Debut Album London! New York! Paris! Rome! AVAILABLE NOW
".a sophisticated melange of jazz, classical, and the sort of new-style cinematic weirdness now most associated with the likes of Sigur Ros and Radiohead" (Mojo Magazine 3/5)
".the Metaphors' mission - 'to create disturbing beauty' - is thrillingly fulfilled in just 31 minutes" (Uncut 4/5)
".instrumental music that’s an allusive amalgam of avant-rock, ambient
soundscapes, widescreen electronica, jazz and classical music." (Record Collector Magazine 3/5)
".a mishmash of hispter brilliance and genius instrumentation.his mad-scientist masterpiece" (The Orion)
The Independent (4/5)
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Formed in the spring of 2007, The Metaphors are a unique instrumental group gathered to extend the sax, oboe and wind synth performance of Andy Mackay of Roxy Music.
Falling into no obvious existing genres, this post-rock combo crosses avant-rock, ambient, electronic, classical, jazz, experimental and R&B. The first project is of arrangements and variations on pop, film and show tunes, searching for the dark heart of the contemporary city.
Julia Thornton – known for her percussion work with musicians from Roxy Music to Jeff Wayne, and for her Classical albums - but here playing her principal instrument, the magnificent and strange concert harp, used, perhaps for the first time, as an electrified fully integrated and manipulated rock instrument.
TJ Allen – Bristol based experimental guitarist, laptop musician and producer, who uses bowing techniques, manipulated feedback, and live DSP to coax unusual tones from a familiar instrument. Known for his work with the likes of System Vertigo and Hazel Mills, and for his own material and remix work under the moniker, Aesoteric.
Hazel Mills - Pianist and vocalist of the modern classical avant-garde (Feldman, Reich, Cage) and LA-based KGRL Radio's featured artist of July 2008, who’s acclaimed debut EP, Butterfly, was released last year. A long-time collaborator of TJ Allen, her mesmerising fusion of contemporary experimentalism with live looping techniques creates stunning soundscapes and textures.
And on drums, the solidarity and power of Roxy Music’s The Great Paul Thompson.
This eclectic line-up perfectly reflects Andy’s lifetime musical odyssey and obsessions from the rock ‘n roll sax, electronic experimentation and classical and film music. He was listening to all this long before he co-founded Roxy Music with Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno, and throughout their decades of performance, whilst more recently developing an awareness of newer directions in music from contemporary bands including Battles, Sigur Ros and Godspeed You! Black Emperor.
The Metaphors recorded an album in five days last summer at Real World Studios near Bath, and mixed at The Hospital in London’s Covent Garden. London! New York! Paris! Rome! was produced by TJ Allen and Michael Boddy, engineered by Marco Migliari, and is due out late in 2008.
Introducing The Metaphors (Promo) from TJ Allen on Vimeo.
Andy Mackay + The Metaphors - Tara (live) from TJ Allen on Vimeo.
Love Is The Drug (Promo) from TJ Allen on Vimeo.
