New album for Geordie band Smoove & Turrell

WITH the release of fourth album Crown Posada on October 14, Geordie band Smoove & Turrell are aiming to cement their position as one of the UK’s best soul acts with their innate ability to deliver hard times social commentary in a dancefloor friendly medium.

Proudly working class as a band – this album celebrates love, life, politics and the lows and the highs of growing up and raising families in the region. The band make no attempt to sound or look like anyone else and reject the need for sharp suits and trumpet twirls.

The band and the name came about by DJ/ Producer Smoove and singer John Turrell joining forces after a chance introduction and a plan to do one record together. That quickly grew into a band that has played the biggest festival stages worldwide and become a familiar UK soul acts.

The new album, released on Jalapeno Records, draws a wide array of influences from the electronic acts they grew up with as well as the old soul greats with the vocal delivery on certain tracks owing as much to Scott Walker as it does to James Brown.

The title track is an ode to one of Newcastle’s most historic and iconic watering holes – a place that has had a massive effect on the boys. Their homage is a beautiful fusion of exotica and jazz/funk complete with elegant string lines, relaxing reverb soaked backing vocals and a slick groove throughout.

Viv Hardwick