Bradford band moving mountains to build their reputation (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bradford band moving mountains to build their reputation

3:18pm Friday 13th January 2012 in Music By Emma Clayton

Bradford band Wilful Missing are looking ahead to a busy 2012, kicking off with the release of their debut album Molehills Out Of Mountains.

Two tracks on the album, Constitution Failed and Cry For The City, were featured on BBC1 drama Waterloo Road last year, along with another two of the band’s songs, DIY and Blue Poetry.

“They used DIY in the final scenes of a particularly dramatic episode, and within minutes we were getting enquiries about it,” says singer Albert Freeman. “People are still tweeting about the songs, the buzz continues.”

Producers used the tracks after spotting the band at last summer’s Rough Beats Festival in North Yorkshire.

“One of the directors bought our EP, Vast Atlantic, and chose DIY from that,” says Albert.

“It was great exposure. Waterloo Road is a huge show, watched by more than five million viewers.”

Likened to Mumford And Sons and Counting Crows, the folk-rock act are gaining a loyal fanbase, and will be playing in Bradford this spring.

The five-piece – Albert on vocals and bass; Sam Kipling on lead vocals and acoustic guitar; Sam Lawrence on guitar, keyboards and uilleann pipes; Ruth Viqueira on percussion and Rhys Kelly on keyboards and clarinet – play a range of instruments between them, including the mandolin, cajon, cello, accordion and bagpipes.

Their appeal is described as “cross-genre” and “cross-generational”, and their impressive musicianship and songcraft has drawn them to the attention of the likes of BBC Radio 2 and 6 presenter Steve Lamacq, who declared them “right up my street”. This week the broadcaster played Don't Be Scared 48, from the album.

Sam Kipling’s emotionally-charged vocals, coupled with hypnotic lyrics and haunting melodies, draw the listener in, and the band’s attention to detail means the more you listen, the more you pick up on.

When they were looking for a name, Sam’s namesake provided inspiration. “We went through Rudyard Kipling’s work and came across his poem Wilful Missing. It just felt right,” says Albert.

Molehills Out Of Mountains is due for release on January 23 on the band’s Little Attic Records label. All the tracks, except London Road, by Neil McSweeney, are written by Wilful Missing, and the cover artwork is by drummer Ruth.

The album builds on recent successes, coming hot on the heels of two well-received EPs, Vast Atlantic and Loose Ends. And last year the band won Sheffield’s 2 Weeks 2 Make It music video competition with The Waltz, another album track. “We had to do it in just two weeks. We worked with film-makers Little Red Light and, to our great surprise and pleasure, we won,” says Albert.

While two of the Waterloo Road tracks are on the new album, one of the other songs used on the show, Blue Poetry, will be the B-side to the new single, released this spring.

The band are planning ‘mini tours’ throughout the year.

“We all have jobs so we can’t just go off for months, but we’ll be doing a weekend of gigs here and there,” says Albert.

l Wilful Missing are at The Grand, Clitheroe, tomorrow and Great Northern Wine, Ripon, on March 25. For more about the band, visit wilfulmissing.co.uk.