Caught in the Carousel

Armstrong

By Alex Green

Armstrong

"It's a great day to restart your life," sings Armstrong's Julian Pitt on his band's debut Under Blue Skies. This might come across as an overly optimistic sentiment, but Pitt's delivery is so soaked in sun and breezy coastal cadences, it sure is a convincing one. A native of Newport in South Wales, Pitt fronted the first incarnation of Armstrong in the mid-nineties and the band found themselves playing the NME Top Ten Unsigned Bands showcase and releasing two critically-acclaimed singles on the Size 8 label. Trimmed down to a one-man operation, the Armstrong of 2008 may be stealth in membership, but its sound is as full and rich as they come. From the elliptical acoustapop of "Love Hate Passion And War" to the shimmering "The Things That Pass You By" Under Blue Skies is one of the most satisfying and melodic albums in recent memory. Elsewhere, "September Skies" could slip in undetected on the Pearlfishers' Sky Meadows; "Ralph And Gustav" is a lush, harmonious winner and the spry and luminescent "Crazy World" suggests Knife-era Aztec Camera. Produced by Michael Cole (60ft Dolls), Armstrong's lustrous debut presents Pitt as the new unheralded prince of pastoral pop. With a voice that lilts and soars like Roddy Frame or The Pearlfishers' David Scott, Pitt is truly a splendid find. "There's a kind of song/When days are long/And you sit back with the radio on," he sings. Indeed. Here's twelve of them.

Allow us to introduce you to Armstrong.

Armstrong

FULL NAME: Julian Pitt

NICKNAME: During my school years, it seemed fashionable to call each other by our surnames (although we called the girls by their first names). I came to be known as, wait for it…Spitt'. Although I need to make it clear that it had nothing to do with bad habits, indeed I was called it affectionately. Some of my old friends often still call me this.

BAND: I've been writing songs ever since a child. Armstrong was formed in 1995 as a three/four piece outfit. I still wrote the songs and arrangements. We released two singles and were nominated by the New Musical Express as being in their 'Top Ten Best Unsigned Bands' in the UK in 1998, which meant many high profile concerts around the country. Sadly, soon after this, we split up as a band outfit. I continued to write songs but it was not until 2006 that I began recording again. (It's been a long road back). The aim was to record a complete album (Under Blue Skies); I then decided to try and market it myself and sell it just to cover the costs of making it (and hopefully please a listening audience). It has been a very D.I.Y. project.

HOMETOWN: I was born and still live in Newport, South Wales in the U.K.

WEBSITE: www.myspace.com/armstrongwales

RECORD LABEL: Unsigned, but hopefully there will be someone out there in the future who may want to release future Armstrong records. The next three albums are already written.

DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND IN ONE SENTENCE: Armstrong's pastoral pop songs are happy/sad, have been described as being "dusty and sunny."

PROUDEST PROFESSIONAL MOMENT: My proudest moments in music are always writing a new song.

THE SONG YOU WISH THAT YOU'D WRITTEN: There are lots and lots, notably: "There She Goes"--The La's
"She Bangs The Drums"--The Stone Roses
"This Charming Man"--The Smiths
"In Dreams"--Roy Orbison
"When Love Breaks Down"--Prefab Sprout
"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"--Burt Bacharach
"So Far Away"--Carole King
"God Only Knows"--The Beach Boys

THE SONG YOU'RE PROUD AS HELL THAT YOU DID WRITE: From Under Blue Skies I'm very proud of "Crazy World," "Still Miss You" and "Gratitude." "Gratitude" was written very quickly and I wanted it to be a kind of standard song that anyone could sing, like "My Way." Lyrically, I'm proud of it—in the way that sometimes when I'm wrapped up in my own world or dissatisfied with something, I need to remember to be grateful to people and the world I live in and to the simple things in life that we can sometimes take for granted.

FIVE BEST BANDS TO EVER ROAM THE EARTH: The Smiths, The Beach Boys, Aztec Camera/Roddy Frame, The Beatles and New Order.

LIFE CHANGING MOMENT: I was knocked over by a car a few years ago or pretty much thrown a long way across the road having first gone into the windscreen. I was incredibly lucky, having come out of it with a few cuts and bruises. People who saw me out and about two weeks later were amazed that I was still alive. I think this may have totally changed my outlook on life. (And fortunately the driver was okay as well).

BEST ALBUM TO PLAY AFTER A BREAK-UP AND YOU'RE HOLDING A BOTTLE OF VODKA AND SOMETHING SHARP: Something positive and thoughtful like The North Star by Roddy Frame, I guess. Something to get you to see the bigger picture of life.

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY: The world and life can be a scary, overwhelming place. (And a fantastic, wonderful one at the same time). As a songwriter, I think it is my duty to hopefully bring a tiny bit of good into the world. I know that on the grand scale of things there are things in life much more important, but songs are what I do and I hope I can make my small contribution. We get one life and I think it is up to each and every individual to strive to bring good into the world. I guess it's the kind of butterfly effect thing. Every small good contribution can add up into one large big one.

ARMSTRONG'S Under Blue Skies is out now.
Visit Armstrong's MySpace page.