Hey Negrita - Old Britannia By Steve Rudd

Following-up their marvellous Devil In My Shoes single in captivating style, this is the second single from Hey Negrita, a London quartet that deserves to be huge. Pushing an intriguing style of music, elements of new-wave 'Country' and 'Pop' music dominate the lush and simply lovely sound. Old Britannia is indeed a beautiful number that's majestically propelled by acoustic guitar-gurned panache. A feelgood groove of atmospheric melancholia, there is even an underlying piano melody that sounds as though it's being played straight out of an authentic Wild West saloon.

B-side Come On Jane also exudes stunning vibes, before Down The River reminds of Bruce Springsteen's old-style bare-bones acoustic material, as some more relatively simple but eerily effective piano chords add further texture to proceedings, thus further ensuring that the sound of Hey Negrita is literally in a realm all its own. What's more, this ever-so-unique band is planning on doing a tour of UK prisons in the near future with their soul-stirring and haunting ballads. Still, even if you are really, really desperate to see them, you don't necessarily have to commit a crime to stand a chance of witnessing them live. They'll be back on the road in more 'conventional' venues in no time at all, so hang in there and embrace the album, We Are Catfish. Instead of jail, go to www.heynegrita.com

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