Born in Doncaster, England, Patrick's upbringing was nomadic to say the least. The son of a journalist and a piano teacher the family would live in eight different towns, five cities and three countries before he'd reach the age of seven. They settled for a short time on the outskirts of Manchester where Patrick began playing guitar and writing songs, by the time he was eleven an obsession with music was deep rooted. At eighteen a near fatal accident left him hospitalized for over 4 months and unable to walk for almost a year, through discomfort he was still able to work on his music. Patrick spent the 1990's in various bands on the Manchester circuit, culminating with some success playing support slots at some of the UK's most renowned venues. The groups recording however was limited to demoing for various major labels and Briscoe decided to return to being a solo musician. He sites his influences as John Coltrane, Mozart, Mark Hollis, Beethoven, Robert Johnson and Miles Davis.
“Colours Will Fly” is Patrick Briscoe's latest offering. It is a collection of fourteen songs in which the listener is allowed into an intensely intimate and honest room with inspiringly evocative views through large windows. The mood undulates throughout, with the simplistic beauty of the Drakesque “Brighter Days” to the driving virtuoso instrumental of “Behind the Light”, a must have for all lovers of the acoustic guitar. Within “Portrait of England” Briscoe opens up his scrap book, revealing a Larkin like reverie which resolves in the ghostly charms of a violin in an empty room. Elements of the classic pop song appear in “Just Drifting” and the devout guitar workout of “Scars and Mountains” with the album culminating at the 'heads off in the distance' hypnosis of “Raising Stones”. The music is accompanied by beautiful artwork and design, proving the point that download culture will sometimes miss out on something great.
REVIEWS>>
Patrick Briscoe - Colours Will Fly (Cypress Grove)
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”An understated gem of an album from a Manchester solo artist...dense and idiosyncratic guitar-picking. Briscoe is very much his own man... The guitar work is particularly striking, using non standard tunings, strange harmonies and mesmeric harp-like patterns of melody.”
Paul Taylor. Manchester Evening News
“There's something in Briscoe's deeply melancholic timbre that recalls Talk Talk's Mark Hollis, and his penchant for building songs slowly rather than attacking a chorus is something to be treasured. ... his style as his lyrics are so informed by nature and the elements, you're aware that there are powerful forces guiding him.”
Lianne Steinberg. The Big Issue
“Fourteen tracks on this second CD from the Manchester based singer songwriter. Patrick is a bit special on the acoustic guitar with his songs having a folk heritage and dealing with intimate and concerning issues. Nick Drake will spring to mind but only as a pointer as Patrick has his own niche. Good stuff.”
Graham Radley World of Reviews
"...(Colours Will Fly) is an intimate and personal affair. The sparsity of arrangements, accomplished fingerstyle playing and lamenting vocals bring to mind Nick Drake and Martyn Joseph, while the addition of sad violin lines in several songs add a real beauty."
Martyn Casserly. Acoustic Magazine
"On “Scars And Mountains” his light picks are bolstered by an almost orchestral twang and strum of accompanying strings. “Another Country” is both beautiful and quite masculine in equal measures with its string accompaniment and “Portrait Of England” is a folk song in the truest sense, evoking nationalistic pride and the lost rural and industrialised England of yesteryear – a highlight. “Colours Will Fly” is both breathtaking and full of heartfelt intentions, informed by wonderful guitar playing and Briscoe’s soothing narrative."
J.A. Manchester Music Manchester Music
“Raising the banner for Manchester folk...clean sounds, austere beauty, quiet reflection, stoic. The acoustic guitar as a machine to produce lyrical music like a restrained Fahey....due regard to tradition, own identity, no slave to genre.”
David Cowling. Americana-UK.com americana-uk.com
“...a Jackson Pollock approach to the guitar. There's a surfeit of ideas thrown down and against the odds a melody emerges. Proof of how good songwriting will always win the day. He's a romantic, a realist and a rare talent.”
David Kushar. Spiralearth.co.uk www.spiralearth.co.uk
“It is difficult to understand why at the point of the release of his second album, Briscoe is still largely an unknown. His talent is surely deserving of much wider recognition, and given the quality of ‘Colours Will Fly,’ perhaps this album could be the catalyst which ensures this is forthcoming.”
Brian Raghoobur Is This Music?
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