Tinderbox (band)

Tinderbox

Tinderbox performing at the Assembly Rooms, Glastonbury UK, 10 July 2010
Background information
Origin Ireland & UK
Genres Acoustic, Folk
Instruments Guitar, vocals
Years active 1997-present
Website www.tinderboxacoustic.com
Members Monique Houraghan
Dan Tucker

Tinderbox are a UK-based acoustic duo featuring vocalist Monique Houraghan (born Dublin, Ireland in 1976) and guitarist Dan Tucker (born Hampshire, UK in 1974). The pair met at university in Yorkshire in 1994 and soon began writing and performing together. After four creative years living in Dublin between 1997 and 2001 the duo travelled the world for two years, performing in over seven countries, before eventually settling in Bournemouth, England. The duo married in September 2008.

To date Tinderbox have produced five studio albums and one live album. Tom Robinson's feature of the 2010 track 'The State of Play' on BBC Radio 6 Music boosted the duo's popularity when he described their music as 'Gorgeous'.[1] In May that year the duo played a successful tour of the US and a few months later they picked up an award for 'Best International Group' in Cáceres, Spain.

Tinderbox have recently been accompanied on tour by singer-songwriter and session musician Bob Burke.[2]

Dan and Monique have a daughter, 'Orla Daisy' born on 31 May 2011 (midway through the recording of their fifth studio album 'Counting Time') and a son 'Aidan Lewis' born on 13 December 2013.

Early albums

The Boy and the Moon was produced in September 1997 and enjoyed a limited release. Actually only 700 original cassette format albums were produced. Although little known, this first album spawned subsequent favourites including 'Oranges For Breakfast', 'Behind The Smile' and 'Golden'. The album also features the tracks: 'Caressing Nowhere', Timely Reminders', 'Empty Heads and Breathless Kisses', 'Peanut Hatstand', 'Said Before', 'Forget This World', 'Half a Life' and 'Nonsense We All Are'.

The second album The Fire's Inside, released ten years later in April 2007, includes, amongst others, 'Coming Back To You', 'Fallen' and 'Walk Away'; tracks that have featured in a number of major film and television productions.

Golden

May 2008 saw the release of Tinderbox's third studio album Golden, a collection of recordings that featured a strong 'band' influence. In April 2009 'Maverick' Magazine[3] described Golden as "Quite inspirational...a bit of a masterpiece". Maverick then went on to describe Tinderbox as "Poised to ignite the acoustic folk world...". The album received a review by Musician's Union Magazine Musician, branding it 'Delectable...'. In August 2009 'Golden' was also praised by Acoustic (magazine), who branded it "Lovely, Hooky, Mellow".[4]

'Golden' features some of what have become the duo's standards including 'Travelling', 'Fall Down', 'Out On My Own', 'Ordinary Day' and 'Waiting For The Summer'.

The State of Play

The State of Play was released on 17 April 2010. This release featured tunes that had already been made popular through live performances and radio play over the previous year. As well as the eponymous track, these include, 'Broken Trees', 'For You Dear Emily', 'Inside Out', 'Pieces', 'Hold On' and the haunting, gospel-tinged 'River To The Sea'.

'The State of Play' was very well received in the UK with five star reviews in a host of national magazines including 'Acoustic' and 'Maverick'; as well as a covermount feature in June 2010's edition of R2 Magazine.[5]

'Counting Time' - 2012

Counting Time

'Counting Time' was released worldwide on 29 March 2012. The album features a range of genres from Americana and folk ballads to jazz and contemporary pop.

The album's thirty five minutes comprise the tracks 'Homeward Bound', 'Lovely To Me', 'Counting Time', 'No Other Man', 'Like a Bird', 'Drowning Me', 'Valentino', 'Amelia's Dancing', 'Days of Innocence', 'The Load' and 'Light My Flame'.

'Counting Time' has already found substantial air-play across the UK with BBC Southern Counties' Phil Jackson [6] describing it as "Lovely", BBC Radio Kent's Roger 'Twiggy' Day [7] remarking "...it's beautiful...the best thing they've done so far" and from Brian Player [8] of Radio UK International: "The care and attention spent in making this album shines through; thoroughly enjoyable". R2 Magazine labelled the album Outstanding.

'Live! At The Cottage' - 2014

Live! At The Cottage

28 November 2014 saw the release of a fifth album (and Tinderbox's first live offering). ‘Live! At The Cottage’, produced by David Booth of Wet Feet Records, was recorded in front of a sell-out audience at Dove Cottage in Debenham, Suffolk on 10 May 2014. The album comprises twelve original tracks from the band’s extensive repertoire, including previously unreleased material.

‘Live At The Cottage’ features Monique Houraghan on lead vocals, Dan Tucker on guitar, ukulele and backing vocals and Bob Burke on guitar and backing vocals. This has been the band’s standard ‘trio’ line-up since 2011. This album captures beautifully a polished and passionate performance in an intimate ‘pin-drop’ atmosphere and stands as an honest record of how Tinderbox sounded as of the time of release. Of ‘Leave Your Light On’, one of the brand new tracks on the album, producer David Booth Tweeted “…I had to take a break to fight off tears…just beautiful”.[9]

Reviews for 'Live! At The Cottage' have been positive. Maverick magazine’s recent 4.5/5 star review stated: “If Tinderbox are still under your radar it’s recommended you give this one a spin; it won’t disappoint”.[10] Tim Carroll of Folkwords commented “Highly accomplished musicianship; reflected through twelve soul-searing tracks”[11] whilst FATEA’s Neil King wrote “Tinderbox are back…and back in style!”.[12]

Film & Television

In recent years Tinderbox’s music has featured in numerous television and film projects including:

‘Aisling's Diary’ (RTÉ1, Ireland)
‘Dr. G: Medical Examiner’ (Discovery Channel, USA)
‘Trinity’ (Channel 5 Entertainment, USA)
'The Bilbee Boys'[13] (US independent feature film)

Touring

Tinderbox have played hugely successful headline shows for many years. In addition they have played support for the likes of Joan Armatrading, 10cc, Turin Brakes, Cara Dillon, Jon Allen, Ben's Brother, Ralph McTell, Eleanor McEvoy, Squeeze's Chris Difford, John Renbourn and Ade Edmondson.

References

  1. ↑ Tom Robinson Introducing - Broadcast 21 June 2009
  2. ↑ <http://www.solent.ac.uk/about-us/staff-profiles/fcis/burke-bob.aspx>
  3. ↑ "Home - Maverick". Maverick-country.com. Retrieved 2011-12-27.
  4. ↑ <http://www.acousticmagazine.com/>
  5. ↑ Rock N Reel (R2 Magazine)
  6. ↑ "BBC Introducing: The South". BBC News. June 4, 2010.
  7. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p001d70g
  8. ↑ http://www.radiobasingstoke.co.uk/the-team-details.php?dj_id=79
  9. ↑ http://www.wetfeetrecords.co.uk
  10. ↑ http://www.maverick-country.com
  11. ↑ http://www.folkwords.com/latestreviews_92709.html
  12. ↑ http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/2014/Tinderbox.html
  13. ↑ IMDb - The Bilbee Boys
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