Peter and The murder Of Crows
Loose Music 2008

"one of England's best kept musical secrets". - Rolling Stone

These words from Rolling Stone seem to sum up Devon based Peter
Bruntnell's career so far. A handful of albums for Almo and Ryko in
the 90s coincided with the emergence of Britpop (RIP) and despite
the best efforts of a very supportive music press the records
mellifluous and introspective nature didn't fully satisfy a "mad for it"
general public.
But for those that did take the time to check out this softly spoken
songwriter the rewards have been plentiful. His subsequent albums
for Loose (Ends Of The Earth, Played Out and 2005's Ghost In A
Spitfire) featured the kind of startling tales of small town romance
and big city isolation, the erosion of community and the wonders of
family life that ticked all the right sonic boxes for a fiecely loyal
fanbase that has ensured that over the course of six acclaimed albums
Bruntnell has managed to sustain a very healthy career in this most
fickle of industries.
He has also retained the respect of his peers. To return to Rolling
Stone, he may be one of this country's best kept secrets but if you ask
the likes of Kurt Wagner, Peter Buck, Mark Eitzel (Bruntnell
supports American Music Club on a UK tour in September), Jay
Farrar or Kathleen Edwards they'll all agree that he's a writer of
many qualities. All of which are more than in evidence on Peter And
The Murder Of Crows - his seventh studio album.
Recorded mainly in his home studio in Devon and co-written by
long-term and long distance (they swap lyrics and melodies over the
telephone) Canada based writing partner Bill Ritchie, the album
finds Peter in a reflective yet settled frame of mind. Since relocating
to the west coast from London he's taken time out to help raise an
ever expanding family and indulge in his passion for surfing and
although he still takes time out to hit the road, one listen to the track
Domestico will make it clear where his loyalties now stand. It lies
amongst all the trademarks of a classic Bruntnell album - acoustic
driven folk based pop with just a hint of psychedelic that's all
delivered in a very British fashion. - Domestico is in many ways the
lynchpin of the record as it examines his family loyalty, contentment
with his lot in life and a slight but contradictory desire for perhaps a
little bit more.