Christopher Rees.co.uk

"FULL OF SIMMERING SOUL".(Phil Alexander, Editor in Chief - MOJO)

Album - Cautionary Tales Released - September 3rd 2007

Single - Bottom Dollar (Featuring Victoria Williams) Download - August 27th 2007

“Just think twice before you kiss, she may be a mentalist!”(A Cautionary Tale)

Christopher Rees returns with his third and finest album ‘Cautionary Tales’ on September 3 rd, preceded by the single Bottom Dollar on August 27th

Following the epic orchestral intensity of his 2004 debut The Sweetest Ache, “Seriously amazing stuff” (NME) and the rustic warmth of 2005’s Alone On A Mountain Top, “Deliciously raw and spellbinding…A wonderful homespun triumph” (MOJO), Cautionary Tales combines the string-laden sophistication of the first with the intimate, rootsy qualities of the second to stunning effect.

The surprise success of Alone On A Mountain Top, which charmed and won audiences around the world from Cardiff to Canada and New York to New Zealand, has honed Rees’ skills as a live performer and song writer. Touring extensively with kindred spirits William Elliott Whitmore, Willard Grant Conspiracy, Freakwater, The Deadstring Brothers and Kelly Joe Phelps amongst others has also empowered him on stage and in the studio.

Once again recorded and produced by Rees himself, mostly in an isolated mid Walesmountain retreat, Cautionary Tales is culled from a prolific list of over forty songs. The result is an inspiring showcase of the diverse depths of his impassioned song writing, spanning everything from soulful country and banjo driven Appalachian folk to raucous delta blues/rock and sublime string-soaked ballads.

Sharing the microphone for the very first time with an illustrious cast of guest singers, Cautionary Tales features a rare appearance from much-loved American heroine Victoria Williams who contributes her inimitable charms to the duet Bottom Dollar, while Belgian siren Charline Rose (Calexico, Giant Sand) exudes ‘that’ breathy French sensuality on closing track Until Love Comes Around Again. Becky Newman (The Hot Puppies) also provides a significant and seductive female presence on several songs including the jaw-dropping murder ballad Mary Lee.

For an artist who has already been highly acclaimed for ploughing his own unflinching furrow through matters of the heart with devastating beauty, Cautionary Tales is by far Rees’ most comprehensive and cohesive collection of songs yet. As the title suggests it’s a record filled with well-lived tales of life, love and death as he traverses a gamut of emotions and human behaviour.

Each of the seven deadly sins is illustrated in the beautiful 16-page booklet and addressed in song. Opening track Bucket Full Of Holes tackles gluttony and the perils of promiscuity, How Did You Sleep Last Night rages with envy, It Won’t Come Easy deals with sloth, A Cautionary Tale - dangerous blind lust, Mary Lee - anger, A Sinner’s Serenade - greed and Don’t Let Your Heart Grow Cold - defiant pride.

You could call Cautionary Tales a twisted love album but that would be to miss many of the subtleties at play in this lyrical tour-de-force. For as much as Rees explores sin he also touches upon love’s redeeming virtues of faith, hope and charity with equal poignancy, and takes the listener on a revealing journey through a heart that is bruised but unbeaten, brutal yet beautiful and as world-weary as it is wilful. Sometimes contradictions make perfect sense.

Christopher Rees will be touring the UKwith a full band and select solo dates throughout September and October. Check myspace.com/christopherrees for latest updates...

Richard Hawley Support Tonight!!!!!Fri Aug 31st!!!

Christopher Rees to support Richard Hawley at Brecheiniog Theatre in Brecon on Friday August 31st!!!! See Live section for more details...

Downloads available!!!

You can now downloads both Alone On A Mountain Top (The Ty Bach Twt Sessions) and The Sweetest Ache directly from the Red Eye Music shop via the links below as well as all other good download retailers.

Happy shopping!!

Download The Sweetest Ache

Download Alone On A Mountain Top

Apologies!!!!

Ok, I know I haven't updated this site for far too long. Myspace seems to have taken over!!! Apologies!!!

I will update it very soon I promise as loads of exciting stuff is going on.

In the meantime keep checking myspace.com/christopherrees for news and more recent blogs etc.

The new album Cautionary Tales will be out in August 2007. There are a few tracks from the album up on myspace to give you a taste.

Right I'm off to Canada to play the North By North East music festival in Toronto.

The gig is on Saturday June 9th at The Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave, Toronto. Onstage at 9pm.

See ya!

Best wishes,

Chris.x

Christopher Rees to support 'Son Of Dave'

I've been spending too much time in the studio recently finishing off the new album, (It's almost done now and sounding pretty damn good!!!) so haven't been gigging too much but was delighted to be asked to open up for the awesome Canadian one man blues explosion 'Son Of Dave' on Tuesday Oct 24th.

It's onboard the newly revamped 'Thekla' in Bristol.

A really cool venue on a boat !!!!!

myspace.com/thetheklasocial

Check out Son Of dave via

www.huskyrecords.com

The Thekla Social .

The Grove, East Mud Dock, Bristol, BS1 4RB

Cost: £7adv. 18+

I'll be playing lots of new songs from the forthcoming third album now titled 'Cautionary Tales' and some old staples. It should be a great night so come on down if you can make it. There should be enough foot stomping action to really get the boat a rockin'!! (if you'll pardon the pun!!) Hope to see you there!

Big Love

Chris.x

Christopher Rees confirmed as main support for American Music Club mainman Mark Eitzel on his two forthcoming UK live dates in Bristol and Oxford.

As both a solo artist and the frontman for enduring cult favorites American Music Club , Mark Eitzel established himself among the truly powerful forces in contemporary music; a hauntingly evocative singer, he earned even greater notoriety for his brilliance as a composer, combining the energy of punk, the pastoral beauty of folk, and the melodrama of lounge music to build one of the most impressive and darkly poetic bodies of songs in the modern pop canon. "America's Greatest Living Lyricist." - The Guardian

Mark Eitzel & Christopher Rees play:-

May, 29 2006 at The Louisiana, Bristol, England, UK.

May, 30 2006 at Port Mahon, Oxford, England, UK.

'VICTORIA WILLIAMS' DUETS WITH CHRISTOPHER REES

• After producing six tracks for the the new Creekdippers album featuring former Jayhawks singer and co-founder Mark Olsen and the wonderful Victoria Williams, Christopher Rees recently recorded a duet with Victoria on a new song called Bottom Dollar which will be included on his forthcoming third album.
• Chris is elated and overwhelmed with excitement at the result.
• "It's probably the most catchy song I think I've ever written with big, rousing sing-a-long choruses and her presence has given it an extra lease of life, lifting it's spirit to a wonderous level".
• "I feel so happy to have been able to work with Victoria after being such a fan of her music for about 13 years. She really is an absolute joy to be around and a truely incredible singer and musician".
• Victoria is one of the most loved and well respected female musicians in American music with people like Lou Reed, Pearl Jam, Evan Dando, Kristin Hersh, Lucinda Williams, REM and lots more all covering her songs. She has also worked with some amazing people like Neil Young who she toured the US with for 23 dates back in 1993 to Van Dyke Parks (String arranger for Brian Wilson's Smile, Tim Buckley and lots, lots more) and an incredible cast of musicians from Tom Wait's bass player Greg Cohen to REM's Peter Buck who played on her 1994 album Loose.
• So you get an idea of her magnetic talent and charm!!!!
• Anyone not familiar with her music please visit
• www.creekdipper.com

New Zealand Tour February 2006

Christopher Rees completed a short tour of New Zealand in February 2006 with 4 official headline gigs to support the release of 'Alone On A Mountain Top' down under via Southbound Distribution www.southbound.co.nz

New Zealand Tour February 2006

Auckland - The Dogs Bollix (Feb 19th)

Wellington - Bar Bodega (Feb 20th)

Takaka - The Mussel Inn (Feb 22nd)

Wellington - Bar Indigo (Feb 24th).

He also made 3 unofficial , random apperances in bars in Tauranga with good friend Daryl Belbin, and a couple of drunken late night guest appearances in Auckland with new friends from the awesome Auckland band Flammable Tramp.

On Tuesday Feb 21st he appeared on national daytime TV. It was the Good Morning programme on Channel One which is the equivalent of This Morning in the UK. The NZ Richard and Judy if you will. Played two songs and did an interview about the tour/album/ etc. alongside the Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark who was also appearing on the same show.

He also received substantial airtime on national radio (Feb 24th) with a 45 min segment on Radio New Zealand where they played two songs from the album, he performed two songs live in the studio and was interviewed over the course of the 45min slot between 1.15pm -2pm.

He also did a variety of other smaller regional Radio and press interviews which helped raise his profile down under!!!

Canadian Tour October 2005

Christopher Rees completed a successful 12 date solo tour of Eastern Canada in October 2005.

He performed in support of American greats Kelly Joe Phelps www.kellyjoephelps.net and Freakwater www.freakwater.net  as well as fellow Welshman Martyn Joseph www.piperecords.co.uk 

Canadian Tour Dates October 2005

 Halifax Pop Explosion, NS. Gingers Tavern- Oct 15th with Jill Barber www.jillbarber.com  

Moncton, NB. The Right Spot- Oct 16th with Colonial Quarrels

Saint John, NB. Sessions Cafe - Oct 18th

Wakefield,QC. The Black Sheep Inn- Oct 20th with Kelly Joe Phelps

Wakefield,QC. The Black Sheep Inn - Oct 21st with Martyn Joseph

Toronto,ON. El Mocambo - Oct 22nd with Freakwater

Montreal,QC. La Sala Rosa - Oct 23rd with Freakwater

Quebec City, QC. Bar Le Sacrilege - Oct 26th (Live on CKRL 89.1)

Quebec City, QC. Bar Le Sacrilege - Oct 27th  

Janice Long Session / Canadian Tour

CHRISTOPHER REES will be performing a live studio session on The Janice Long Show - BBC Radio 2 - (click here for details) at 12.20am Sunday Night/Monday Morning October 2nd.

He will perform two songs from his latest album 'Alone On A Mountain Top' and will be chatting to Janice about the making of the album and his forthcoming Canadian tour.

To buy 'Alone on a mountain Top' please click here.

Christopher Rees will embark on his fist proper tour of Canada in October to support the release of 'Alone On A Mountain Top'in North America via MapleNationWide / Universal on October 11th.

Canada Dates coming soon

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