The Barnum Meserve
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“…they could be as huge as their sound.”
- Big Cheese Magazine
Turning their back on the traditional rock band set up, The Barnum Meserve aim to breath fresh life into the genre with the release of their epic ten track album When All Is Lost, out now via 34D Records.
Sombre, brooding and cathartic are just some words you could use to describe the emotive music created by the Nottingham based three-piece. Despite having the ability to produce a robust, heady alternative sound, they skilfully do so with a cinematic flair and expert musicianship that marks them out from many of their contemporaries. Impressively, The Barnum Meserve are a three-piece rock band who write and perform without the aid of guitars, instead experimenting with piano, bass and drums; and creating an atmospheric record that would be just as impressive emanating from a festival’s main stage as it would appearing on the soundtrack of a classic b-movie disaster flick.
Opening track ‘Flight’ sets the tone for the rest of the album as The Barnum Meserve race out of the blocks, immediately showcasing their distinctive sound as the metronomic rhythm section drives proceedings on relentlessly, piano soaring euphorically, all merged beautifully by the unique vocal range exhibited by Leon Wiley (vocals, piano). While there are elements of introspection evident throughout the record, The Barnum Meserve excel in building layer upon layer of soundscapes, producing a uniquely apocalyptic soundtrack, and emphasising their diverse love of music ranging from Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden to Hans Zimmer and Clint Mansell.
Having been in a number of alternative rock bands over the years, The Barnum Meserve were formed in 2007 by Leon and Dylan Griffiths (bass), who later added Paul Moss (drums), with the desire of creating a dynamic different from what they had been previously exposed to. They have not looked back since having written two EP’s, released their debut album in 2015, picking up support from the likes of Big Cheese Magazine, Prog Magazine, Team Rock and Bring The Noise.
When All Is Lost by The Barnum Meserve is out now via 34D Records.
