I would probably liken my first encounter with Pegasus Bridge to meeting a very attractive Martian [bear with me].  This Martian is unusual and exciting, with four very well-haired heads, and you immediately allow yourself to be completely taken in by their charm.  Just as you begin to mentally debate which head would wear the top hat/veil at your wedding, or indeed whether you would need to accessorise the whole quartet, they drop the intergalactic bombshell – they have to return to Mars and run the family business.  With little confidence in your grasp of Martian commerce you don’t pay much attention to the reason only to the dropping feeling in your stomach as you realise that you are incredibly unlikely to see their faces ever again.

The purpose of this introduction is not to dredge up the heartache of your own Martian-related encounter, only to put the disappointment I felt at finding out Pegasus Bridge had already broken up by the time I first heard “Ribena” in the simplest, most universal terms possible…

Pegasus Bridge-Ribena

The band’s unique pop-infused indie rock sound, coupled with Edward Turner’s brazen vocal twang, left me unwittingly thinking I had spotted the next ‘big thing’ to hit the alternative circuit.  I was less than pleased to learn that Pegasus Bridge had disbanded in July 2011, playing a sold-out farewell gig in their home-town in September of that year, a gig for which I was 6 months late to the queue.  My disappointment at this discovery is mirrored by the countless and ceaseless comments of dismay from other viewers of their fairly limited online music videos.  This capacity of a largely-unknown band to illicit the emotional investment of entirely new audiences two years after separating can only be a reflection of Pegasus Bridge’s significance as a creative force.

“While We’re Young”, the boys’ last album, is a polished and innovative ensemble of guitar and synth-heavy tracks exploding with personality.  Their original and unabashed lyrics make Pegasus Bridge one of the most relatable musical acts I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.  With themes ranging from the serious to the comical, their songs illustrate the band’s ability to be versatile without alienating their core audience.  In their fairly fleeting career the four lads managed to create incredibly modern, yet authentic music with the innate power to far transcend their short jurisdiction.

Pegasus Bridge-Violence

When you find a band with such a unique cohesive sound it’s easy to forget that this sound is generated by four individual artists.  Unfortunately in the case of Pegasus Bridge, individuality could not exist alongside cohesion any longer and Turner eventually decided to leave the band and launch his solo career.  Whilst it is a great shame that the four were unable to maintain their position poised on the brink of success, it is comforting to know that the music they did have time to make is still there to be enjoyed.  Three years on, I personally am definitely still enjoying it.

[Unfortunately there is no longer a Pegasus Bridge YouTube channel, but their music is really easy to find from a simple search]

N.B.
If you decide you want to hear more of Edward Turner’s cheeky drawl check out his solo stuff.  His E P “n i g h t” is a very well put together collection of sincere lyrics and soft sounds.  He seems to have grown immensely as an artist and as an individual, with an identifiable progression from his earlier Pegasus Bridge stuff.  I really hope he achieves the success in his solo career he has been thoroughly entitled to throughout his musical career.

You can’t move on the internet without tripping over a cover version of Adele’s “Someone like you” or Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”.  Ranging from the angelic to the truly abysmal, covers are a self-perpetuating testament to the good, the bad and the horrifying faculties in one single piece of music.  Someone who house-shares with the captivating and the caterwauling is Daniela Andrade.

Daughter-Youth (w/ Dabin)

Andrade has been posting her music online for over 5 years and has grown into an adept and polished artist right in front of the camera.  She has leant her breathy tones to songs with an inherent “Do not tamper” label and managed to bend them to her style without being apathetic to their original essence.  My personal favourites are her addictive rendition of Daughter’s “Youth” and the haunting Feist’s “Let it Die” cover; perfection.

She’s romantic and whimsical and incredibly endearing, seemingly having yet to realise the extent of her talent and appeal.  As you watch her seek encouragement from an off-camera friend before taking on Radiohead’s “Creep” you can’t help but fall in love with her a little and admire the reverence she has for the artists and the songs she covers.  Andrade is a true music artist and her authenticity is refreshing in an industry where baseless egos and self-entitlement run rampant.

Not limited to reworking other artists’ pieces, the Canadian singer also writes her own music and she has a natural dexterity for tender lyrics with the occasional game-changer like her more urban collaboration with electro producer Dabin, “For me”.  From the acoustic to the more heavily produced, Andrade’s work really shows her potential to be a very successful recording and performance artist.  She maintains an unflappable level of class and even her newest upload “Don’t Care”, whilst dripping with attitude, leaves you feeling like the intended recipient has been surprise-slapped by a flower.  I love her.

Daniela Andrade-Don’t Care

If you enjoy mellow tones and a well-played guitar, I definitely recommend listening to Daniela Andrade.  Get in there now before you become vulnerable to accusations of “jumping on the bandwagon” because I don’t think it will be too long before that starts hurtling down the road.