Music review: Mr Huw – Llond Lle O Hwrs A Lladron

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Mr Huw – Llond Lle O Hwrs A Lladron

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Author: MyVillage

Mr Huw – Llond Lle O Hwrs A Lladron

Release date: Out now
Format: Album
Genre: Rock
Our Rating: 2/5

The best of this album reminds you of Lightening Seeds laced with Kraftwerk, but at its worst. It’s like ploughing through Baltic nation entries on Eurovision night.

Being a Welsh Language album is admirable, but ultimately makes it inaccessible. Foreign language songs have to be either exceptional or bring back pi**ed up memories of good times abroad, this is neither.

But it’s pleasant at times and certainly diverse but it’s impossible to gauge how good a wordsmith Mr Huw is. Especially as Aunty Gwynedd wasn’t round, she’s gone to Camber Sands for a break.

John Prendergast, MyVillage

Press release
Here comes Mr Huw! With a wonky keyboard, a battered guitar and a shonky 4-track Mr Huw presents 14 songs of a peculiar kind of everyday experience. Pleasingly, these events aren’t as mundane as hanging round the shops or going for a beer with the lads. Instead, Mr Huw’s tales involve facial expressions during sex, death and paranoia, among many other things. A tad more appealing than the humdrum, this is a Jackanory for adults…

Musically, Mr Huw creates head-nodding, foot-tapping joy using the simplest of tools. With just an armful of electronic beats, bare-bones backing and Mr Huw himself, he creates a tuneful landscape fit for a melodically attuned king. Take opener, Cyflwyniad, a 2-minute instrumental that puts the shakes in your bones as effortlessly as a kid scoffing a bag of sweets.

Delve deeper into Mr Huw’s world and you’ll find hits of varying shades in abundance. The album’s title track (meaning Loads Of Whores And Pirates) hints at darker places with its sparse buzzing guitars, that is, until the singalong chorus breaks through the mist. Sgwd Dy Bres (Shake Your Money) farts itself into existence before clip-clopping its way into your head. Morgi Mawr Gwyn (that’s Big White Sea Dog) tackles the mid-pace and succeeds with chirpy ease and Pwdi Hwn (Who’s That) is a half-snotty, half-happy strut. Artist Solo could even pass as a cut from that other Welsh language classic, the Super Furry Animals’ Mwng.

Which leaves one question…What are you waiting for? Come on in, the water’s murky…

Hints and Tips…
1. Mr Huw is 1/3 of Welsh indie titans, Kentucky AFC
2. Mr Huw recorded this album all on his own.
3. He did this in the magical surroundings of Snowdonia National Park (worth a visit for a holiday, says I)
4. Mr Huw is LOVED by BBC Radio 1’s Mr Huw Stephens (although they are not the same person), who says Mr Huw is “always a pleasure”. Ahem
5. Mr Huw was nominated for a RAP award by ace BBC Radio Cymru show, C2, despite having no background in rapping (RAP awards are Welsh music awards, Saeson heathens!)