fifteen: Picture Books In Winter

There are magazines I can love, magazines I can take and magazines I'd rather became footprints on the arse of journalism. I won't go into the latter because it isn't particularly relevant, but as for the first, the Welsh mega love of my life is Kruger. It has brought me some great artists and bands who have later shot to fame and has only once dissapointed me. The makers definitely know a thing or two about their local lovlies too, watch this space for this Cardiff-based quintet.


Picture Books In Winter are an all guns blazing band that charge into your ears choc a bloc with an array of musical instruments. I was initially pulled in by their seemingly gentle name. Picture Books In Winter is apparently a last minute flick through and steal for a demo CD, and despite the fact they incorporate string instruments into their songs, their music is no cuddle, though they do accept the folky tags that they are given.
The elements that seperate them from the folky rabble is the patriotic shouting and just how well the disco-esque drums and speedy guitar playing mesh together with the strings, see songs such as 100 Percent Polyester for proof. Their lyrics seem slightly off the wall and don't make sense at first listen and their songs certainly have some original subjects. Horiziontally I Am Champion is about the fallen from grace Blue Peter presenter Richard Bacon and once you know this, the lyrics like "I will build a raft/I've always had a talent for arts and crafts...Out of cheesewire/Out of pipe cleaners and paper mache" and "I've not yet missed a show" make perfect sense, the song even name drops Konnie Huq, another former Blue Peter presenter. It is a pretty genius, spot on song.
Live, they've been described as unique and sensational and were a big hit at Glastonbury where they played on the BBC introducing stage. They're obviously an act to see if you can! I'm certainly jumping out of my seat to do so.

Listen to Horizontally I Am Champion here.