Unsigned West Bromwich band Marlowsounds readying second record for release

Marlowsounds are a (for now) two-man rock band with plenty of local references dripping through their lyrics, and they have a lot to say about growing up in the town.

"I think that where you live always influences you and it’s a big part of your life," says Tom Greenhalgh, aged 37, the vocalist and guitarist for the band. "So the track Where Did It Go? is basically looking back on growing up in West Bromwich."

The lyrics aren't always of the rose tinted variety. "Where did it go? This place I've called home," they cry out in the chorus. "No more hellos, where did it go?"

And furthermore: "There was a town where I grew up. The friendly faces who would lift you up. But it's gone, there's no conversation. Just big opinions and arrested tension."

Tom wrote the track himself, and says it is about how his hometown has changed over the 37 years of his life. “It’s basically about the demise of local communities and how it’s fading, from the days of knowing everybody while out shopping and neighbours helping each other out, and even how local independent shops have been taken away," he adds.

"It’s written about West Bromwich but I think most towns and communities are the same.”

But there are happy memories in there too, such as those which led to the naming of the band in the first place.

"The name Marlowsounds comes from the park near where we both grew up in West Bromwich, the Marl Hole," adds 45-year-old Girish Patel, another West Brom boy who provides guitars, bass, drums, keys and backing vocals for Marlowsounds. Marl Hole Park, for reference, can be found on Hambletts Road.

"Or as some people call it, the Marlow and Marlole," Girish adds. "Also, Tom is known locally as ‘Tom from West Brom’ where he sings about the Black Country. We’ve just finished recording his debut solo album so that will be out soon."

For those who somehow missed it, musician and comedian Tom from West Brom found internet fame in 2017 by recording his own version of The Pogues' Fairytale Of New York, but with a comically Black Country lyrical twist. That can be viewed on the Tom from West Brom Facebook page, along with his other solo creations.

Back to Marlowsounds, and despite the frustration with how their town feels now, their local roots have led to friendships with bands from West Brom - namely WOUNDEDSPiRit. They themselves featured on this page in January last year and across the pages of The Star throughout the year for projects like writing a World Cup song for England's invasion of Russia last summer.

"I’ve known Jason Kelly from WOUNDEDSPiRiT for a few years now through mutual friends and we've played a few gigs together," Tom says.

"Funnily enough I grew up in the same street as Jason's grandparents," Girish adds. "They used to live over the road. So I recognised him. When he heard our album he asked me to help demo some songs for their album."

And have they met many others along their journey so far?

"No, not really," Girish admits. "I don’t think we’ve played enough live gigs to get to know different bands."

The debut Marlowsounds record was called A Life Worth Living, and is available for music fans to listen to on their Spotify page. The album was well received by the public after being released in September 2017, and led to a lot of kind words from both their existing fans and new people touched by its down-to-earth vibe and local reference points.

"The reception was pretty good I think," adds Girish. "The record won ‘album of the month’ in local magazine Ryan’s Gig Guide. We had lots of compliments from people we know and people we don’t.

"We’ve written, recorded, mixed, mastered and produced everything and released our songs ourselves. Which I think is a great achievement."

The 90s British rock era features heavily in the core of A Life Worth Living. There is a definite feeling of Oasis in Tom's vocal style, while more than a few nods to Moseley's finest Ocean Colour Scene crop up through the laid back guitars and melody-driven choruses.

Tom says of the influences: "My teenage years were spent listening to those bands almost non-stop. It was a great time for music then in the mid-90s."

They are still listening to the same bands now as they plough on with writing their follow-up. And Girish was quick to tease that the wait for Marlowsounds fans to hear a new album might be finally drawing to a close as we enter 2019.

"Tom has written 17 songs for the second album," he said. "We have recorded two so far in my home studio and are hoping to release the album in the next few months. We are also looking for new band members to play the songs live as a full band.

"Nothing is planned show-wise except finishing the second album. If we can get the right musicians together to play live then we’ll be out there gigging."

So we may have to wait a while longer to see Marlowsounds strut their stuff on stage and instead wait to hear what they have for us via the recording studio instead - as well as listen for Tom from West Brom's solo material to surface.

Marlowsounds can be found on Twitter @marlowsounds and Facebook @MarlowsoundsUK. The band can be contacted there with regards to joining them for live performances. The record A Life Woth Living is available to stream at Apple Music, Spotify and Deezer by searching for the band.