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BIOG Now, encouraged by the reaction to the album’s initial low-key release, and with a team of like-minded music industry supporters on-board, ‘Until The Traffic Stops’ is to be re-released, with the title track out as a single on September 29th. Five years ago, Alex Cornish was living in London and stuck in a rut, playing in various "shit bands that were going nowhere," doing showcases for major labels that weren’t interested, playing occasional session guitar and writing bits of music for television. “My Dad’s family are Scottish and Mum and Dad moved to North Berwick when I went to University, so I used to go up during the holidays,” Alex recalls. “When I got fed up of London, Scotland was the natural place to go to, to see if I could get a new perspective on things.” Alex’s instincts proved to be correct - within a month of moving to Edinburgh he'd written and recorded the songs that would become ‘Until The Traffic Stops’. "It was something about getting out of my comfort zone, although I actually felt immediately at home in Scotland. It opened it all up - the scope for what was possible, ie anything." And he didn't stop there. He set up his own label - Bellevue Records – secured an independent distribution deal and put the album out himself. “I was stuffing envelopes and calling up the press and radio producers to try and get it played out. No-one else was going to do it, because no-one else cared as much as I did". It’s a complex album – musical sweetness masks a dark, bitter seam; soaring melodies disguise hints of anger. This is an album that, lyrically and musically, rewards repeated listening. Low-key singles ‘This One’s For You’ and ‘My Word What A Mess’ began to pick up plays on XFM Scotland, Radio Scotland, 6 Music and Radios 1 and 2. Live sessions followed for Jim Gellatly, Tom Robinson and even Dermot O’Leary’s show on Radio 2 – a slot very rarely given to an unsigned artist. "Im on the Right Side" was chosen to run over the closing credits of Hollywood movie ‘Solstice’, by Blair Witch Project director Dan Myrick. ”I wasn’t looking for a major record deal, but there were some cool people in the industry offering to help, without wanting to taking over. There were limits to that box room where I recorded the album and I wanted to improve some things here and there, and now I’ve got the opportunity to do it.” Alex Cornish has made a remarkable album which deserves not only the accolades it’s had so far, but to be discovered by a much wider audience. In the words of the great songwriter, Tom Robinson : "This is Alex Cornish - and it's absolute quality". |