Local Artist of the Week: Euros Childs - 27/10/2024
Euros Childs is a former member of Pembrokeshire band Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, a band at the forefront of the Cool Cymru movement of the ‘90s and early noughties. Since they disbanded Euros has been performing solo and as keyboardist and backing vocalist with Brit Pop legends, Teenage Fan Club.
Now Euros has released Beehive Beach, an album which sees his melodic and lyrical flair undimmed on this, his 20th solo album.
The album features a stellar band: Stephen Black (aka Sweet Baboo) on bass & clarinet, Stuart Kidd on drums & vocals and Georgia Ruth on vocals & recorder with Euros himself on lead vocals, piano, and melodica. It was recorded at StudiOwz in Clarbeston by Owain Fleetwood Jenkins.
Euros’ previous four albums have been wholly solo affairs, but Beehive Beach sees Euros taking a different approach - playing and singing live in the studio with a band.
“There's something special about capturing a song live in the studio,” says Euros, “it sets the song in a time and place, like capturing an image. It's also a lot of fun”.
Richly melodic, with an undercurrent of melancholia running throughout, Beehive Beach features ruminations on a Pembrokeshire childhood - Black & White Dinner, Ursula's Crow - an ode to 1950s T.V & radio personality Isobel Barnett - Isobel – and celebrations of music and creativity - My Companion, Elspeth on the Shore - as well as self-reflection - A Different Kind of Blue, See-Saw. As always, Euros’s humour comes shining through to alleviate any perceived darkness.
The title track, Beehive Beach, is a tour de force which, whilst unmistakably classic Euros Childs, could also be an outtake from The Beach Boys album ‘Pet Sounds’ only whereas the leader of that band, Brian Wilson, created his famous sounds in a sandpit in his house, Euros has undoubtedly drawn his musical inspiration in part from real beaches, such as Barafundle and Swanlake, which are both mentioned in his music alongside other Pembrokeshire places – a landscape and environment he clearly loves.
Euros and his band play the Queens Hall, Narberth on Thursday 12th December – his only local gig on his current UK tour.
Local Artist of the Week: Euros Childs - 27/10/2024
Euros Childs is a former member of Pembrokeshire band Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, a band at the forefront of the Cool Cymru movement of the ‘90s and early noughties. Since they disbanded Euros has been performing solo and as keyboardist and backing vocalist with Brit Pop legends, Teenage Fan Club.
Now Euros has released Beehive Beach, an album which sees his melodic and lyrical flair undimmed on this, his 20th solo album.
The album features a stellar band: Stephen Black (aka Sweet Baboo) on bass & clarinet, Stuart Kidd on drums & vocals and Georgia Ruth on vocals & recorder with Euros himself on lead vocals, piano, and melodica. It was recorded at StudiOwz in Clarbeston by Owain Fleetwood Jenkins.
Euros’ previous four albums have been wholly solo affairs, but Beehive Beach sees Euros taking a different approach - playing and singing live in the studio with a band.
“There's something special about capturing a song live in the studio,” says Euros, “it sets the song in a time and place, like capturing an image. It's also a lot of fun”.
Richly melodic, with an undercurrent of melancholia running throughout, Beehive Beach features ruminations on a Pembrokeshire childhood - Black & White Dinner, Ursula's Crow - an ode to 1950s T.V & radio personality Isobel Barnett - Isobel – and celebrations of music and creativity - My Companion, Elspeth on the Shore - as well as self-reflection - A Different Kind of Blue, See-Saw. As always, Euros’s humour comes shining through to alleviate any perceived darkness.
The title track, Beehive Beach, is a tour de force which, whilst unmistakably classic Euros Childs, could also be an outtake from The Beach Boys album ‘Pet Sounds’ only whereas the leader of that band, Brian Wilson, created his famous sounds in a sandpit in his house, Euros has undoubtedly drawn his musical inspiration in part from real beaches, such as Barafundle and Swanlake, which are both mentioned in his music alongside other Pembrokeshire places – a landscape and environment he clearly loves.
Euros and his band play the Queens Hall, Narberth on Thursday 12th December – his only local gig on his current UK tour.