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Introducing… A Genuine Freakshow

There's no real way to tell when A Genuine Freakshow came into existence, as the group are fairly unsure themselves. It has been agreed, for the time being, that the official Reading based seven-piece line up was born in 2008.

The group went on to spend the majority of 2009 writing and recording, before setting off on a whirlwind journey that would see them playing over 80 live festival, showcase and tour dates up and down the UK. All the hard work paid off, and after a feature on the The Word's October issue cover CD, November 2010 saw the release of their debut album - Oftentimes .

Never ones to sit still for too long, A Genuine Freakshow's single Hopscotch Machine Gun Madness - released 14th March 2011 via Peartree Records - is the second to be taken off their album and captures the true spirit of the eclectic seven-piece.

Their sound, while impressively focused, covers a range of musical staples, with the group letting influences from Mew to Elbow and The National surface throughout. The track is arranged with razor sharp precision, and front-man Timothy Sutcliffe's struggle with personal jealousy is conveyed with perfect question and answer style, in the form of a vocal battle with Hatty Taylor, of Reading’s Vienna Ditto. This is also achieved, to great effect, with the contrasting sounds of the string and rhythm section mirroring the vocals and providing a very welcome dynamic that few modern artists are able to utilise effectively.

Check out Hopscotch Machine Gun Madness by streaming it directly from A Genuine Freakshow's Soundcloud page.

B-side "Our Bodies" presents the listener with a Bright Light Bright Light remix of what was originally an album track. It's a euphoric affair, with Timothy's vocals given the chance to shine over an atmospheric re-imagining of strings and drums. It wouldn't sound out of place in a Balearic nightclub, and serves as more proof of the group’s ability to transcend expectations.

A live performance of the original version of "Our Bodies" can be viewed directly on A Genuine Freakshow's YouTube page.

You can also listen to their 4-track LIVE EP streamed directly from A Genuine Freakshow's Soundcloud page. If you'd like to download it for free, you'll have to register with their official mailing list.

With a strong fanbase established, and having made an impressive dent in the national media, it's going to be an interesting year for A Genuine Freakshow.

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