Jul 2007

What is Newton Faulkner's sound? It's acoustic guitar like we've never heard it before. It's things done to six strings that will boggle the ears and eyes. It's a throaty but gentle blues croon that speaks of backwoods, beaches and the badlands of, ah, Surrey. It's tunes, the likes of which have become a word-of-myspace cult across the Cornwall surf scene and landed prestigious support slots with Jack Johnson’s cult buddy Donavon Frankenreiter. It's a genius cover of Massive Attack's Teardrop dropped into a set to silence a rowdy crowd whilst supporting Paulo Nutini during the World Cup or the Python-esque wit with which Newton Faulkner is fast winning over audiences across the UK.

His debut album 'Hand Built By Robots' showcases not only those fantastic vocals but also his wistful and intelligent lyrics that are delivered with tremendous wit. 'Hand Built...' also offers the chance to hear that staggering version of 'Teardrop'. There aren't many who would have the bottle to attempt a reinvention of Liz Fraser's spectral vocal and Massive Attack's symphonic majesty. But Faulkner does, with style. While his guitar gently weeps, his voice quietly soars. It’s quite something. He’s quite a talent. Lord knows what next he’ll magic out of those fingers, that throat, and that instrument.

'Hand Built By Robots' is the debut from Surrey-based funk-folkster Newton Faulkner. Taking his cue sonically from acts such as Jack Johnson and James Morrison, the album is a collection of slow-burning good-time classics-in-the-making, and is sure to appeal to fans of the aformentioned artists, as well as some of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers more introspective moments. Includes the single 'Dream Catch Me'.

A British folk-rock singer-songwriter in the mellow and occasionally island-influenced tradition of Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews, Newton Faulkner is both part of a lineage of U.K. singer-songwriters with an international sensibility (ranging from Davy Graham through John Martyn to Sting and beyond), and part of the British singer-songwriter scene that includes the like of Paolo Nutini, James Blunt, and James Morrison. The lengthy HAND BUILT BY ROBOTS is a wide-ranging but appealingly modest collection, and includes a swell cover of Massive Attack's "Teardrop."

The amply named Sam Newton Battenberg Deutoronomy Faulkner's laidback acoustic pop bears obvious resemblance to Jack Johnson. After graduating from the Guildford Academy of Contemporary Music and building up a cult following (particularly amongst the Cornish surf scene), the dreadlocked Faulkner signed up with SonyBMG and issued his debut longplayer HAND BUILT BY ROBOTS in 2007. The album featured the exalted cover of Massive Attack's classic "Teardrop".