Track Listing

1. Talk Of The Town
2. Stranded
3. End Of The Line
4. Little Voice
5. Thin Air
6. Keep It Together
7. Disarray
8. LA Song
9. Ella May
10. Life

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63073 in Music
• Released on: 2006-09-19
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
Recorded in South London, and produced by Mark Wallis (U2, Smiths, La's, Travis) Mohair have finally committed to tape the music they have always threatened to deliver. 'Small Talk' manages to straddle both indie and pop genres with a full on assault of eclectic musical experiences. Taking on influences as varied as Fleetwood Mac, Miles Davis, Neil Young and The Who Mohair's sizzling diversity has been encapsulated in 40 minutes of playful rockers and climactic epics, taking the listener on a journey of sunshine and shade bristling with energy and ideas. With it's infectious melodies and driving rhythms, 'Small Talk' is set to be one of the most arresting LPs of 2006.

About the Artist
Tom Billington – guitar and lead vocals Alex Richards – keys and vocals Tim Slade – bass guitar and vocals Pete Baker – drums and trumpet

The merry quartet known affectionately as Mohair have been lucky thus far. All heralding from a grey suburban area on the outskirts of London, Alex (keys, vocals), Pete (drums, trumpet), Tom (guitar, lead vocals) and Tim (bass, vocals) somehow each managed to find like-minded souls in a sea of commuting carcasses.

Tom and Pete first met at ‘wind band’ at the impressionable age of 5. With a jealousy for Tom’s ‘silver goal keepers gloves’, competitiveness between the two was evident from the get-go. Pete met Tim at "grown-up" school, and a bond was formed that would stand them in good stead for the rigors of the road. Meanwhile, Tom was treading the boards with Alex for a local theatrical music extravaganza. After much incestuous musical collaboration over many years, the Mohair seed was finally sewn.

With the notion of writing music for music’s sake, they quickly developed a style that was noticed by a faded rock luminary in 2002 (name held for fear of litigation). With the promise (and delivery!) of cinematic icons as dinner guests and roof top swimming pools, they were quick to sign on the dotted line. By the summer of 2004, despite playing every major UK festival and with a single playlisted on Radio 2, things began to unravel. Simply put, Mohair wanted out.

After being cut free by said unsaid luminary, they decamped to a 300-year-old barn in the lowlands of Scotland to find inspiration. At the height of Winter and with a Donkey called Derek as their only source of company (and heat!) they found their mule…sorry muse. With flashing lights and fungi, the beginning signs of ‘Small Talk’ appeared.

Energized by the new material being composed from the Barn sessions, Mohair realized that money was the only barrier between them and releasing records. They donned suits, strapped on the Queen’s tongue and went to get some loot. By sublime intervention, they managed it and formed ‘Ear Candy’, their very own label.

Quick to jump on the ‘bank-wagon’, they employed Mark Wallis (The Smith’s, The La’s, Travis and U2) and David Ruffy (The Rutts, The Waterboys) to guide them in the art of the album. In a south London recording studio the conception, pregnancy and painful birth of ‘Small Talk’ had begun.

‘Small Talk’ sounds like its being played by a band that is still on its honeymoon period, but written by a band that have been together 6 years and performed over 500 gigs. With varied influences being coaxed together, someone’s yet to find a pigeonhole big enough in which to place "The Mohair Sound". With sounds both fresh but familiar, they finally had an album they could be proud of.

With the same ambition, virtue, and earnestness that lead them to the monetary well that afforded them to record "Small Talk", the band then took to shopping the album in the US. After hearing it, the legendary management duo of Q Prime’s Peter Mensch and Cliff Burnstein decided to sign them to their newly formed ‘Grunion’ label.

With huge smiles on their faces, a top 10 ‘Indy’ single, support building from BBC radio/newspapers/music press, a self owned UK label, a US deal bagged and 3 national tours (in 2005) under their blazers…they felt well equipped to take on 2006!

The Year started with a heart stopping performance at Holland’s Eurosonic festival (figuratively, of course. No defibrillators were needed during the set) and an amazing US debut at SXSW, including an acoustic performance of the Beatle’s "Taxman" with Nickel Creek. With the commercial release of "Small Talk" around the bend, 2006 promises to be a good one for the four happy lads in Mohair.

Customer Reviews

"Small Talk" hits the spot!
This is a great CD, Exciting sound -driving rythms and great melodies. Every track had a different style. I usually get bored listening to the same artist or group, but not this one! There were a couple of tracks that were a little too hard rock, but other than that we LOVED it! Our favorite track - 'End of the Line". A "must buy"

Discovering Mohair
So I heard this great song on a Beck's beer commercial on Comedy Central - some of you might know the one - the other night and felt compelled to download it. After some luck with Google, I found this somewhat obscure British band called Mohair.

My first thought: "...Isn't that goat's hair?!" Yup. Undeterred, I listened to a few of their sample tracks on their website (www.mohairmusic.com) and was very impressed!

Every track is, simply, a hell of a lotta fun with beat, energy and creative lyrics in every one (in fact, "Ella May", sounds like a Beatles throwback and "L.A. Song" has, ironically, a country rock flavor).

So, since I've received and listened to their album, out of ten tracks, the following are songs that I really enjoy: Talk Of The Town, Stranded, End Of The Line, Keep It Together, L.A. Song, and Ella May. 6 new favorites out of 10 tracks on one album for an unbeatable price. Incredible.

I know I'm not the only one desperate for some unique music out there and you won't be disappointed with Mohair.

~ Jason

A must for Crack the Sky fans
As the fine people of Baltimore have surely discovered already, someone has managed to do what Crack the Sky has failed to do in the last two decades. That is, to recreate the energy and quirkiness of CTS's early years in a fresh, young band called Mohair. The lyrics, vocals, and music all reminiscent of the avant-garde CTS albums of the late '70's. The hunger has finally been relieved. Bravo.