Album Notes

Bruise
Isobel Morris' songs reflect a life of diverse experience. She has crossed continents several times. From her native Yorkshire, Isobel has travelled via the pork fields of Iowa to the ice fields of the Alaskan wilderness. It was in Anchorage that Isobel stumbled across her own glorious broken-stringed, open-tuned style. She travelled in the USA for five years road testing her songs at state fares and in pioneer bars.

Moving to London, she built herself a reputation as a singer, performer and writer of rare distinction. Accused of singing "morbid songs about sex and death" at the 12 Bar and the Kashmir Klub (in London) and at the Edinburgh Festival, she decided it was time to take the next step.Isobel experimented with musicians in various combinations and situations but nothing really clicked until she was introduced to session drummer Jim Kimberley. Originally from Essex, he'd been living in London's East End for a few years, recording and touring with the likes of Squeeze, Mark Knopfler, William Topley and Nick Heyward.

Jim had access to the most basic of home demo gear and a years experience of getting the best out of it in the classic DIY ethic. The musical understanding between Isobel and Jim was immediate and inspiring. They called their band Bruise and in the surroundings of Jim's council flat, using the lounge as a live room, dangling mics from light fittings, removing and laying carpets to get the right sound from the room - they have managed to create a striking, fresh and origional sound.

Bruise has played to audiences from York to Guernsey, Belgium to Bath and more recent trips to the USA have seen the band ripping it up in New York and Chicago. They have shared the bill with Feeder, Reef and Terrovision and, by invitation, supported Hawkwind on a recent national tour (sssh...check the secret track "Silver Machine" on their debut Album B. Hawkwind love it).