aaamusic | On 13, Jun 2011

David J Roch
Debut Album Skin & Bones
Out 29th August

“A voice that can soar to ethereal heights as effortlessly as it plumbs red-raw depths” – The Guardian

“David Roch serves up attention grabbing mix of the confessional, low key melodies of Tom McRae with baroque arrangements that wouldn’t shame Rufus Wainwright. It helps that his aching voice is a match for both.” – Q Magazine

“Moodily beguiling fare, a sweet soprano and moodily ravaged voice, sources Billie Holiday and Nick Drake.” – Time Out

Blessed with an astonishing voice equally agile in the soul-racked depths of sonorous baritone or soaring otherworldly soprano, David J Roch also happens to be both a songwriter of hauntingly gorgeous music and a charmingly affable performer to boot. His premiere album, Skin & Bones (on new London-based label Dram), displays all those talents and more to great effect. Produced by James Sclavunos of Grinderman and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds), Skin & Bones offers eleven timeless tunes glowing with palpable passion and poignancy.

In between his “day job” duties as an undertaker (!), David J Roch recorded Skin & Bones in his hometown of Sheffield at the legendary 2Fly Studios, working closely with producer Sclavunos to fashion an ambitious and startlingly mature debut album. From the haunting starkness of opening track “The Lost Child” to the opulently orchestrated thrall of “Only Love”, from the eerie medieval chamber folk of “Lonely Unfinished” to the gospel-hued synth-psychedelia of “Dew” or Skin & Bones’ stately magisterial title track, David J Roch displays an enviable scope of composition, instrumental texture, and vocal prowess — not to mention a strong predilection for the darker end of the spectrum in his lyrics.

In addition to appearances with British Sea Power and I Am Arrows last year, David J Roch can soon boast a couple of new notches on his opening slot belt: a personal invitation from Grinderman to join them June 18th at Dublin’s Vicar St., as well as a show the following day with Razorlight at The Whitehaven Festival on June 19th. David’s upcoming festival dates include Latitude on the 17th July and Kendall Calling on 30th July.

Skin & Bones Track Listing
1. The Lost Child 7. Only Love
2. Hour Of Need 8. Dew
3. Evil’s Pillow 9. Skin & Bones
4. Devil Don’t Mind 10. Bones
5. Hell Followed 11. Yours
6. Lonely Unfinished