Following support from BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction, Fenland-based Tribes Of Europe – the alter ego of multi-instrumentalist Martin Elsey – has now teamed up with esteemed vocalist Barbara Stretch for a poignant new offering.
Provoked by the way in which the public are increasingly lied to and misled, ‘You Don’t Speak For Me’ flows with a twinkling musicality and Stretch’s soaring, ’60s pop-reminiscent vocals. Oozing a gentle romanticism alongside its empowering message, it’s an instantly catchy and uplifting retro-futuristic creation that’ll leave you ready for action, in these times when we need it most.
Barbara Stretch would appear to be the perfect spokesperson for delivering this socially poignant message, having been a fixture in the London punk/post-punk socio-political scene of the late ’70s and early ’80s. As part of the group Jam Today, she consciously rejected the male-dominated nature of the industry in favour of creating a totally female band infrastructure – including an all-female crew, and setting up a female focused record label, Stroppy Cow. Of the new collaboration on ‘You Don’t Speak For Me’, Barbara explains:
“I was delighted when Martin asked me to sing You Don’t Speak For Me. It’s a song which, I imagine, in our present political chaos expresses how a lot of us feel.”
Listen to ‘You Don’t Speak For Me’, for the first time, here:
‘You Don’t Speak For Me’ is out 21st June via Integrity Records. A limited run of CDs in hand-printed packaging will feature two additional instrumental tracks – ‘Crab Marsh’ and ‘Ysma Kego (Canning Factory)’ – recorded with Cambridge found-sound artist Karsten Koehler (Second Harmonic Generation).
Mari Lane
@marimindles
Get In Her Ears 