‘there’. Her mother is the Celtic harpist Delyth Jenkins, who Angharad plays violin alongside in folk duo DnA, and her father is the late poet Nigel Jenkins. His long poem ‘Advice to a Young Poet’ is often cited as a ‘go-to’ for writers seeking inspiration and direction – counting last year ’s Forward Prize winner Kim Moore amongst its disciples – and Angharad says it’s a piece she’s revisited a lot while writing the album, having never really put pen to paper before.

 

In the poem, Nigel writes that “[it] may sometimes be there, but here is rarely too small a place.” Entering parenthood after losing a parent yourself often sees raw grief resurface, and so it was a poignant moment to have early listeners pick out the influence of John Cale and Patti Smith on the sound of Motherland, two big musicians from Angharad’s childhood: “I remember my parents driving us to the leisure centre when we were young and Mum telling Dad to stop playing Patti Smith’s Horses because of the swearing. That cassette was on constant rotation in the car , along with Paris 1919 by John Cale. I wasn’t conscious of their effect on my own music, so it was very moving to have people hear their influence on Motherland. It took me right back to listening to them in the car with my dad.”
 

Though she has dabbled with her mother ’s instrument the Celtic harp, the violin has always been Angharad’s main love, taking it up alongside the piano when she was a child. In the foot-tapping funk-inspired ‘Hormone Called Love’, she reveals that when she was growing up she wanted to be both a musician and a mother . But with adulthood came the realisation that women have long been told to choose either children or career: “Having children had a huge effect on my mother ’s career as a musician while she raised us. It was only after my sister and I became young adults that she returned to music properly . Even before I was ready to have children, this question was always something that was on my mind: how can you be both a musician and a mother?” This question is explored across the groove riffs of ‘Hormone Called Love’ and, elsewhere on the album, ‘Because I Am a Woman’ (released as a Double A single alongside ‘Postpartum’) attacks deep-rooted misogyny with a disco upbeat. Angharad wants Motherland to change the narrative, proving that you can make music and be a mother at the same time. These things are not mutually exclusive.


With the exception of playing as part of the album’s string quartet, the recording of Motherland saw Angharad put down her instruments and focus solely on singing and composition. All of the songs on the album (as well as a few that didn’t make it) were written during a prolific period of creativity in 2021, and recorded in the autumn of that year in producer friend Aeddan Williams’ attic studio while Angharad was expecting her second child. Surrounded by vintage Welsh tourist board posters, the two friends were joined by musicians from the Royal Welsh College and managed to record the whole album in a weekend. “Albums usually take a lot longer than that to write and record,” says Angharad, “but once I started writing it was like opening a rusty tap and all the songs appeared within six months. Sleep deprivation helped in a way , giving me more hours in the day to write!”


Luckily the recording of Motherland was wrapped up before Angharad’s second child Idris made an appearance in March 2022, but once again maternity leave has been accompanied by a visit from the Muse: “It’s not sustainable to have a baby each time you need to write a new album, but baby number two was quickly followed by album number two – at least in terms of lyrics and melodies. It seems like my creative process is greatly aided by my time being squeezed.”


As an album of songs Motherland takes a trip across many genres, but with a story that unifies its diverse parts. And this is a story only Angharad can tell – from the soaring power of the string-lush anthem ‘Don’t Burn Bridges’ to the gentle, tragic beauty of ‘Little Baby Embryo’. The second Double A single, ‘I Don’t Know How / Time, Time Again’, will pair two of Motherland’s explorations of time passing – something that is always brought into sharp focus when you become a parent, but seemed sharper again when that happened for Angharad during a global pandemic. ‘Time, Time Again’ was born out of existential questions rising to the surface during lockdown, while she calls ‘I Don’t Know How’ her “anti-botox song…because there is so much to love about getting older .” The album intentionally contains multitudes because that is what motherhood is like. It’s a brightly layered celebration of parenthood, but it also includes a seam of grief for an old life that has been lost forever – a discordant phenomenon that many parents will recognise.


The album closes with a trilogy of love songs for Angharad’s daughter Tanwen. The tender and intimate ‘Every Inch of You’, which feels like the outpouring of a full heart, is followed by the quiet lullaby of ‘Hwiangerdd Tanwen’. Although Angharad predominantly works in the Welsh language for her other musical projects, ‘Hwiangerdd Tanwen’ is the first time we hear Cymraeg on her debut album, drawing upon her work with the charity Live Music Now to help new parents write songs for their children. And so it is time to leave Motherland, the final track ‘Babi Ni’ acting as an ear-worm outro to the record – a foot-stomping slice of fireside folk. Eventually the riotous communal singing falls away to reveal only baby Tanwen, her sweet singing voice closing an album where her mother proves that she has very much found her own. As Tanwen finishes singing, Angharad asks “Eto?” – the Welsh for “Again?” Yes, let’s hit that play button once more, and hear Motherland’s resounding affirmation:  I am mother .

 



Motherland Tracklist
 

1. Motherland
2. Postpartum
3. Little baby embryo
4. I don’t know how
5. Don’t burn bridges
6. Because I’m a woman
7. Hey, there’s always the night
8. Time, time again
9. Hormone called love
10. Every inch of you
11. Hwiangerdd Tanwen
12. Babi ni

 

All songs written by Angharad Jenkins, and arranged by Aeddan Williams. Produced by Aeddan Williams, Samuel Barnes and Angharad Jenkins. Engineered and mixed by Samuel Barnes. Mastered by Charlie Francis. Photographs by Laurentina Miksys Design by Jon Safari

 

Band

Angharad Jenkins: lead vocals, violin



Aeddan Williams: double bass, electric bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals,
percussion

Alex Burch: drum kit, backing vocals (track 12)

John Close: electric guitar, double bass, electric bass, backing vocals (track 12)

Michael Blanchfield: piano, hammond, backing vocals (track 12)

Samuel Barnes: backing vocals, percussion 

Angharad Jenkins: violin

Aneirin Jones: violin

Haz Thomas: viola

Jordan Price-Williams: cello Horns 

Ted Smith: trumpet

Rachel Head: alto sax (as above and track 10), backing vocals (track 12)

Joe Northwood: tenor sax






]]> Wed, 07 Feb 2024 19:58:46 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5725/newports-premier-one-day-event-colour-clash-returns-this-july http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5725



BUY TICKETS HERE


Colour Clash, Gwent's premier one-day festival is thrilled to announce its highly anticipated return to Tredegar Park, Newport on Saturday, 20th July 2024, with headliner ArrDee and special guests Ben Nicky and Shy FX
Early bird tickets for Colour Clash Festival have already sold out, showcasing the immense excitement surrounding this event. However, music lovers can access priority access to the next ticket release here https://www.colour-clash.co.uk/prereg/ UK rapper ArrDee heads up the bill with appearances from, Ben Nicky, and Shy FX, Nathan Dawe, Badger, Issey Cross, Oppidan, Darren Styles, David Rust, Sander Van Doorn, and many more artists will take the stage, ensuring a colourful and vibrant atmosphere throughout the day.

Brighton’s ArrDee is proving to be one of the UK’s most exciting MCs. Adorned with charisma, the self-confessed “cheeky chappy”, rose to instant fame with his feature on Russ Millions and Tion Wayne’s ‘Body (Remix)’. The viral hit became the first drill track to reach number one on the UK charts, soundtracks over a million TikToks, and has clocked up 200 million streams.
The young MC has cemented his place at the top of the charts. He bagged three UK Top 10s in just three months, with ‘Body (Remix), T2-sampling Digga D-collab ‘Wasted’, and the string-
laden ‘Oliver Twist’. Dropping hit after hit, his infectious charisma and witty wordplay have continued to shine through. His most recent, ‘Flowers (Say My Name)’, samples the iconic beats of Sweet Female Attitude’s ‘Flowers’ and Destiny Child’s ‘Say My Name’ behind a garage-heavy deep dive into his Casanova-lifestyle.
Making noise as one of the busiest electronic artists on Earth, Ben Nicky is poised to take on the world. Earning supreme accolades from industry trailblazers, Ben is recognized by Diplo as the “leader of a new movement” and by Armin van Buuren as “one of the hardest working DJs in the industry.” Reaching new heights with chart-topping hits across Beatport, Spotify, and iTunes, Ben has become a household name across the dance music spectrum with his penchant for fast-moving beats. Coined by Pete Tong as a “multi-genre specialist” and “one of the planet’s busiest DJs,” Ben continues to lead fans and artists alike on social media to millions of online followers.
Escape Records, the collective behind Colour Clash Festival, is no stranger to organizing Wales' most prominent music festivals. With a track record that includes successful events such as In It Together Festival, Inside Out, Party in the Park, and the beloved Escape Festival, they have consistently brought world-class entertainment to Newport. Previous events have featured exceptional performances by Example, Jax Jones, Wilkinson, Joel Corry, Professor Green, Lethal Bizzle, Sub Focus, Jason Manford, and Bill Bailey, leaving festival-goers craving more.

As Colour Clash Festival returns to Newport, it reaffirms its commitment to providing an unparalleled experience for music enthusiasts. With its diverse lineup, lively atmosphere, and the expertise of Escape Records, this festival is set to become a highlight of the summer calendar.
Colour Clash will take place in Tredegar Park, Newport on Saturday, 20th July 2024.


]]> Tue, 06 Feb 2024 22:01:19 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5724/all-good-things-a-farewell-to-sioni-dda http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5724



AmeriCymru: You have some news for the readers and members of AmeriCymru. Care to share?

John: After what turned out to be a 48-year, 3-month vacation in America, I’m packing up my books, socks, underpants, musical instruments, mementos and (did I forget something?) memories, in order to head back across the Atlantic Ocean to live again somewhere near Port Talbot, Swansea Bay, or as the locals call it–San Pablo on the Costa del Abertawe.
AmeriCymru: What are your predictions for 2024? Will Wales land on the moon?
John: We already did, but it was on the dark side at midnight, and nobody saw us. Predictions? Wales will have a wet summer in 2024. 25, 26, 27...

AmeriCymru: How would you rate the success of the AmeriCymraeg course over the years?

John: I’d have to say it has been pretty successful considering. Our online Welsh language classes are ongoing, and will have to adapt to time differences, but quite a few people have gone on to become fluent.
AmeriCymru: Will you continue to teach Welsh when you get home?

John: Yn bendant/definitely. I’ve already contacted pro-active types in the area, and hope to contribute to the local efforts and also teach music in Welsh. Particularly Welsh Traditional. There’s increasing interest in both language and folk music in South Wales. Relearning and helping people learn Y Gymraeg/The Welsh Language was an act of love for me, as well as a political statement. Being able to speak to my mother in her native language, as well as showing the middle finger to the naysayers and the old enemy across Offa’s dyke, is the gift that keeps on giving.
AmeriCymru:. What can you tell us about life in Port Talbot?  
John: AAAH! I love the smell of the Steelworks in the morning!! I grew up in the shadow of the blast furnaces, and the romance of unbounded emissions has never left me. It’s the classic “Dirty ol’ Town” that everyone born there loves. Most–unlike myself–never leave, or certainly not for long. But I’m looking forward to the strange industrial beauty of the rolling mill on a balmy summer evening, the sweet coughing of the songbirds, and startling contrast of the nearby seashore, gorse-covered hills, rivers and valleys. So, to answer your         question directly, life in Port Talbot is contradictory.
AmeriCymru: Are you for or against Marmite?

John: I would remind you that I’m a part-time vegan (cockles, Mrs Evan’s pies, cod and chips excluded)!
AmeriCymru: Have you missed proper bacon?

John: I didn’t know he’d left.
AmeriCymru:  Any musical recommendations? Current Welsh bands/artists? 
John: Adwaith, The Gentle Good (no relation). An oldie but goody (no relation), if you can find recordings, the Rocking Sikh with his big local hit “My Poppadom Told Me”, “Turbans Over Memphis”, and “Who’s Sari Now”?
AmeriCymru: What's next for John Good? Will we be hearing from you in Port Talbot?

John: I’ll still be contributing short stories and poetry to Ninnau, and you can always see what I’m up to at my website: https://tramormusic.com
AmeriCymru:. Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?

John: People have asked me over the years why I had left such a beautiful place as Cymru/Wales. My stock answer was that it was a slow Wednesday. It’s certainly not been slow living in San Francisco, LA, Phoenix and now Prescott Valley, Arizona. Now, people ask me why I’m leaving such a beautiful place as the high grasslands of Yavapai County. Well, I don’t have a trite answer this time. The tug of war of many close friends in both countries is intense, but in the end adventure, family, language, culture and hiraeth have won out. Strange to say these days, having been gone so long, Cymru/Wales is something of a foreign country to me, but is simultaneously my home, an old friend, a half forgotten lover, no one can turn down. I’m thankful for all my American playmates, friends of disaster and fellow dreamers. It has been a hell of a three month trip, and before I change my mind, I’ll just say Hyd y tro nesa/Until the next time.
]]> Sun, 04 Feb 2024 23:53:08 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5723/aaronson-release-stunning-post-rock-single-shipwrecks-out-now-via-dirty-carrot-records http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5723


Cardiff based post-rock band ' AARONSON'  today release their brand new single   'SHIPWRECKS'  via  Dirty Carrot Records.

Taken from last year's acclaimed debut album  'The Great Swells That Carry Us Will Pull Us Under'  which was a sonic marvel filled with beautifully arranged ambient post-rock and grabbed the attention of numerous corners of the music press and Radio  including  Adam Walton ,  BBC Radio Wales ,  A Closer Listen ,  Where The Music Meets ,  Buzz Magazine ,  Destroy Exist, Amplify The Noise, Ear To The Ground Music,  and many more.

 

SHIPWRECKS  is the final release from  AARONSON’s  2023 album ' The Great Swells That Carry Us Will Pull Us Under'  and charts the turbulent midwaters of the record. It has become a staple in  AARONSON’s  live set, bringing unique time signatures and textures to  AARONSON’s  ethereal, cavernous sound.

 

"A writhing, haunting introduction that lurches unsteadily underfoot, and grows confidently as the song progresses into a sweeping, euphoric midsection."

 

Strings and guitars meld into one as waves of melody intertwine before the band finish with a trademark crescendo; guitar motif's that loop and build as they blossom into a wave of reverb-drenched layers thatenvelop the listener, while the drum patterns become increasingly frenetic and thunderoustowards the track’s breathless end.


AARONSON  are a post rock band from South Wales, whose towering layers of melody and epic crescendos have seen them share a stage with  NORDIC GIANTS ,  COLDBONES ,  A-TOTA-SO  and  FALSE HOPE FOR THE SAVAGE , finished runners up at The Big Gig Wales 2020, be nominated for a Cardiff Music Award and release their cinematic EP  'YOU ARE NOT A STRANGER HERE'.

 

 

QUOTES FOR AARONSON

 

'a perfect post-rock title'

A Closer Listen


"exceptionally adept at what they do!"
Destroy Exist

 

"an aural aura of being caught in between the rolling deluge of the ocean"
Amplify The Noise


"brilliantly craft a near perfect post rock sound"
Ear To The Ground

“Songs that incorporate plenty of slow burn and build up,

resulting in gorgeous crescendos”
The Razor’s Edge

 



'Soaring guitar melodies, pummeling percussion, dips and valleys that explode like fireworks from a bonfire'

Tome to The Weather Machine



 

]]> Fri, 02 Feb 2024 17:29:07 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5722/welsh-band-three-smiles-wide-release-brand-new-single-warm-ice-cream-with-all-proceeds-to-my-big-cancer-fundraiser http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5722
WELSH  band  Three Smiles Wide  will donate all the money raised from their latest single to help pay for treatment for a 38 year old with cancer.


Three Smiles Wide were recording the single at Sonic One Studios in Llanelli when they heard that Luke had suffered a seizure whilst walking in central London. Luke Thomas, from Kidwelly in the Gwendraeth Valley, found out he had seven metastases in his brain – type four cancer.


He was originally diagnosed with skin cancer in 2014 and has raised more than £65,000 for Melanoma Focus while walking the entire Welsh coast. The treatment he received originally worked and doctors classified Luke as ‘NED’ or ‘no evidence of disease’.


However, with the new diagnosis, options are beginning to run out and once he builds resistance to the targeted treatment he has been receiving for the past three years, there will be no more alternatives on the NHS.


Luke’s family and friends are now raising money to pay for immunotherapy as he doesn’t meet the criteria for it to be paid for by the NHS. They’ve managed to raise nearly £25k already.


Three Smiles Wide are hoping they can add to that and help Luke exceed the £100k needed for one round of immunotherapy. Drummer Sam Peric went to school with Luke and the trio are all from the Kidwelly area. The three-piece band also played at ‘Luke Fest’ in 2019 to raise money for Melanoma Focus.


The song, called Warm Ice Cream, will be available to buy from Friday,  2nd February 2024 and coincides with a sold out Party for Luke event taking place on Saturday, 3rd February.



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