Band Update - 24/10/2009

Blimey! The response to the release of Sugarstealer on CD has been amazing and to be honest we have got fans in countries that we never dreamed about and it feels fantastic, if you have ordered the CD please let us know what you think of the album and we may use some of your quotes on this web site.

There is some unfortunate news to announce too. Keyboard wizard and band superhero Anthony Hindley is no longer with us. He wishes to pursue a career as a concert Pianist and he is more than capable of realising his dream. The rest of the band wish him all the success with whatever he does……..an then there were four! But for how long? We will hopefully have some news on Ant’s replacement soon, I’d like to say a little more but I think there might be a fantastic surprise in store for you all and for us too.

We will be shooting a video for Bi-Polar on the 28th of November and this will hopefully help to propel the band a little further. We also have a gig coming up in our home town of St. Helens. We are playing at Indiependence on the 6th November and this will be the first time Mr. So & So have performed without a keyboard player, so this should be interesting.

Finally, please spread the word about the band, we can only get out on the road more with your help, the more people who know about the band, the more likely we are of playing in your town.

Take care

Dave x

Band Update - 16/10/2009

Hello all. Well it’s taken it’s time in getting here and it was in real danger of getting just as ridiculous as ‘Chinese Democracy’, but ‘Sugarstealer’ has now arrived on CD!!! The artwork by Neal Moran (Lemonshed) is fantastic and a joy to behold, he’s a very talented chap. Please spread the word about the band, play the album to your partners and get them to play it at work and all that. Times are hard for any band trying to make it, but we would love to make an album every couple of years instead of every ten. We hope to play some gigs in early 2010 and with any luck we will get to play at some more festivals like Summers End which we enjoyed a lot. Please let us know what you think of Sugarstealer, it’s always good to get feedback.

Finally, if you haven’t done already, why not register on the Mr. So & So forums and come along to say hello.

Dave x

Band Update - 06/03/2009

Just a quick update to let you all know what we are up to. The band are currently rehearsing the new live set, which is Sugarstealer in its entirety. It’s a strange process really. When we went into the studio to record it, it all very well rehearsed and you knew exactly what you wanted to do, but being in the studio offers new possibilities and so, being the tinkerers that we are, we had to add new things. So when we come back to revisit the songs to learn them, we have new parts to learn. It’s very much a good thing though and adds even more fun to playing the songs as there are little surprising thing popping up. I’ve often said that I would love to see Mr. So & So live and this is as close as it gets I think.

Sugarstealer has been selling really well, as much via Amazon and CDbaby as iTunes which is fantastic. If the cunning plan comes together we will have a physical release out by May. It’s been really interesting finding out what peoples favourite tracks are and it’s really pleasing to find out that it’s very varied, there isn’t a single song that is generally considered the favourite. Always a good sign.

As for me, I’m sure quite a few of you are aware that I’m now part of Steve Rothery’s Wishing Tree live band, I’ll be at Tring for the warm up, that’s now sold out I believe, and at The Marillion Convention on the 20th March.

See you all soon.

Dave x

New Mr. SO&So Photographs over on Flickr - 05/03/2009
Go and have a look.

Sugarstealer review by Dean Pedley - 21/01/2009

Sugarstealer, the fourth album from Mr So And So, marks a welcome return for a band who have been off the scene for while now, their last album being 1998ís ëThe Overlapí (which was the first album to be released on Steve Rotheryës Dorian label) . Since that time the members had gone their separate ways until principal songwriters Dave Foster (guitars) and Shaun McGowan (bass / vocals) resumed contact in 2005. Vocalist Charlotte Evans was soon back on board and two new members introduced, Anthony Hindley on keyboards and drummer Stuart Browne.

A Floydian soundscape of alarm clocks and birdsong introduces ëFlying Trianglesí, a typical example of the bands ability to blend a modern progressive sound with delicate pop sensibilities. ëNew Years Dayí continues in a similar fashion with an insistent melody and highlights the distinctive male / female vocals. There are a number of mood changes throughout and ëBleak Hillí marks a shift in tempo as the band take it up a gear and, despite the title, boasts an uplifting melody. With its PT-esque riffing ëBi-Polarí is a brooding and intense rocker and rightfully earmarked as the first single. The albums stand out highlight is ëFallingí which allows Foster a chance to impress on the solo and is high on both atmosphere and emotion.

Across a weighty eighteen tracks McGowan handles the majority of the lead vocals and at times you canít help but feel that Evans is somewhat underemployed. Her haunting voice is highlighted on the acoustic interlude ëLemon Treeí and piano led ëPhotographí. Whilst for the most part the album is notable for its tight arrangements and little in the way of excess closing number ë(Return of) The Goldí offers a more extended instrumental workout during the coda. With both a powerful chorus, intricate acoustic work and a soaring solo it provides an energetic close.

Available from January 31st Sugarstealer will be exclusively an online release via iTunes, Amazon, CDbaby, Napster and Rhapsody with the physical format following later in the year. Hopefully this will mark the start of a new chapter in the career of Mr So and So and we wonít have to wait so long between albums next time around.

Rating 3.5
Dean Pedley

Blimey, time flies by if you don't notice it... - 16/12/2008

Even Axl Rose has beaten us and we've still yet to receive my free can of Dr. Peppers. It's now the best part of six months since we began the Sugarstealer voyage and at last we look to have arrived at our chosen port. The album will be released in January by ourselves on our spangly brand new record label and will initially be released as a download only via iTunes, Rhapsody, CDbaby, Napster and Amazon Download amongst others. Hopefully the physical release will be sometime in March.

Links to reviews will appear on here as and when they arrive if you need convincing that this is by a very long stretch the best Mr. So & So so far. If you fancy a sneaky butchers we have put up on the Myspace a sample track of the album to whet your appetite. Everyone here at Mr. So & So wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Dave, Shaun, Charlotte, Ant and Stu

AND THE WINNER IS!!!! Mr.So&So - 01/08/08
Each week Rock Radio Manchester want you the fans to vote for your favourite track of the 2 showcased. The one with the most votes at the end of the week will be played in full on Paul Anthony's show on a Friday evening, and then get playlisted for an entire week!

And thanks to you this week it was the turn of Mr.So&So, with 70% of the votes! The 'Guys' are pictured here with Paul.

NEW ALBUM UPDATE - 23/05/2007
The band are in the process of getting the songs together for the next (Fourth) album. So & So albums have never been quick, mainly because we are all fussy buggers, but trust me when I say it'll be the best album from us so far. Oh and there may be some splendid surprises regarding the album too.