"In the summer of 2009, whilst out causing trouble on a Friday night; i chanced upon a new band, 'Paul the Doorman' playing their debut gig. Although other commitments dictated i should be elsewhere, i couldn't resist watching as the band contained 3 musicians with which i was already familiar: Matthew Cleghorn (Bedlam Six), Ben Hayward (Feast of Fools) & Phill Howley (Liz Green). Expectations were exceptionally high and you could tell the crowd had been waiting some time for this debut.
What followed can only be described as truly outstanding; songs which felt more crafted than written, a combination of Matthew Cleghorn's intricate, yet immediately accessible composition and musical arrangements from one of the best rhythm sections in Manchester. I left that night wanting more and genuinely excited at the prospect of their debut EP.
Fast forward to autumn 2013. An e-mail arrives from Dogface Records containing an early version of the debut EP by 'Paul The Doorman', can't be the same band, i thought.... I was wrong! Four years may seem like a long time to produce an EP, but due to the success of other projects, the band have been otherwise engaged and for my part, i have to say it was well worth the wait.
The EP is like an homage to all the greatest rock bands that existed; ranging from The Kinks to QOTSA, with just a touch Zappa for good measure. Constructed with the usual attention to detail you would expect from a Cleghorn project, it gleefully references it's inspiration and manages to be both unexpected and instantly palatable. With a debut EP this good, a four year wait seems a small price to pay."
credits
released January 30, 2014
Guitar/Vox: Matthew Cleghorn
Bass/Vox: Ben Hayward
Drums/Vox: Phill Howley
Produced by Matthew Cleghorn
Recorded and released by Dogface Records 2013.
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