Pool Of Sound - Marvin Powell

 

Marvin Powell is a singer / songwriter from the working class suburb of Wavertree, Liverpool. He has been performing on the Liverpool music scene since his late teens, shyly creeping into open mic nights, overcoming severe stage fright to hone his craft and scurrying away again into the velvety twilight of which he sings. On getting his first job in a local coffee shop that hosted open mic nights, his love affair with music was ignited. Naturally self-effacing and shy, only after months mustering the confidence to get up himself, was he able to overcome his nerves to test the water with his own compositions. This musician who has been playing and writing since his mid-teens, probably half his life, is now based on the Wirral and is part of a musical community which gives him the chance to play solo and in bands. In 2017, as the latest Skeleton Key (She Drew The Gun, Sundowners) signee, he followed up his acclaimed debut collection 'Salt' with a new EP 'Wind Before The Train', produced by James Skelly and Rich Turvey. Robin Murray for Clash had this to say, "Marvin Powell seems able to conjure entire worlds with just a flutter of acoustic notes, and a few well-chosen worlds. A songwriter of remarkable depth, his folk-hewn styles are worth comparing to Bert Jansch or Nick Drake without ever becoming a direct parallel. Burrowing within himself, each song from Marvin feels like a wonderfully intimate experience, ushering the listener over a private threshold. His EP 'Wind Before The Train' is out now, and it's a short burst of gorgeous, pastoral imagery."

Becoming Merseyside’s most unique and hauntingly honest disarming folk styled singer-songwriter, he has earned the love and respect of fans and hugely influential peers alike having released a number of singles and EPs culminating in his debut album 'Dust Of The Day' in 2019.

At LEAF on Bold Street, Liverpool 2019

At Jimmy's in Liverpool in August 2019, the Skeleton Key signed singer-songwriter took to a smoke filled and dimly lit stage, with the aura only adding to his performance. His voice was a joy to listen to as he debuted some new material in 'The Prophecy', 'Tenant of My Own Time', and 'Careless By The Coast' to the swelling room. His sound had a sense of escapism and its serene storytelling, with delicate vocals, was intertwined with intricate guitar sections. Following this he appeared at Leaf on Bold Street in September, where he served up a quality set of songs from his newly released album 'The Dust of the Day'.

After numerous tour supports with 'The Coral', 'She Drew The Gun' and legends 'The Fairport Convention' and gaining fans from 6Music’s Steve Lamacq, Lauren Laverne and Radio 1's Jericho Keys, it had been a labour of love and emotional journey for Marvin, as he slowly developed his second album, written at his home in West Kirby. 'Careless By The Coast', the follow up to 'Dust Of The Day', was recorded over two years with Tim Cunningham ('The Sundowners', Jamie Webster, 'The Lightning Seeds') engineering and producing, offering an honest reflection of what was going on during a period in Marvin's life. Martin explained, "Some of the songs like 'The Prophecy', 'Careless By The Coast' and 'Tenant Of My Own Time' I'd had and gigged for a while prior to recording, so it was nice to finally get them down and work with artists like Fiona Skelly and Mat Gray who'd both played with me during this time. After that the rest just seemed to flow out of me." The album was recorded partly in Parr Street Studios, then finished up in Hoylake at the makeshift studio at the Coral Caves (Home of 'The Coral'). This is a place Marvin is really familiar with and comfortable in after recording his first album there. He says, "I think the record has a live feel to it and I love the fact you can hear the creeks of the guitar and all the little noises that over production can destroy." Martin played an intimate show at St Brides church in June 2023 to promote his new album and says, "The songs on this record I find are some of my most personal work and I’ve tried to be as honest as I can be. I'll allow the songs to speak for themselves as music should be open to interpretation on the part of the listener." He feels like he’s also getting to know his craft well and feeling very at home with the recording. "I felt a little bit more experienced this time round in my approach although still a little out of my depth as I’m still learning to enjoy the recording process. I was lucky enough to be working with Tim Cunningham who is one of the best and Chris Taylor did an excellent job with the mixing."

Marvin Powell is an expert story teller set against a musical backdrop. His music is highly recommended for stressful situations like driving to work and life in general. We should all perhaps try to be a bit more Marvin and in doing so make the world a calmer, more peaceful place.

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2023/07/pool-of-sound-sankofa.html