William Topley

Tue, 26 Sep 2006 16:49:43 +0100

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www.williamtopley.com

All In The Downs is the new album from the enigmatic William Topley.

Born and bred in England and nurtured on a diet of blues and rock and roll,

William has been building a seriously dedicated fan base in the UK and the US ever since the release of his first album with former band The Blessing in 1991. Now continuing to plough a unique solo furrow, All In The Downs is the latest musical œuvre to spring from the inspirational pen of this extraordinary British talent. Produced by Nick Davis (Genesis/ XTC) and written and recorded live in the heart of England, the album takes you on a journey far from the weald of Kent, transporting the listener on a mystery tour through Jamaica, the Bahamas and finally back to the Garden of England via Heathrow. In Nick’s words, “All In The Downs started with great songs, we captured the magic and chemistry of a long standing band, and on top of this we have William’s superb and unique voice.”

Inspired by many influences and covering themes familiar to William’s many fans, the record opens with the powerful challenge “Are You One Of Us”, and carries the listener through musical vistas inspired by The Bahamas (Lotus Eater); Paris (Sooner or Later); and Palm Beach & LA (Quicksand, written with Alice Bierhorst, and Chapter and Verse co-written with Colin Vearncombe, formerly known as the artist Black). The album even features a song inspired by John Gay’s poem Black Eyed Susan’s Farewell to Sweet William. In William’s own words “ it had Hampshire, seamanship, parting and love, the “full English” of emotional nourishment all wrapped up in period costumes and cider burps”.

William’s voice, once praised by legendary Muscle Shoals producer Barry Beckett as “the best he’d ever worked with” – which, coming from a man who produced Aretha Franklin is praise indeed – is perfectly matched by the musical accompaniment of William’s band. They’ve now been with him for more than 10 years and deliver performances that only road hardened bands with much shared experience can, and create a sound that can only come from having spent many hours together building up a musical empathy that comes across in the grooves.

When you listen to a William Topley record you get a lot more than you bargained for. This is an album that stands out from the ordinary, presenting intelligent lyrics and giving a new spin to the universal themes of love and loss. In a world of identikit artists Topley has a truly unique voice, both literally and metaphorically. William has appeared onstage with Mark Knopfler and Dominic Miller, written lyrics for Steve Winwood, and Neil Dorfsman (Sting / Dire Straits) described him as “the most original songwriter I’ve heard for years”. After encountering All In The Downs you’ll understand why. This record is one of those rare gems that will stand up to repeated listenings and offer something new each time.

“A future classic album.” Nick Davis

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William Topley

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