The bright future of DeeExpus
DeeExpus ? this talented UK band has so far released only one studio album, but they can easily say... ?the future looks bright for us?.
Up until recently DeeExpus functioned as the long-time solo project of songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Andy Ditchfield. A coincidental reunion with singer and old friend Tony Wright in March 2007 expanded the project into a two-people thing and thus the writing and recording of their debut ?Half Way Home? (2008) began. Andy: ?The last two years have been probably the most hectic for me ever. Having gotten my little studio up to scratch and having also made the decision to record an album of my own material with no one telling me what to do and how to do it (or how not to do it), I only went and bumped into Tony Wright at the local watering hole! This seems like light years ago now, with everything that has occurred since, but the fact remains that what started off as literally a one man band has evolved through frustration, passion, dedication and sheer hard work into a living, breathing and gigging band, though not without its ups and downs.?
The band?s sound is as eclectic as their influences, drawn from years of listening to such groups and artists as Joe Jackson, Iron Maiden, It Bites, Crash Test Dummies, Rush, Nik Kershaw, Marillion and recently - Porcupine Tree and Spock?s Beard. ?Half Way Home? was released independently in early 2008 and received enthusiastic reviews worldwide. For example:
DPRP: ?I really cannot recommend this album highly enough, as debuts go it?s quite remarkable. In fact the sound is so brimming with confidence it would be easy to except that Ditchfield and co had been recording and performing as a unit for several years. Ditchfield?s memorable songs (with One Eight and the title track co-written with Wright) have all the requisite hooks to keep even the most casual of listeners engaged. And his rock solid production is so good it had me checking the liner notes to see if a certain Karl Groom wasn?t at the helm. The drum sound in Pointless Child for example is awesome.?
The Laser's Edge: ?New UK modern progressive rock band that I'm going to brazenly tag as "neo". This odd named band was put together by multi-instrumentalist Andy Ditchfield but it later evolved into a living breathing gigging outfit. I've seen comparisons to Porcupine Tree but I don't really hear much of that. It fits nicely alongside the recent works of Marillion and Spock's Beard. There are some nice atmospheric keys here but its primarily guitar driven music. The band's strongest suit is that they never lose sight of melody - not even on the 17 minute title track. Oh yeah...I think vocalist Tony Wright kicks ass. This guy can sing!?
Rogues Gallery: ?I just can't get over how surprisingly solid this release is, considering it's a debut album. Throughout there is excellent songwriting, timing, and musicianship - nothing is wasted. Half Way home is a contender for one of the year's best releases, and I will be surprised if this band remains unsigned for long!?
Around Summer 2008, DeeExpus decided to put a band together to take their music on the road. In October 2008, after a few months of searching for the right people, they formed a group capable of playing the entire set of ?Half Way Home?, and soon after, their first gig at the Forum in Darlington, UK was booked. It was a marvellous stage debut for the band, giving them a great kick start. After a small gig at the Office in South Shields UK, DeeExpus headed off to play their third (!!!) ever live show at the Progrock 2009 festival at the Wyspianski Theatre in Katowice, Poland. The show was recorded and will be released as a DVD and a live album by Metal Mind Productions later this year. Andy: ?We had an awesome time and once again the band played exceptionally, loving every minute of it?.
Live photos taken at the show by Marta Tłuszcz can be seen in this location: http://www.metalmind.com.pl/index.php?dzial=artysci&id=600
Currently, DeeExpus is writing and recording the follow up to their debut album. Hold your breath - the future really looks bright for DeeExpus!
Metal Mind Productions plans to release DeeExpus DVD in early July 2009. More info to follow soon.
Current line up:
Tony Wright ? Lead Vocal
Andy Ditchfield ? Guitar, Keyboards & Vocals
Steve Wright ? Guitar & Vocals
Ian Raine ? Bass Guitar & Vocals
Kev Jager ? Drums & Vocals
Marc Jolliffe ? Keyboards & Vocals
Websites:
http://www.deeexpus.com
http://www.myspace.com/deeexpusmusic
