MUSIC GUIDE
13 Women
Billy Bibby
NEW ALBUM RELEASE : WHO I IS
GIG : 28th MAY : BLACK SMITH ARMS HARWOTH
Far back in the mists of time (well, about 4 years or so ago), two men took to a stage armed
Made in Accrington, Lancashire, Billy Bibby moved to the seaside resort of Llandudno,
with a guitar, a drum, a washboard, two voices and some choice songs. The 13 Women, for
North Wales at the age of eight with his parents and younger brother. He first picked up
it was them, seemed to slip under the radar despite some glowing reviews.
a guitar shortly thereafter and has been teaching himself and honing his guitar skills ever since. From his teen years onwards, Billy’s existence has been divided between
Four years on, Bob Hughes and Danny Foy have replaced the washboard with a fiddle
living by the sea in North Wales and touring extensively throughout the UK and abroad.
player, a harmonica, a double bass, a full drum kit and a brand spanking new album.
The combination of life on the road and a relaxing home base as a haven for songwriting
With some epic live gigs under their collective belt and a growing fan base, the album was
provides a nice pace of living, perfect for creating new tunes.
eagerly awaited. I hate eagerly-awaited albums. Unless it’s a blinder then it can only be a disappointment. Thankfully it is a blinder.
The bulk of Billy Bibby’s music career thus far has been with Catfish and the Bottlemen. As a founding member of the band, Bibby cut his gigging teeth for seven years across the UK,
‘YTS’ (no idea – Youth Training Scheme?) opens with a lone fiddle, joined by some out
Europe and America as lead guitarist and backing vocalist. This voyage started when he
of tune guitar and then an Ennio Morricone harmonica takes us into spaghetti western
was just 17 and ended when he was 24. One of his greatest achievements to date is earning
territory. Every album should start like this. It draws you in perfectly.
a gold disc for the band’s top ten debut album, The Balcony, which has remained in the UK
‘Feed The Wolf’ pumps its way towards old favourite ‘WWW’, a gorgeous waltz masking
charts since it was first released in September 2014. This breakout success culminated with
lyrics that tell of the pitfalls of social media. Pete Howe’s fiddle is achingly beautiful.
a win for Catfish and the Bottlemen at the 2016 Brit Awards for British Breakthrough Act.
‘Inward Bound’ is a dem bones hoe down. If your foot isn’t tapping by now you’ve probably
At the helm of his new band, Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles, Billy seeks to forge his way in
shuffled off this mortal coil. ‘Arse Of Barnsley’ (has there ever been a better song title?)
the industry with a project showcasing his own songwriting. His expressive voice surprises
chugs. There’s no other word for it. It’s like a relentless steam train.
and delights the listener with its flawless, timeless and effortless qualities. Possessing
It’s at this point that you realise The 13 Women make music that sounds like it came from
powerful, melodic pipes and a set of songs to match, Bibby prides himself on making
the Deep South but is firmly planted in 21st Century Yorkshire.
meaningful, relatable records that resonate with everyday people. Influences from such greats as Elvis Presley, Fleetwood Mac, Mark Knopfler, Noel Gallagher and James Bay are
‘Elaine’ is a love song to a lost love called Michelle. Brilliant. The song belongs to Mick
prominent but not defining, supporting an approach that legendary Manchester DJ and
Holmes mourning harmonica. We’re back upbeat again with ‘H & H’ (Hungry & Homeless – I
recording artist Clint Boon describes as “classic British songwriting with a strong nod to
worked that one out). It’s ‘Cotton Fields’ rewritten. Not the woeful Beach Boys version, but
Americana.”
somewhere between Leadbelly’s original and The Pogues 1989 take. ‘On The Farm’ is probably the weakest song on the album. It’s not a bad track, but it just
Bibby spent much of 2015 on tour, trialling new acoustic material and garnering praise and
seems a bit lost surrounded by everything else happening here. Still, how many 12 track
positive feedback. That led to a series of auditions to recruit a full band with the help of
albums come without filler? Maybe with the “I’ve got a deep sea diver’s point of view”
Simon Jones, former bassist for The Verve.
lyric, that’s the point. And to prove a point, ‘Time Traveller’ is for me the strongest song. It pumps along, interspersed with the most gorgeous hook.
Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles are appearing at the Black Smiths Arms in Harworth on the 28th May hosted by Ginger Beard. This Haworth collective of musicians and promoters are
Nine tracks in and we think we have the measure of The 13 Women, so they throw ‘Jawbone’
becoming a destination for local and national unsigned touring musicians. They are also
our way. It’s like nothing else on here. Christ, it’s like nothing I’ve ever heard before, yet it
hosting the Scarborough Arms Stage at Tfest which will see Billy Bibby return to Doncaster
fits and is unmistakably 13 Women. It’s unique, which is no mean musical feat these days.
alongside Sheffield’s Velcro Teddy Bears and Scunthorpe’s Twisted Revolution.
It’s a beautiful earworm. ‘Bad Temper’ and ‘DeadlyCobra’ have a job on to follow that and close the album, but they do it nicely. ‘Bad Temper’ throws the album title into the lyric, sounding both pretty and ugly at the same time. ‘DeadlyCobra’ takes us back half an hour into The 13 Women’s spaghetti western world, a superb and fitting ending. An eagerlyawaited album that does what we want and more. It’s a magnificent effort. Their only real issue now is how to follow it.
Simon Saynor SineFM radio host and proprietor of Notorious Aardvark Record Store in the Waterdale shopping centre.
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